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PLACES
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TAMKANE
Tamkane, (Patan T; RS Masur 13 m. E; p. 274) a small hill
village three miles north-west of Patan, has in a hill to the west, two small Buddhist caves, a chapel, and a dwelling cave. The village is easily reached by the bullock-path from Patan up the Kera valley. A climb of a quarter of a mile up the bed of the chief stream leads to the two caves which are On its both sides. Both the caves are of the plainest type and could be entered from the east. The chapel or Chaitya 16' long 12' broad and 8' high contains at the west end a relic-shrine or daghoba
9' in circumference and surmounted by an umbrella capital. Almost adjoining the chapel, on the other side of the stream, is the dwelling cave or Vihar
19' long by 17' broad and 9' high. At the north-west and south-west corners are two small chambers five feet square. Adjoining the south-west chamber is a
bench two feet high. The caves would appear to be of the same period as the early Buddhist caves at Karad, but there are no
sculptures or inscriptions giving any clue as to their probable date.
[Compare Fergusson and Burgess' Cave Temples of India, 212.] These caves are visited by the people of the neighbouring areas.
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