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CHAPTER 4
SITE: LOCATION AND IMPORTANCE
The location of each cave-site is very significant. Why a particular location was chosen for the excavation of a cave and why was the cave excavated at a particular point of time is an interesting as well as an important inquiry. Again, the development of the site is an intriguing study. The Jaina caves were excavated at the places, which held political, economic and/or religious significance at a time when Jainism was popular in the region. While a few sites held local influence, some of them emerged as popular tirthas. Few early sites like Dharashiva witnessed a second phase of activity during 11th-12th century CE when Jainism rose to prominence and again fell in disuse after a few centuries. Some sites like Ellora, Mangi-Tungi and Chambhar Lena continued to be active centres almost throughout their history, while most sites like Pale, Ambejogai, Kharosa, Patne, Pandu Lena, Junnar, Mohida, Bhamer, Anjaneri, Ankai-Tankai, Tringalwadi, Vase, Chandor and Daulatabad, were forgotten completely and remain so till today. With the loss of patronage and almost absence of Jaina population nearby, the caves at Ankai-Tankai, Junnar and Chandor have been turned into local shrines and the icons of Ambika and other Jaina goddess are worshipped as local 'ai' or 'mother' and Hindu goddess Kālikā. On the other hand, the sites like Mangi-Tungi, Chandor and Ellora have been revived' in recent years and a number of 'additions have been made, which include new temples, loose icons, proper stairways leading up to the caves, all the modern lodging-boarding facilities for the pilgrims and also 'doli' or palanquin facility at Mangi-Tungi to reach the high caves.
While some of these sites held strategic position in political and economic terms, some of the sites developed as tirthas or sacred places. A multiple number of factors were instrumental in the emergence of a religious site. Thus, a site strategically located, emerged as a tirtha or vice versa. However there were some sites, which were exclusively sacred places, in spite of their not so strategic placement. In such cases, a variety of complex psycho-sociological notions were at work.
