Buddhists protest Hindu control of Sana Buddhist caves in Gujarat, India

Buddhists in Gujarat, India, are protesting the removal of the word “Buddhist” from a sign reading “Remnants of a Buddhist Past” that stands next to the Momai Mata Hindu temple in the Sana Buddhist Caves. The protest is an indicator of growing tensions as local Hindus have tightened their control over the cave complex.

Local Hindu residents, including 70-year-old priest Ram Sharan Das, who leads the cult at Momai Mata, claimed the caves were built by the mythical warrior Bhima, who appears in the Sanskrit epic text. Mahabharata"We believe these caves were dug more than 5 years ago," Das said. "All this talk of a Buddhist past is imaginary." (Religion News Service)

Momai Mata is located in one of the 62 Buddhist caves of Sana. Also known as Shana Dungar Buddhist caves, the site is located at Shana Vankiya in Gir Somnath district of Gujarat.

Locals claim that the abandonment of the site allowed upper-caste Hindus to take control of the area, while perpetuating various myths about the history of the area. For example, a cave was named Bhimachari and linked to the marriage of the mythical warrior Bhima, although there is no historical evidence to support this claim.

“Temples dedicated to local Hindu deities have sprung up all over Sanaa,” said Ashish Baudh, a local Buddhist activist. “This is a way of erasing our Buddhist past.” (Religion News Service)

Similar to other Buddhist caves in India, the Sana Caves feature rock carvings that extend down the hillside, as well as rock-cut architecture, stupas, meditation alcoves and prayer halls. Archaeologists note that the cave complex, recognized as the oldest in western India, was dug to provide shelter for monks during the monsoon season. The oldest carvings have been dated to the second century BCE.

More than six years ago, India's tourism ministry had proposed promoting Sana and other Buddhist sites in the region, saying it would attract pilgrims and boost ecotourism. Sana was also among the 13 sites on the Gujarat Buddhist tourist circuit, but local Buddhist activists have expressed concern that the Archaeological Survey of India has not adequately protected the caves.

“The government does not want to protect Buddhist sites,” said Nilesh Kathar, a Dalit writer and author of the book The Buddhist caves of Saurashtra-Kachchhwho explores the Buddhist ruins of the Gujarat peninsula region. "These ruins have become bastions of Hindu chauvinists due to lack of proper care." (Religion News Service)

In September last year, hundreds of volunteers from the civil rights group Swayam Sainik Dal (SSD), defenders of the teachings of the Buddha, marched to the Sana Caves to raise awareness for the conservation of the site.

“Despite their historical importance, these caves have fallen into disuse and have been subjected to vandalism and encroachment,” said Sanjay Shauryavanshi, an activist with SSD. “The efforts of the archaeological department to protect them have been inadequate, with notice boards being defaced or removed. Some individuals, motivated by a narrow caste mentality, have even built temples dedicated to Hindu deities in these Buddhist caves. This disregard for cultural heritage threatens the very existence of these ancient treasures.” (The Mooknayak)

The earliest archaeological evidence of Buddhism in Gujarat dates back to the reign of Emperor Ashoka in 268 BC. The Sana region is mentioned in the writings of the Chinese scholar monk Xuanzang, who noted that there were over 200 monasteries in Gujarat, where thousands of monks studied art, history, culture and philosophy.

By 27 BCE, Buddhism had begun to spread throughout Gujarat. Archaeological remains and historical records dating from around 470 CE indicate the development of ornamental structures and shelters in the Somnath and Vadnagar regions of Gujarat. Among these, the Buddhist caves of Sana stand out as the most important.

The recent abandonment of the caves poses a grave threat to Gujarat's rich cultural heritage. Once the heart of the region's Buddhist culture, these architectural wonders now linger in silent despair.

See more

Sana Buddhist Caves (Original Buddhas)
Neo-Buddhists Oppose Hindu Claims to Ancient Cave Monasteries in India (Religion News Service)
How did the sacred Buddhist caves of Sana in Gujarat become dens of vice? (The Mooknayak)

Related news articles from BDG

2-year-old Buddhist elephant statue found in India
Buddha head discovered in new excavations in Gujarat, India
Ancient Buddhist structures and murals discovered in Madhya Pradesh, India
Thousands of Dalits embrace Buddhism in Gujarat on Dr BR Ambedkar's birth anniversary
Indian archaeological survey identifies Buddhist settlement in Taranga Hills of Gujarat
Thousand-year-old Buddhist archaeological site of Pilak included in new tourist circuit in India

BDG Related Features

Living Dr. Ambedkar’s vision
An Ambedkarist Buddhist Today
A New Birth: Walking the Path of Buddhism
Reviving the Dhamma: Ambedkar's Impact on Empowering the Marginalized Through Buddhism
Tai Situpa, Ganden Tripa and the Dalai Lama: My Meetings with the Great Masters in India

The article Buddhists Protest Hindu Control of Sana Buddhist Caves in Gujarat, India appeared first on Buddhist News Global.