Head to this eye-opening workshop by an expert on Kanheri caves in Mumbai

Think you know everything about this historic cave site? An all-day workshop by an expert will reveal off-the-grid facts that will wow you

Inside the world’s largest cave complex in an urban centre, Kanheri, several untold stories exist. An upcoming educational workshop by research group, Into the Past Heritage Research hopes to introduce participants to the historical development of Buddhism and how Kanheri played an important role in shaping the religion. Long before global trade brought the world closer, Kanheri was an urban centre in its own right and had international connections too. Researcher Siddharth Kailas Kale, who is leading the workshop, shares, “Apart from the possibility of spotting a leopard (or its pug marks), one will get to learn how Kanheri shaped Buddhism and so much more about the religion that is not available online. We’ll also look at how geology played a huge role in shaping the architecture and the plan of the urban centre at Kanheri.”

Panel depicting the practice of rituals from Saddharmapundarika Sutta

Here are five cool facts about the site:

1. Marriage haven: Kanheri records a two- millennia-old matrimonial alliance that indicates that in certain areas of married life, we Indians haven’t changed in over 200 decades.

2. Forms of Buddha: Before people started worshipping The Buddha in its current form, certain symbols and markers were portrayed as Buddha. These pre-date the external influence which shaped the idea of Buddha in our psyche and the following iconography or vice versa. Kanheri depicts Buddha in these other forms too, including the bodhi tree, stupa, paduka or seat.

Muchalinda Buddha or Mucha Linda Buddha

3. The Japan connect: A link to the Japanese practice of Nichiren Buddhism lies at Kanheri. A follower of the sect found some references to Kanheri and took the arduous journey from Japan to Kanheri where he inscribed his name to mark his presence.

4. Harmonious love: Multiple Buddhist sects like Mahayana, Hinayana, Vajrayana, and Nicherin co-existed here (mostly in harmony). Apart from religious inhabitants, Kanheri had an enormous library, a university similar to the one at Nalanda, a complex banking system, traders and trading network, and overseas residents.

5. Dam(n) good: Kanheri has remnants of one of Maharashtra’s (and possibly India’s) oldest dams. The splendid rainwater harvesting system combined with the dam made Kanheri self-sufficient in terms of water.

Just like these steps at Kanheri that take you in different directions, the evolution of Buddhism has also taken multiple detours from its core philosophy. Kanheri records almost all of those phases

On: Sunday, February 12; 8 am to 4 pm
Meeting point: Sanjay Gandhi National Park main gate, Borivali East
Call: 9699156419 to register
Cost: Rs 999 (including SGNP entrance gate and Kanheri tickets and bus fares)

Siddharth Kailas Kale

More weekend walks

Walk on the Dockside with Marine Life of Mumbai 
On: February 11; 9.30 am
At: Registration Desk, Sassoon Dock
Price: Rs 650
Log on to: insider.in

Bandra Street Art photo walk
On: February 12; 10 am 
At: BJ Road, Mount Mary, Bandra West
Log on to: meetup.com

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