The Kanheri Caves in Mumbai offer the perfect option to escape the hustle and bustle of the city, a reader of the Guardian has claimed.
People booking flights to Mumbai may want to explore some of the city’s quieter districts as well as taking in its busy centre.
One Guardian reader has recommended the Kanheri Caves found in the northern area of the city as a good alternative to Mumbai’s usual attractions.
The caves are hidden deep within the Sanjay Gandhi National Park, which is described as “a 104 sq km island of greenery in the urban jungle”.
Buddhist monks carved the caves out of the rocks centuries ago, leaving a series of detailed and ornate archways and caverns for travellers to explore.
Originally designed as a monastery, many of the rooms are small, simple cells that were lived in by monks. However, many of the caverns intended for worship feature carved sculptures and reliefs.
Not usually frequented by large numbers of tourists, the Guardian reader highly recommended taking a tour of the caves with a guide to get a rounded experience.
Written by Anthony Nicholson
