Last Updated on: 11th October 2025, 10:41 am
Due to the abundance of volcanic rock in the region, the Indian state of Maharashtra is teeming with ancient manmade caves. The most impressive among them are the Ajanta and Ellora caves near Aurangabad, while Mumbai’s Elephanta Caves also shouldn’t be missed. But if you’re looking for more, you can even find ancient caves in the heart of Mumbai, such as the Jogeshwari Caves and the Mahakali Caves.
Conveniently, the Jogeshwari and Mahakali Caves are just a ten-minute ride apart, so you can easily visit both on the same day. But they’re located far north of central Mumbai. And while it may be possible to take public transport, most visitors will likely want to take a private Uber.
If you’re doing so, expect to pay over Rs 1500 for the day trip (including one entrance ticket) – more than the total cost of visiting the Elephanta Caves.
Cost aside, this day trip is largely meant for more adventurous travelers and archaeology enthusiasts. Keep reading to decide if this excursion might be for you.
Also be sure to check the end of the article for more info on where to stay in Mumbai.
The Jogeshwari Caves
The Jogeshwari Caves are far from being the most visually stunning manmade cave complexes in Maharashtra. But what makes them so unique is that they still function as active temples for local Hindus.
So only here can visitors get a sense of how more famous caves like Elephanta may have felt in their prime.
The site is free to enter, but your biggest expense will be getting here. From the Colaba area, expect to pay around Rs 500-600 for a one-way Uber, with the drive lasting about 40 minutes.
The Jogeshwari Caves are located right in the middle of a busy residential district, and locals aren’t technically allowed to build so close to what’s considered a protected monument. Be that as it may, authorities have yet to come in and enforce the rules.
The caves date back to the 6th century AD when a dynasty known as the Chalukyas ruled these lands.
Jogeshwari is another spelling for Yogeshvari, which is an aspect of the Great Mother Goddess, Durga. And shortly after entering, you’ll encounter the cave complex’s main pillared hall with a shrine in its center dedicated to her.
As with the Elephanta Caves, nothing here was built but painstakingly carved out of the area’s granite hills.
Other than Jogeshwari, many of the caves are dedicated to Shiva. As you proceed deeper through the complex, you’ll encounter one particularly impressive door featuring dvarapala guardian beings alongside dwarves, who are often depicted accompanying Shiva.
The top panel, meanwhile, features mythological events related to Shiva, though many of them are too damaged to make out clearly. Presumably, a lot of the subject matter is similar to what you can find at the Elephanta Caves.
Some of the open-air courtyards are especially impressive – not for their artwork, but because they reveal what a massive engineering endeavor this would’ve been around 1500 years ago.
Granite, of course, is one of the hardest stones, and in some parts, the builders dug as deep as a couple of stories beneath the bedrock.
The Jogeshwari Caves are almost like a labyrinth, and there are a lot more corridors and narrow passageways than first meets the eye. One of them took me to a shrine dedicated to Hanuman and another to Shiva.
As this is an active temple, it’s important to remain respectful of local customs and remove your shoes when stepping up to the sacred areas. Some locals roam the entire area barefoot, but it’s not technically required.
Making my way further through the complex, I passed through another open-air courtyard with some carvings, but they were too damaged to make out.
And it was also here that I realized the caves even have an upper level! But despite my best efforts, I was never able to find any staircases leading there.
I passed through another pillared hall featuring a shrine to Ganesha, and then came out the far opposite end from the main entrance. Here there were even more illegal settlements, and I eventually decided to head back and return the way I came.
All in all, the Jogeshwari Caves are a hidden gem in Mumbai for urban archaeology enthusiasts. But it’s a shame that no effort is being taken to protect the monument from relentless urban sprawl.
Conveniently, the Mahakali Caves are just a 10-minute drive from the Jogeshwari Caves. At the time of my visit, an Uber auto rickshaw cost just Rs 70-80 to get there, and my driver appeared in minutes.
As I’d later learn, using Uber in many other Indian cities is a constant hassle, with it often taking ages for someone to accept, and then another long wait for the driver to arrive – if he decides to move at all! Fortunately, that’s not the case in Mumbai.
The Mahakali Caves
In contrast to the Jogeshwari Caves, the Mahakali Caves are an official ticketed site managed by the Archaeological Survey of India, or ASI.
Despite this, upon arrival, it may take you some effort to find the actual entrance, as there are zero signs in English. After finding the gate, I encountered more Hindi signs near the ticket booth, but luckily the staff member did speak some English.
Inconveniently, this is a site for which you can ONLY pay online. It would probably be easiest to do this in advance, though you can do it through your phone (assuming you have a local SIM, of course).
In my case, the payment actually failed, but the staff member waived me through anyway. I’m not sure if he mistook what I showed him for the success screen, or if he’d just felt that I’d gone through enough.
The Mahakali Caves, also known as the Kondivite Caves, were carved between the 2nd-6th centuries AD and are entirely Buddhist. There are nineteen basalt caves in total.
In contrast to the Jogeshwari Caves mentioned above, these caves are not connected to one another by passageways or tunnels.
Most of the caves are void of decorations, as they largely served as lodging for monks. Some, however, are viharas, or assembly halls where important Buddhist rituals would take place.
While not entirely clear, these caves were supposedly carved by the Mahayana sect of Buddhism.
Visitors are free to explore every cave here. While there were some other visitors at the time of my visit, the Mahakali Caves were among the least crowded ancient caves that I visited in the state of Maharashtra.
A path surrounds the main basalt outcrop in which the caves were carved. And by following it, you’ll eventually pass by all of them, so there’s no need to worry about missing anything.
Some of the caves are in better condition than others. And in some parts, the walls have crumbled, resulting in much larger rooms than what was probably originally intended.
The most interesting of the Mahakali Caves is Cave No. 9, also known as the ‘chaitya cave.’
Chaitya is another word for stupa. As opposed to typical Buddhist temples where the stupa is a standalone structure, here the stupa was carved inside a cave. Similarly, ancient Buddhist cave sites like the Ajanta Caves feature carved stupas as well.
While not nearly as refined as what you’ll find at Ajanta, what’s especially unique about this chaitya is that the builders created a wall around it. It also features two latticed windows on either side.
And there’s just enough space between the stupa and the wall for visitors to squeeze in.
The wall, meanwhile, is adorned in beautiful carvings depicting the Buddha and various attendants. But most of the figures are badly damaged and difficult to make out. Supposedly, the carvings were made at a later stage.
As mentioned, aside from Cave No. 9, most of the chambers here lack decorations. But there are some particularly impressive pillared halls.
Following the path, you’ll be taken to the opposite side of the outcrop where you’ll find the remaining caves. There won’t be too much here that you haven’t already seen, but they’re all at least worth a quick look.
Interestingly, the Mahakali Caves would’ve originally been surrounded by ancient settlements, and today the site is surrounded by a modern one.
More Caves Around Mumbai
In addition to the Jogeshwari, Mahakali and Elephanta Caves, the greater metro area of Mumbai is home to several additional ancient cave sites. Some additional ones include:
- Kanheri Caves, part of Sanjay Gandhi National Park located to the north of the city
- Mandapeshwar Caves, also located to the north of the city
- Karla & Bhaja Caves, located southeast of Mumbai
- Jivdani Caves, located in Virar, about 60 km from Mumbai
Seeing all of them would take quite a bit of time and effort. If you’re at all interested in ancient Buddhist and Hindu caves, then it’s best to put your time and energy into visiting Aurangabad, home to the stunning Ellora Caves and Ajanta Caves.
A bit closer to Mumbai, meanwhile, is the city of Nashik, which is home to the stunning Pandav Leni Buddhist caves.
Additional Info
Mumbai, India’s most populated city, is a massive, sprawling metropolis. But let’s keep it simple. You want to stay in the Colaba district, or in one of the districts just north of it, such as Kala Ghoda, Fort or Churchgate.
Staying in one of these areas will allow you to reach many of Mumbai’s main tourist attractions and notable buildings on foot. With that said, Uber works great in Mumbai compared with other Indian cities.
Colaba is one of Mumbai’s pricier districts, but I found a good deal at a budget hotel called Hotel Amber. It was located south of the more touristy part of Colaba, but there were a plethora of affordable restaurants to choose from in the area.
The staff were very kind and the wifi worked great. But unfortunately, cleanliness could’ve been a lot better. Sadly, this is an all-too-common problem at hotels in India.
Those on a bigger budget may want to consider a hotel like Bentleys Hotel or Abode Bombay. And those really looking to splurge might want to stay at the Taj Mahal Tower, India’s most iconic hotel.