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Site: Location and Importance
303 Thus, it is quite possible that even in the 12th century CE, the town was of some importance. It was chosen for its location and perhaps easy availability of the cave, which could be converted by just adding a few icons since the donor appears to have had limited resources.
At present, the site is almost forgotten by the Jainas. The Ambikā icon is worshipped by the locals as a Hindu deity.
CHANDOR
The Jaina cave at Chandor dates from the late 12th century CE. There are no epigraphic or literary references to the cave in question, but the town has been mentioned in a few inscriptions as well as in some texts. These references coupled with a few architectural remains in the village indicate that the site had been an important town.
The Devalali plates of 1052 CE (Ritti 1973: 23), the Bassein copper plates of 1069 CE (Indraji 1883: 119-126) and the Asvi plates of 1098 CE (Ritti 1973: 23), testify to the beginnings of the rule of the first Yadava ruler Dridhaprahara at Chandradityapura, identified with Chandor, which he "made famous". Interestingly, the account of the life and career of this first Yadava ruler is found in the Nasika kalpa of the 14th century Jaina text Vividhtirthakalpa' by Jinaprabhasuri, which of course, adds Jaina context to it. It is stated that when sage Divyana burnt Dvaraka city, he rescued the pregnant wife of Yadava Vajrakumara. She came to Chandradityapura and took refuge in the temple of Chandraprabhasvami. Eventually, she gave birth to a son, named Dridhaprahara. When he grew up, he successfully fought the thieves and was honoured by the Brahmaņas and other inhabitants of the town. Subsequently, he became a great king. It was in this city that the Yadava dynasty took roots once more and with great respect, they repaired the temple of Chandraprabhasvami.
Thus, it is clear that the town was associated with the eighth tirthankara Chandraprabha. It is quite possible that the town was named after the tirthankara Chandraprabha. Interestingly, the cave in question is dedicated to Chandraprabha. The date of Dridhaprahara is fixed approximately to 818 CE (Indraji 1883: 126), while the cave dates from the late 12th century CE, ruling out the possibility that the 'temple mentioned in the text was this cave. Possibly there existed a structural temple of this tirthankara, which has now disappeared. Since the town was traditionally associated with Chandraprabha, the cave, which was excavated in the later period, was dedicated to this tirthankara
Other architectural remains
There are a few remains in the town, which speak of the glory and the significance of the place. To the southwest of the town, immediately outside the gateway, is a Hemadpanthi temple and a well (Deglurkar 1974: 109). About a kilometre northeast of the town is a temple of Renukadevi, cut in the rocky side of the Rahud pass, about 30 m from the plain. There is about 1.5 m high rock-cut image in the cave. It is a celebrated place of worship
