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Site: Location and Importance Epigraphic references
Two copper plate grants have been found from the Shid family at Anjaneri. Of these, one, dated to 708-709 CE does not make any mention of Anjaneri and refers to the territories in Gujarat (Vats 1939-40a: 292-296), so it is quite possible that the grant was brought from some other place. The other grant belongs to Prithivichandra Bhogasakti, a feudatory of the Chalukya king Vikramaditya and is dated to around 7th century on palaeographic grounds. The object of the grant is to record donations in the form of revenues from eight villages and a few other taxes, for the worship of god Narayana at Jayapura, which is identified with Jarvad Budrukh, 16 km southwest of Anjaneri. These villages, whose revenues were donated, are identified in nearby area. The management of the temple was vested in the merchant guild of the town of Jayapura (Vats 1939-40b: 225-240).
Another inscription is on the right mandapa wall of the Jaina temple No. 2 at the village. It records the grant of three shops in the city (probably Anjaneri) for maintaining the temple of Chandraprabha by Yadava king Seunachandra III. Three merchants donated a shop and a house for the same purpose. The grant is dated to 1142 CE (Indraji 1883: 126-129).
Literary references
Anjaneri is revered as one of the sthānas of Mahnubhavas since Chakradhara Swami stayed here while going to Tryambakesvara and also while coming back from there. He stayed in the Jaina temple, mentioned as Vasai (basti) (Kolte 1951: 30, 83).
Other architectural remains
The village, at the foot of the hill, is scattered with a number of small shrines, mostly in ruins. Of these, the remains of at least sixteen temples are visible. The principal group consists of three Jaina temples and three mathas, all enclosed with a wall. In addition, there are three more Jaina temples, while the rest of the temples are Brahmanical, both Vaisnavite and Saivite. There are also remains of tanks. These temples belong to Yadava period and can be dated to 12th-13th century CE (Cousens 1931: 43-47).
Apart from the Jaina cave, there is a 14th- 15th century Natha cave, excavated in a scarp above the pond.
On this flat-topped hill with natural protection in the way of scarp, was built a fort, of which, only traces of wall can be seen (Naravane 1995: 70). There are remains of a sort of a palace near the pond on the second plateau of the hill, built by Raghunatharava, the father of the last Pesva. It is said that when Raghunatharava was exiled to Anandvalli, a small village on the Godavari to the west of Nasik, he used to visit Anjaneri in the summer. Before reaching the pond, there is a small square temple to right. It was called 'dhyāna' and was used by Raghunatharava for meditation. From the western window of the building can be seen an artificial breach in the scarp of Tryambakesvara fort, which is said to have been cut by the order of Raghunatharava for observing sunset on some auspicious days. (Nasik District Gazetteer 1975: 871) At present, it houses a moderi icon of a goddess. On the top of the fort is a small temple of the goddess Anjani, mother of Hanuman.
