Ghoradeshwar

The Ghoradeshwar caves also known as Ghorawadi caves and Shelarwadi caves are around 25 kms Northwest of Pune. It is a Buddhist cave containing carvings and statues of Buddhist and Hindu deities. The caves were carved out of a single rock formation around the 3rd and 4th Century CE. The caves are situated at the top of a hill. Many neighbouring caves contain representations of deities including Vitthal, Rakhumai and Saint Tukaram. One of the caves contains a representation of Shivlinga that is visited during Mahashivratri by people seeking the blessings of Lord Shiva.

Geology

Ghoradeshwar hill, located in the Pune district, Western Maharashtra, is an eastward extension of an offshoot ridge from the Sahyadri mountain range. It forms interfluves between the Indrayani and Pavana rivers, which drains the northern and southern parts respectively. On the southern flank of the hill at an elevation of about 790m, there is a cave opening facing east having a height of 148 cm and width of 310 cm.

Lava Cave of Ghoradeshwar

Lava tubes and channels forming lava distributaries have been recognized from different parts of Western Deccan Volcanic Province (DVP). A small lava cave is exposed in Ghoradeshwar hill, near pune. Detailed field studies of the physical characteristics, structure and morphology of the flows hosting the lava tube has been carried out in recent times. This is the first detailed documentation of a lava cave from the DVP. The lava cave occurs in a compound pahoehoe flow of Karla formation, characterized by the presence of lobes, toes and small-scale features like squeeze ups.

Accessibility by road: Pune: 29 Kms and Mumbai: 133 Kms