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Site: Location and Importance
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the 'Kasi' of the south. The association with the great epic, Ramayana provided the city with the highest sanctity. The city is mentioned in a number of Puranas and is associated with great risis like Agatsya and Gautama. Thus, Nasik, along with Tryambakesvara, the source of Godavari, about 29 km south of Nasik became one of the most famous Brahmanical tirthas, associated with a number of legends and mythological as well as historical personalities (Phadke 1998, Parthasarathi, 1998). It even came to be considered a Jaina tirtha as it finds mention in Vividhatirthakalpa' of Jinaprabhasuri, a text on Svetambara Jaina tirthas of the country, written in the 14th century CE (Jinavijaya 1934: 2, 53-54).
It is thus, clear that the site held strategic, commercial and religious importance. The caves are cut in the highest and the easternmost hill of the three isolated and almost pyramid-shaped hills in Tryambaka-Anjaneri range. These hills are very distinct in the landscape and are noticeable from a distance. From the caves can be seen the broad plain stretching west, north and east to the Bhorgad-Ramsej hills, falling into a level table-land, which is broken only by the sharp conical shaped isolated hill. In the southern face of this hill are cut Jaina caves of Chambhar Lena or what is known today as Gajapantha. Thus, both the sites face each other and are clearly visible from each other.
All these factors, along with the fact that Jainas were becoming prominent during this period seem to have worked in converting a small Buddhist vihara into a Jaina place of worship. This was the period, when perhaps Brahmanical additions at the site, in the form of a few icons in the Cave X, next to the Jaina cave, were made. Thus, the site came to be used again, though on a much smaller scale. At present, it is not worshipped. In fact, it never seem to have held great significance as attested by its small size, limited icons and absence of mention in any of the contemporary or later inscriptions as well as literary works. It was perhaps a local worship place, used only for a limited period of time.
PATNE
Situated at the entrance of one of the chief passes through the Satmala hills, the Jaina cave at the village dates to late 10th early 11th century CE.
The site formed part of Risika, which is mentioned in the Ramayana and in the 2nd century inscription at Nasik (Jalgaon District Gazetteer 1962: 43). This division was prevalent during the Satavahanas also (Mahajan 1989: 73). None of the Chalukya and Rashtrakuta inscriptions make clear under which division the site fell, though a number of neighbouring regions are mentioned (Mahajan 1989: 108, 135). During the Yadavas, a division called Kanharidesha is referred to, the chief place of which is identified with Kanher, the fort on the hill with caves at the present site (Mahajan 1989: 188-190). The region came to be known as Khandesh during the rule of Faruqi dynasty.
Epigraphic references
Two inscriptions have come to light from the site, one from the Mahadeva temple, at the foot of the hill and another from the Bhavani temple. The former inscription, dated to 1153-1154 CE, records the construction of the Siva temple, begun by Indraraja of Nikumbha family and completed after his death. It also records the grant of a village to
