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| The Siyot Caves,, Kutch Dist, GJ upload.wikimedia.or |
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| The Siyot Caves,, Kutch Dist, GJ upload.wikimedia.org |
Above images: The Siyot Buddhist Caves that are in ruins belong to 2nd to 7th-century Located in northwest Kutch of Gujarat, the site is said to be older,- between 2nd century BCE and 1st century CE, with two pre-Buddhist excavations. Evidences provide that the caves were earlier occupied by the Buddhists. Later they became Hindu caves and in the 5th to 7th century again they were occupied by the Buddhists as the discovery of seals with image of the Buddha. Image Credit: Ms Sarah Welch Welch. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siyot_Caves#/media/File:2nd_to_7th-century_Siyot_Caves,_Atdo_Kutch,_Gujarat........
The Siyot Caves, also called the Kateshwar Buddhist Caves, are five rock-cut caves near Siyot village in Lakpat Taluka, Kutch district, Gujarat. Located in northwest Kutch of Gujarat, dating back to the first century AD, these caves have a complex religious history, transitioning from Shaivism to Buddhism and later back to Shaivism. Such a passage from one religion to another and back to the old one with ample evidences isa rare one.
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| The Siyot Caves,, Kutch Dist, GJ Indiantravel.com |
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| interior The Siyot Caves,, Kutch Dist, GJ .gujarattourism.com |
The main cave features an east-facing sanctum, with a detached Pradakshina path (an ambulatory path), and distinct spatial divisions, suggesting its origin as a Shaivite temple in the first or second century. Later, it was occupied by Buddhists, as evidenced by seals and traces of Brahmi inscriptions. The remaining caves are simple single-cell structures all along the sandstone walls. They may be part of the eighty Buddhist caves near the Indus River, as described by the Chinese traveler Xuanzang in the seventh century.
Excavations in 1988–89 unearthed clay seals with Buddha images in various mudras, seals with late Brahmi and Devanagari inscriptions, copper rings, Gadhaiya coins, a terracotta Nandi with a bell and chain, and different types of earthenware, including Surahi. These findings suggest Buddhist occupation before Shaivites reoccupied the site around the twelfth or thirteenth century.
Local legends claim that dacoits once hid their loot in the caves. The site was damaged during the 2001 Gujarat earthquake but was later restored. A primitive stepwell nearby adds to the historical significance of the area. The caves provide valuable insights into the religious and cultural shifts in Kutch over
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siyot_Caves
https://www.gujarattourism.com/kutch-zone/kutch/siyot-caves.html
https://indiano.travel/place/siyot-caves/
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