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Description and Chronology of Caves
167 photograph of Cave I and II were provided (1883: 58-59, Plates XII, XLIX, XLVII, L). More or less similar description, was reproduced by Naik (1947: 372-376).
Description
All the caves, except Cave VII and Cave X, are definitely Jaina as attested by the figure of a seated Jina on the lintel of doorways. Cave X is quite plain and there is no indication of its sectarian affiliation, Cave VII has a figure of Ganesa on the lintel. But since all the neighbouring caves are Jaina and there is no indication that these caves belong to any other faith, it can be argued that these two caves are also Jaina. There are a few Brahmanical caves at the site, but these are excavated inside the fort, right on the top of the hill. Moreover, Ganesa is occasionally found in the lintel of Jaina temples.
Architecturaly, these caves are very fine excavations with well-laid out groundplans, decorative doorways and pillars, elaborate ceilings and ornate facades, but except Caves III and V, all the caves are empty or devoid of any in situ icons. Instead, loose icons were installed as attested by presence of benches along the walls in most caves and the finds of a number of loose icons in the vicinity.
Cave I
This cave is double storied. The lower storey has a verandah, hall and shrine, while the upper storey consists of a verandah and shrine (Fig. 49a & b, Plate 111).
Lower storey
The verendah, measuring 5m by 2.25m, is half-enclosed with low walls or kaksāsanas, as in the structural temples and is entered by a flight of four steps with the parapet walls. The outer side of the backrest of kaksāsanas carries design of lozenges within compartments, interspersed by two round pilasters. A part of rock is left uncarved in the left end. There are two dwarf pillars and corresponding pilasters on the kaksāsanas. The pillars have rough square bases, square shafts, square blocks surmounted by round portions with triangular plates and cushion-shaped members. The shafts are surmounted by flattish kumbhas, tāti with median band and curved brackets. On the base of each pillar is a figure of dvārapala, facing each other. The verandah ceiling is 3.12m high.
The fronts of the kaksāsanas are treated as adhisthānas of temple with the mouldings of bhitta, antarpatta, jadyakumbha, antarpatta, karnikā, antarpatta and kapota. The plinth on the left is destroyed (Fig. 50a).
The doorway leading to the hall is very ornate and elaborately carved (Fig. 49c, Plate 112). It projects out and has nine sakhas of ratna, two valli, vyāla, stambha, two rūpa, valli and ratna. Both the ratna śakhās carry the design of lozenges interspersed with circles, while the valli sakhas have circles formed by creeper and filled in with a flower and creeper and leaves. The vyāla sākhā is carved with five vyalas, each in a compartment. The central stambha sākhā is the broadest and carries three seated deities on sides and stylised pürnaghata on the upper portion. The deities on right jamb are females, each seated in Vāmalalitāsana with the outer hand in varada and holding a fruit
