In this episode of The Historylogy Podcast, we review Sarla Bhirud's book 'Echoes From Konkan - Unravelling prehistoric and political tales through the Kuda Caves'. Discover how ancient rock-cut architecture in Raigad reveals the rich prehistoric, trade, and political history of the Konkan coast.
In this episode of The Historylogy Podcast, we dive deep into the ancient rock-cut heritage of Maharashtra with a comprehensive book review of Echoes From Konkan: Unravelling prehistoric and political tales through the Kuda Caves by Sarla Bhirud.
Nestled in the Raigad district, the Kuda Caves are more than just breathtaking Buddhist rock-cut structures—they are silent witnesses to ancient trade networks, local political dynamics, and human settlements spanning back to prehistoric times along the Konkan coastline.
Join us as we explore the core themes of Sarla Bhirud's research, highlighting how these lesser-known caves bridge the gap between ancient Indian archaeology, coastal politics, and local history.
Order links of the book 'Echoes From Konkan' below:
Amazon India:
Paperback
BookGanga.com
Paperback
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Coming up: A review of the book 'Echoes From Konkan - Unravelling prehistoric and political tales through the Kuda Caves' written by Sarla Bhirud.
Namaste Friends. My name is 'Shinil Subramanian Payamal' and you are listening to the Historylogy podcast.
Before I proceed, a full disclosure: This book was bought with my own money and not been provided to me by the author or publisher.
Little bit about the author:
Sarla (Rashmi) Bhirud has an M.A. in Indology and an M.Phil. in Archaeology. She has worked for 10 years as an Assistant Producer at EMRC (Educational Multimedia Research Centre). She also happens to be a recipient of the Gaavgaada Puraskar 2024.
She has various publications & literary works to her credit in both, English and Marathi. Some of the books authored by her are: Temple of Tranquillity: Exploring Kashmir's Sacred Sites, Beyond the Mountains: Prehistory and Temples of Uttarakhand among others.
She is currently writing on rock-cut caves in Maharashtra alongside a book series titled Understanding India through Archaeology.
Let me read a brief description of the book:
QUOTE
Since the dawn of human existence, humanity has consistently demonstrated an exceptional ability to make the best use of geographical resources, and the Kuda Caves stand as a testament to this enduring ingenuity. The Kuda Caves, with their complex array of chaityagrihas and viharas, provide a fascinating glimpse into the architectural and cultural history of early India. Through the study of the Kuda Caves, we gain invaluable insights into the complexities of early historical Western India and the enduring legacy of its Buddhist heritage.
UNQUOTE
The Kuda Caves (also known as the Kuda-Mandad Caves) are located in the Raigad district of the Konkan region in Maharashtra, India. They are a complex of 26 rock-cut Buddhist caves excavated into a hill overlooking the Rajapuri Creek primarily between the 1st century BCE and the 3rd century CE during the rule of the Satavahana dynasty and their local vassals, the Mahabhojas.
They offer vital insights into early Buddhist monastic life, maritime trade, and social democracy in ancient Western India.
What makes Kuda exceptional is its 31 epigraphical inscriptions written in Prakrit language using the Brahmi script. Unlike sites funded almost entirely by royalty, Kuda's patronage was exceptionally diverse:
1. Democratic Patronage: Inscriptions record donations from ironmongers (lohakara), gardeners, scribes, physicians, bankers, and local merchants.
2. Prominence of Women: Over a third of the recorded gifts (such as funding cisterns or cell excavations) came from women—including female ascetics (bhikkhunis) and daughters of local rulers.
3. Royal Vassals: Inscriptions frequently mention the Mahabhojas, local rulers subordinate to the Satavahanas who controlled the Konkan coastal ports.
Cave patronage, in Bhirud's reading, was never just piety. It was strategy.
The author turns the Kuda caves into a lens for reading two thousand years of Konkan history. That's the real achievement here: she doesn't treat Kuda as a monastic curiosity tucked into a hillside. She reads it as a working node in a trade network, stitched to ports, salt pans, and ghat routes that connected the coast to the Deccan interior.
What sets it apart from a standard archaeological survey is the ambition to place Kuda inside the bigger Indo-Roman trade story, including a hypothesis linking the site and its harbor to the ancient port of Mandagora.
The book also succeeds in highlighting why lesser-known heritage sites deserve greater attention. While Ajanta, Ellora, Karla, and Bhaja dominate discussions of India's rock-cut architecture, Kuda rarely receives the same recognition.
Final Verdict:
Overall, Echoes From Konkan is a worthwhile addition for anyone exploring the early historic Konkan, the social and economic underpinnings of Buddhist rock-cut architecture, or the interplay of local dynasties, maritime trade, and religious institutions. It usefully elevates Kuda from a footnote to a lens through which larger patterns of coastal-Deccan interaction become visible.
I give this book 4.25/5.
The book is currently available only in Paperback format and is yet to be made available in Kindle and Audible formats. Also, the book is not available on Amazon USA at the time of recording this podcast episode. I have given the respective buy links in the show notes. Please check it out for the latest price.
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