Jogeshwari caves are located at the center of Jogeshwari in Mumbai. It was formerly known as Amboli cave named after the Amboli village. Jogeshwari caves are known to be the first and largest Hindu temple caves in India. These caves are the initial Hindu and Buddhist temples. The entrance to Jogeshwari caves is surrounded by rocks on both sides.

A small entrance leading to a flight of stairs is the main entrance. Just above the caves there exists a playground which is being utilized for recreational activities. The caves have a Hanuman temple and a Ganesh temple. The temple also has impressions of foot prints of Goddess Yogeshwari.

The Jogeshwari temple caves which have now become a bit perished were once very beautiful and adorned, Brahmanic temple which was constructed in eighth century. Still Jogeshwari caves attract lots of tourists from round the world.

History

The caves were developed about 1500 years ago. The construction of Jogeshwari caves had initiated after the work in Ajanta caves came to a halt. Many years ago in Maharashtra, massive construction of temples took place. The construction was carried out by utilizing hammer and chisels. The number of these temples was very huge. In first and second century B.C., the Buddhist shrines were being developed under the leadership of Vakataka Dynasty.

Later in the sixth century, the Hindu community in same region also adopted this tradition of creating cave temples. And then later certain artisans from Ajanta went west and the construction of first Indian temple cave, which is Jogeshwari caves, was initiated.

Architecture

The entrance of the cave leads to a big hall area. The cave has various engraved portraits and sculptures on the walls. These sculptures have been engraved very beautifully. Inside the cave numerous pillars have been built. There are 6 pillars on each side forming a sort of central section. In the middle of the pillars is situated the temple in which shrine is present. The pillars act as a boundary for the temple. On the east of the area, a Hanuman temple is there and a porch is present.

The porch has giant figures engraved on the side walls. On the wall above, figures of Lord Shiva in a seated position is present with the left side having figures of marriage proceedings of Lord Shiva. The porch has a length of about 30 feet. The beauty of Jogeshwari caves lies in its beautiful engravings and the imaginations turned into reality on the walls of the cave temple.

Accessibility

By Air

The airport which is nearest to Jogeshwari is Chatrapati Shivaji airport. The airport is about 5.8 kilo meters from the tourist spot.

By Railway

There are two railway stations which lead to Jogeshwari caves. Nearest railway stations to Jogeshwari caves are Dadar train station and Chatrapati Shivaji terminus. The Dadar train station is around 13.5 kilo meter from the venue and Chatrapati Shivaji terminus is around 21.8 kilo meters away from the caves.

By Road

A well developed network of road known as Jogeshwari cave road have been developed. The road named after the caves leads to the spot.

Weather and Best Time to Visit

Except months of July, august and September, visiting Jogeshwari caves will be a best experience. Tourists can plan a trip in months of January to June and again from October to December. Mumbai basically experiences temperate weather conditions hence visiting Jogeshwari caves during these months will be a pleasant experience.

Summer

Summer in Mumbai is experienced during March, April and May. The maximum temperature experienced is around 32 degree Celsius. Summers are mostly denoted by humid weather. Hence the tourist can enjoy the caves besides enjoying a good weather.

Monsoon

The monsoon extends from June to September. From June the onset of monsoon takes place. The city during monsoon receives a lot of rain and frequent showers, hence it is highly advised that tourist restrain from visiting the Jogeshwari caves during such period. The basic reason is that the tourist will have to deal with rigid weather conditions and might not be able to adjust to certain factors.

Post Monsoon

After the monsoon, Mumbai experiences post monsoon. This season extends from October to December. This season experiences infrequent showers and the weather is also good.

By Winters

The winters are from December to February. In winters, the maximum average temperature will be around 30 degree Celsius. The humidity is low, hence, the weather conditions are perfect for sightseeing.