Mahakali Caves

Mahakali Caves is a complex of 19 Buddhist rock-cut caves in black basalt, arranged in two groups on the northwest and southeast faces of a hillside. The chambers vary in size from prayer halls to small sleeping quarters used by monks living here centuries ago.

Construction of these caves spanned from the 1st century BCE to the 6th century CE during Buddhism's flourishing period in India. They functioned as a major monastic complex where hundreds of monks lived and studied Buddhist teachings.

Cave nine displays seven Buddha statues and scenes from Buddhist mythology carved across its walls. You can sense the spiritual purpose of this monastery when you stand inside and look at these figures.

You can reach the site by train to Andheri station, then walk for about 20 minutes to get here. Wear comfortable shoes and allow a few hours to explore all the chambers and passages without rushing.

Water cisterns are carved directly from the same rock as the caves, showing how monks collected and stored water here. Some inscriptions in Pali script found on the walls predate the Sanskrit language and offer clues about early Buddhist texts.