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Jaina Rock-cut Caves in Western India MOHIDA-TARF-HAVELI, SHAHADA TALUKA, NANDURBAR DISTRICT
(PREVIOUSLY DHULE DISTRICT)
The village of Mohida is 6 km north of Shahada and 13 km south of Khetia. There is another village called Mohida, to the south of Shahada. The one on the south is called "Mamache Mohida', while the one on the north is called 'Hol Mohida'. On the east of the village flows the river Gomai. In the bedrock of this river, two Jaina caves are excavated. As there is no scarp or cliff available, the caves are cut in the bedrock from the top as at Ambejogai and therefore are roofless. The caves can be reached from the Tapi Chemicals on Dara phatā of Shahada-Khetia road. Behind Tapi Chemicals is a watchtower like structure, which is a water tank. To the north of the water tank are caves. They are locally known as 'Pancha Pandava Leni.'
The caves have been very briefly reported in IAR (1958-59).
Description
The caves are at the distance of about 12 m from each other. Both the caves are roofless, face east and are quite similar in plan, dimesions and iconographic programme. Both the caves remain filled with water almost throughout the year except summer.
Cave I
This cave has a hall and a shrine (Fig. 69, Plate 154). The hall is 5.12m wide at the back and 5.4m wide in the front. The depth of the cave varies from 3.6m to 3.85m. The entrance to the cave is to the east or in the front wall of the hall. The entrance is in the form of 0.65m wide opening in the centre of the front wall. There is an irregular portion of rock left on the floor, in front of the opening, which serves as the step to climb down the cave. The walls of the hall are not uniformly high. These are around 2.75 m high. Part of the front wall to the left of the entrance and a part of left sidewall are destroyed at upper portions. In the back wall to the right of the shrine door is a large niche, 1.4m long, Im high and 0.45m deep
A plain door, about 1.45m by 0.77m leads to the shrine.
The shrine is around 2.3m wide. It is 2.6m deep along the right and 2.44m deep along the left. The shrine walls are around 1.95m high.
Sculptures
The walls of the hall are carved with figures of seated and standing Jinas and yakşa-yaksi. Each of the figures is in a niche. The niches of seated Jinas are around 0.3m deep; those of standing Jinas are around 0.23m and those of other figures are 0.1m deep. Some of the figures on the right sidewall are quite large (Fig. 69).
1. Seated Chandraprabha: 0.98m by 0.75m.
The figure of Chandraprabha is seated in a padmāsana on a plain pedestal. He has a trivali grivā, long ears touching the shoulders, diamond-shaped, protruding srivatsa and a
