PLACES

KUNDAL

Kundal (pop. 9,431) is a village in Tasganv taluka lying 8 km (five miles) north of Valva, and about 1.60 km (a mile) from the end of the long spur which shoots off from the Mahadev range 48.28 km (thirty miles) north at Mol in Khatav. Kundal has handloom and khandsari industries on small scale, a co-operative oil mill, a high school and a vasatigrha. It was a village in the ex-State of Aundh and was held by the Pant Pratinidhi. It was incorporated in the Tasganv taluka of the sangli district in 1949 on the formation of that district. The village is supposed to be the same as Kaundanyapur mentioned in Puranic legends and to have been the residence of Raja Hingandev, probably the same as Devagiri Yadav king Singhan I or Singhan II. The village was once surrounded by a solid rampart wall but it lies amidst ruins now. There are three primary schools, a high school, a library and two dispensaries. Kirloskarvadi is the nearest railway station, about 6.43 km (four miles) away.

Caves.

The chief object of interest about the village is a set of Brahmanical caves in the spur above mentioned. The face of the spur is generally north-east and south-west, but at the end it is splayed into two branches which form a widemouthed crescent facing cast. In the southern arm of this crescent facing north-east is the chief set of thirteen caves and on the south face are three more. The first thirteen are all in a ledge of the hill about 91.44 metres (300 ft.) above the plain. Of these the first five face approximately north, the next three north-east, and the remaining five due east. They are approached by a flight of steps leading up through an archway 1.82 metres (six feet) broad and deep, 4.26 metres (14 ft.) high, and girt by side walls 2.74 metres (nine feet) wide. Two hundred and fifteen paces further on is the second gateway 6.70 metres (22 ft.) broad, 4.87 metres (16 ft.) high and 1.82 metres (six feet) deep, and crowned by a music chamber or nagarkhana 5.48 metres (18 ft.) long, 2.43 metres (eight feet) high, and 4.87 metres (16 ft) broad. Eighteen steps further on is the third gateway nearly on a level with the caves. This gateway is 7.31 metres (24 ft.) wide, 3.04 metres (ten feet) high, and 1.52 metres (five feet) deep. This leads on to a paved terrace built upon the rock and supported by a solid masonry wall about 4.37 metres (15 ft.) high following the line of the crescent. About 7.92 metres (26 ft.) further on is a large hall supported on twenty-four pillars in four parallel rows making three aisles.. The pillars are of brick, 0.304 metre (one foot) in diameter.and 2.43 metres (eight feet) high. Except in the aisle formed by the third and fourth rows to the southward, where it is vaulted, the roof is flat. A door from this hall leads into what now must be termed the chief cave 9.14x6.09x2.43 metres (30' x 20' x 8'), a temple of Vir-bhadra, a gana produced by Mahadev. The entrance is only by a small rock-cut door 0.609 metres (two feet) wide. The chamber inside is 0.743 m² (eight feet square) and 1.82 metres (six feet) high and is walled in. On each side of the centre door is another small door leading to the holy circuit or pradaksina which is 4.26 metres (14') to the back of the cave, 5.94 metres (19' 6") across leaving a passage 1.82 metres (six feet) wide behind the image 4.41 metres (14' 6") wide on the east and 2.13 metres (7') wide on the west. In the centre of the image chamber is a 0.914 metres (three feet) high image of Virbhadra. It is of white stone apparently rough trap. In the right hand is a sword and in the left a bow. In the west wall of the hall is a very small door leading into the second cave (20'x 11'x 7'=6.09 x 3.35x2.13 metres) which is dedicated to the goddess Dalima. Immediately in front of it is a small built temple of Mahadev 1.11 m- (12' square) and 2.43 metres (8') high. To the east of the Virbhadra cave are two tanks about 0.552 m² (six feet square) with water leading into one another. East of the tank is cave V. (14'x 10'x6' = 4.26x3.04xl.82 metres) with a small opening. To the west of the Dalima temple is cave VI. (16×,9'×7 = 4.87x2.74x2.13 metres) best known as the cooking cave; close by it is cave VII. (16'x ll'x 7'=4.87 x 3.35 x2.13 metres) next which is cave VIII. (24'x 18' x8' = 7.31 x5.48x2.43 metres) known as the kaceri or court. These three caves are in the angle of the crescent, face north-east and are entered each by separate small doors. Next to it and facing north is cave IX. A small excavation containing two small tanks full of water and adjoining these is the washing or snan cave X. (13'x8'x7'= 3.96x2.43x2.13 metres). North of it is cave XI. known as the bhandarghar or dining cave (27' x 21' x 6' = 8.22 x 6.40 x 4.87 metres) a double hall with three pillars and a tank adjoining it. The next two caves XII. (12'x 7'x 6' = 3.65 x 2.13 x 1.82 metres) and XIII. [ 1.82 metres (six feet) given as the height of both the cases are average height as the roofs slope a good deal.] (14'xl3'x6' = 4.26x3.96xl.82 metres) are devoted to no special purpose. All the caves seem to have been cut out with the chisel and none of them seem natural excavations. The rock inside is soft and of dark brown colour. The outside walls and partitions dividing caves, from tanks are very thin and crumbling away. The hall gateways and terraces as also the temple of Mahadev are all modern.. Except perhaps that of Dalima the images do not look old. The hall and the chief gateway were made by one Basappa Limpne, a Vanl of Kundal about 1870 A.D. at a cost of Rs. 25,000. A fair attended by about one thousand people is. held on the no-moon of Kdrtika or October-November. The three caves on the south can be reached by following the ledge round the east end of the cliff for about 0.85 km (half a mile). On turning the corner a small terrace is reached in which is one of the caves. From the plain only the small door of one of the caves can be seen about 91.44 metres (300 ft.) up the hill. It is reached direct by a very steep path the last 9.14 metres (30 ft.) cut into steps leading on to a terrace. The more easterly of the two caves is entered by a small door about 1.21 metres (four feet) high by 0.609 metres (two feet) wide. It is 6.09 metres (20 ft.) by 4.87 metres (16 ft.) and 2.13 metres (seven feet) high and has at the back an open recess (7'x 6 x 7'=2.13x 1.82x 2.13 metres). In the back are figures of Rama, Sita and Laksmana rudely sculptured in relief. Rama, is 1.82 metres (six feet) high and Sita and Laksmana on each side of him are each 1.21 metres (four feet) high. Parallel with the recess is a small tank sunk in the floor and off the rest of the cave is a small cell 0,557 m² (six feet square). It is about 1.21 metres (four feet) higher than the main cave and communicates with it by a small door and some steps. The western cave about ten paces distant is a cell with a temple and measures 7.62 metres (25 ft.) by 6.70 metres (12 ft.) wide. Inside it is built a small modern hall resting on seventeen pillars six of them attached to the walls. This inner hall measures 3.96x3.04x1.82 metres (13'xl0'x6') and has a roof 1.21 metres (four feet) lower than the cave roof. The remaining space on the west of this hall is a cell with a tank at the north-west end. At the back of the hall are images of Siv with Parvati and Ganga one on each side, each about 0.974 metres (3') high by 0.609 metres (2') wide, also very rudely sculptured in relief. In this set the eastern caves are Vaisnava and the western Saiva.[ Compare Dr. Burgess' Lists, 59.]

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