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Jaina Rock-cut Caves in Western India The above account makes it very clear that the village had been a large town of some importance. Most of the remains are from the Yadava period, but even in the 7th century the neighbouring area was very prosperous region as the references to shops, various taxes on commercial commodities and the merchant guild in the aforementioned inscription suggests. In the Yadava period, the town must have been a commercial centre as the reference to shops and merchants in the inscription from the Jaina temple suggests. It must have had religious importance also as indicated by the presence of a large number of shrines, built in a close cluster. It was at this time that the Jaina cave was excavated. The site held importance even in 14th-15th century, when a Natha cave was excavated and in the Maratha period, when some structures and possibly the shrine of Anjani devi came up.
Proximity to Tryambakesvara
More than commercial significance, the site is sacred and is religiously important because of its proximity to the famous Brahmanical tirtha Tryambakesvara, which is just 6.43 km west of Anjaneri. Tryambakesvara, the source of river Godavari and the place of a jyotirlinga, is one of the most sacred Brahmanical tirthas. There are a Siva temple and a Kushavarta kunda, built during the Pesva period. On the Brahmagiri hill near the village is a fort, the Gangadvar tirtha- the source of Godavari and Goraksanatha's cave, where Nivrittinatha is said to have received initiation from Gahininatha in around Saka 1210 or 1288 CE. There is also a temple of Nivrittinatha, where he is said to have taken samadhi. Further, there is the Varaha tirtha, one or two smaller tirthas, a Rama temple and a temple of Kolambikā devi. Every twelve years, when the sun enters Leo, a Simhahasta fair is held at Brahmagiri. On every pausa vada 11th, the day Nivrittinatha is said have taken samadhi, a fair is held. On jayestha suddha 15th, a procession leaves for Pandharpur (Nasik District Gazetteer 1975: 1027-1031). Thus, till today. Tryambakesvara is a famous Brahmanical place of pilgrimage. Though the present temple and kunda are relatively modern, the sanctity of the place is ancient as the lengthy accounts narrating various legends about the site and its association with revered sage Gautama in various Puranas suggests (Parthasarathi 1998:142-148).
Thus, Anjaneri seems to have acquired sanctity too, due to its proximity to Tryambakesvara. In fact, it is woven into one of the legends. Of the three types of pradaksina of Brahmagiri referred to in the Tryambakaksetra mahātmya, the third type includes pradaksiņā around Anjangiri or Anjaneri also, along with Brahmagiri and Harihar (Parthasarathi 1998: 143). The hill acquires its name from Anjani, mother of Hanuman, who is said to have performed penance here. Even today, the temple of this goddess on the top of the hill is a regular place of visit by the pilgrims, which involves a long and very strenuous ascent. Apparently, the site developed not only as a Brahmanical tirtha, but an important Jaina centre at least in the 12th century CE as attested by a large number of Jaina temples and the cave in question. The site was also an important Natha centre, at least in the 14th-15th century CE, along with its neighbour Tryambakesvara, which is the foremost centre of the Natha sect in Maharashatra even today. Thus, the whole region around Tryambaka-Anjaneri was and is considered sacred, mainly because river Godavari takes its source in the hills in this region. The fact that some of the greatest heights of this range of hills are attained at Anjaneri and Tryambakesvara,
