In Focus

Heritage caves have no takers

They may be well-preserved with improved infrastructure and facilities to attract tourists, yet most of the time the Kanheri Caves are not on the tourist itinerary, thanks to their deserted location in the depths of the Sanjay Gandhi National Park. By Shweta Desai

It is among Mumbai's best-preserved heritage structures. Hidden in the dense forest of the Sanjay Gandhi National Park in Borivali, the Kanheri caves - chiselled out of a massive basalt rock-offer a spectacular view of lush green mountains and stream, an otherwise rare sight in the city's urban sprawl.

But while this seclusion has helped keep the caves intact, it also means that only two out of the 10 tourists visiting Mumbai actually have Kanheri caves on their itinerary - they find it unsafe to venture into the forest. Also, the six km stretch of road leading to the Kanheri caves is in poor condition.

"Tourists do not feel safe here as the caves are deep inside the jungle. It's almost an isolated spot. If they can't find a guide to assist them, they simply drop the idea of coming here," said Anagha Halde, an authorised guide escorting three Brazilian women visiting Kanheri caves.

According to Halde, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) should at least make guides available at the ticket counter. "There is a lot to learn from these caves. The site has the potential of becoming as big a tourist attraction as Elephanta, but no efforts are being made on this front," she said.

Halde remarked further that tourists also avoided these Buddhist caves because of the poor condition of roads inside the national park. "It's a bad and bumpy ride; by the time tourists reach Kanheri, they are exhausted," she said.

Higer Polimenn, a German visiting the caves along with her husband, daughter and sister-in-law, was impressed by what she saw - Polimenn started her Mumbai tour with Kanheri. "But I don't know what is the importance of these caves," she said.

Polimenn was surprised to know that the caves dated back to between the first century BC and ninth century AD. "Is it? That's interesting," she exclaimed when told that it was a permanent monastery of Buddhist monks who lived here for meditating and studying. Polimenn said information boards explaining the significance of the caves would help tourists understand their history. "We don't know the significance of statues, water tanks or plinths," she said of Spartan plinths used by the monks as beds. Her husband added that lights near the statues or stupas would help visitors see them properly. "The carvings are beautiful but one cannot see them properly and there is no one to explain their importance," he said.

Visitors also complain about lack of proper toilets at the heritage site. Tattered tarpaulin sheets covering bamboo pillars with 'Ladies' and 'Gents' written in bold letters serve as makeshift toilets. Little wonder, the German tourist found them interesting enough to capture with her camera.

The ASI has taken up the construction of a toilet block. "The work was on hold during the monsoon but the toilets will be ready by the end of this year," said the ASI caretaker of Kanheri caves.

There are 109 tiny rock-cut cells carved into the hill with larger caves called chaityas - halls with stupas for congregational worship lined with intricately carved Buddhist sculptures, reliefs and pillars.

The main hall has two towering seven-metre-high Buddha statues and a colonnade of 34 majestically carved pillars. Barring a few statues that have been disfigured, most of them are still intact.

The Kanheri caves are also the best example of the rainwater harvesting technique used by the monks for their daily water consumption. The 86 storage tanks with a storage capacity of 20-50 litres each brim during the monsoon. An ASI official said a few of the tanks didn't have rock lids and therefore water could not be preserved. "Lids of some of the tanks have fallen inside and are too heavy to be lifted and placed back on the top. Otherwise, we do clean the tanks regularly. The forest and ASI staff, including labourers, consume water from the tanks," he said.

Despite all the drawbacks, the caves still get up to 5,000 visitors on weekends, most of them school kids and tourists.