BOMBAY (PTI): Mahakali caves, one of the oldest and surviving monuments in the country which witnessed the rise and fall of various dynasties, have last week become the haunt of drug peddlers. And vagrants.
Older than Ajanta, Ellora, Elephanta, Jogeshwari, Kanheri and Madapeshwar caves, these early rock out Buddhist caves excavated during 200 BC to 600 AD, are crumbling. The well-known four caves of Mahakali are on the south cast face and the 15 caves are on the northwest face. Many caves of the monument, which has been declared to be of national importance and protected under the ancient monuments and archaeological sites and remains act of 1958, is now defaced and have developed cracks on roofs and walls.
As many of the caves are inhabited by drug peddlers and vagrants, tourists arriving here make a hasty. Retreat. There are no lighting arrangements in these caves and except for the local bus depot and few kiosks, the whole area is deserted.
Mahakali caves are situated 6.5 kms away from Andheri, a northwestern suburb of Bombay in the hills of Udayagiri, from which Andheri derived its name.
Earlier, these were known as kondivite caves as they were situated in the Kond Kondivite city, which enjoyed great prosperity owing to foreign trade through its. Nearby Versova, Bandra and Thane Ports.
Article extracted from this publication >> September 23, 1994
