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Description and Chronology of Caves
205 object, while the left hand is on the hip. Near his feet, to his right seems to be a seated figure, perhaps a devotee, while to the left is a dog (Plate 141).
5. Seated figure: 0.38m by 0.39m
This seated figure is very unclear. It is difficult to determine whether it is male or female. However, Jadhav has identified it as Chakresvari.
Below all the icons except the seated Jina on the back wall of the shrine, is a rectangular groove, one on each side. It varies in length from 0.04m to 0.1 lm, 0.02 to 0.05 in width and 0.03m to 0.05m in depth. These could have been used either for hanging garlands, or for any other such purpose. The icons in the shrine have two more grooves, one on each side. These grooves are bigger with a projection below. These could have been used probably for keeping some objects like lamps, flowers or incense. At present, these are used for keeping lamps, as there are traces of fresh soot and oil in these grooves.
All the icons, especially Ambika, are still worshipped by the local people, though not as Jaina icons, but as some local goddess. Thus, all the icons are smeared with turmeric. In the corner of the wall between tritirthikā and Ambikā, a nail is fixed to hang bangles, which are offered to Ambikā, especially by the women. There are fresh handprints in red on the wall. The cave has been presently painted.
On the mass of the rock, left to be carved as a stūpa in the unfinished chaitya II of Bhimashankar group in the same hill range is carved an unfinished figure of seated female with large earrings and necklace. She has been identified as the Jaina goddess Ambikā (Jadhav 1980: 163-164, Plate 16B). However, as no diagnostic features of the goddess are present and since the icon is very unclear and apparently unfinished, one cannot be very sure. It could have been a Hindu goddess also.
Date
The conversion of this Buddhist vihāra to Jainism has been dated to around 8th 9th century CE on the assumption that it was the time when several Jaina caves were excavated in western India (Jadhav 1980: 254-255).
The date suggested by Jadhav is too early as the iconographic features of the icons indicate. Sarvānubhūti is absent, while Ambikā is carved very prominently, almost as an independent goddess. The appearance of Gomukha yaksa on the throne of Rsabhanātha and Kshetrapala suggests a late date, most probably late 12th century CE on the analogy of Cave V at Ankai-Tankai and Anjaneri.
BHAMER, SAKRI TALUKA, DHULE DISTRICT (20° 30'N; 75° 05'E)
The village of Bhamer is situated at the foot of a fortified hill, 48.2 km west by north from Dhule and 4.82 km south of Nizampur. The village is surrounded by ranges of hills on three sides. The hill on the eastern side of the village is fortified. Within the area of the fort, a few caves have been excavated. Some are plain excavations, while three caves are quite decorative with ornamental doorways and pillars. These are of secular nature.
