JHALAWAR

Rajasthan shows evidence of ancient Buddhist culture and tradition by way of caves, pillars and idols that were excavated in the town of Jhalawar. There are nearly 50 rock-cut caves at Kolvi that were found within laterite hills. Some of these consist of stupa-shaped sanctuaries boasting unique designs. These structural elements include niches, chaitya arches, square platforms with mouldings, cylindrical drums, and basal niches containing stupas or images of Lord Buddha. Not only this, individual stupas were excavated, too. These usually display square or octagonal bases. Another unique feature of these structures is the absence of Bodhisattva figures. This cave complex has one chaitya-griha housing a stupa-shaped sanctuary with a huge figure of seated Lord Buddha in dhyana-mudra position on a moulded pedestal.About 20 Buddhist caves were also excavated at Binnayaga. Here, the design elements include chaitya-grihas and stupa-shaped sanctuaries. Further on from Binnayaga, in the village of Pagaria, is the hillock called Hathiagor-ki-Pahadi, which has five caves along with a stupa on a square pedestal. Jhalawar has a railway station which is connected by train service to Kota and Jaipur.