Khapra Kodia Cave, which lies in Junagadh district of Gujarat, is a major tourist attraction for people within and outside the state. Junagadh is situated at the foot of Girnar Hills, approximately 350 km to the west of Gandhinagar and Ahmedabad. Khapra Kodia caves are located to the north of Uperkot, which is a striking fort placed on a plateau.

The oldest and the most simply designed of all cave groups in Gujarat, Khapara Kodia Cave lies close to the site of an ancient Sudarshan Lake. This lake doesn’t exist anymore but its proximity to Khapara Kodia speaks a lot about the thought of creators of this cave.

Khapara Kodia cave comprises chambers that are divided into a east-west longitudinal ridge. This cave is particularly famous for its L-shaped wing and rectangular western wing where the monks used to take shelter during monsoons. Said to be the oldest monastic settlement in this area, it is believed that these caves were carved out of living rock at the time of Emperor Ashoka. After they were used for many years, they were abandoned as water seeped into the living quarters due to cracks on the ceiling. As a result they became unusable. While a visit to this cave is exciting for tourists, they can only see the top storey because a major part of the cave was damaged due to quarrying.

History

Khapra Kodia Caves date back to the 3rd and 4th century AD. This inference is drawn on the basis of short cursive letters and scribbles found on the walls of the caves.

Places Nearby

Ashoka’s Rock Edicts

Considered one of the important edicts of Ashoka, this one lies on the Girnar Hills. Located on the outskirts of Junagadh, this edict is inscribed atop a granite hill. Considered a Jain pilgrim, this monument is not easily accessible. However, the Ashoka Brāhmī script written here appeals to all tourists alike.

Bhalka Tirtha and Dehotsarg

This is a temple of Lord Krishna. It lies close to Somnath and it is said that this is where Krishna was mistakenly shot in the foot. This is close to Dehotsarg. There is a tulsi tree here and the temple has the Mahaprabhuji's Bethak. Dehotsarg is a tirth where Shri Vallabhacharya is known to have given discourses on the Shrimad Bhagvat Gita for a week. It has 18 marble pillars and all of them have parts of the Bhagvat Gita inscribed on them.

Baba Pyara Caves

Baba Pyara Caves are divided into a northern group and a southern group. They are close to Modhimath and the caves are evidently influenced by the traditional art of Satavahanas period. These caves seem to belong to the 1st and 2nd century AD. They have 13 rooms in three stories.

How to Reach

By Road

Junagadh is well-connected with the rest of the cities in Gujarat. It is 327 km away from Ahmedabad, 113 km away from Porbandar and 102 km away from Rajkot. The State Transport buses make it easier for tourists to commute between the different cities like Veraval, Rajkot, etc.

By Rail

The Ahmedabad-Veraval line has two express trains, one in the daytime and another one at night. The distance between Junagadh and Ahmedabad can be covered in 7.5 hours. If tourists travel on the Rajkot-Veraval line then it can be covered in 2 to 2.5 hours.