The Kanheri Caves, a group of Buddhist rock-cut caves inside the Sanjay Gandhi National Park, are located in:

The Kanheri Caves are a group of Buddhist rock-cut caves located inside the Sanjay Gandhi National Park, in Borivali, in the western suburbs of Mumbai.

About the Kanheri Caves:

• There are more than 100 caves, cut into a large basalt rock outcrop.
• They date from about the 1st century BCE to the 10th century CE.
• The name "Kanheri" comes from the Sanskrit "Krishnagiri" ("Black Mountain"), referring to the dark basalt rock.
• They include viharas (monasteries, where monks lived), chaityas (prayer halls with stupas), water cisterns, stone beds and benches.
• Cave 3 is a large chaitya hall with a stupa and huge standing images of the Buddha at the entrance.
• Cave 11 is a large assembly hall (the "Darbar Hall").
• Many caves have inscriptions in Brahmi, Devanagari and Pahlavi scripts, which record donations by merchants, monks and others.
• Some caves have images of Avalokiteshvara, showing the later Mahayana influence.
• An ingenious system of water channels and cisterns collected rainwater.

History:

• Kanheri was an important Buddhist centre on the trade routes connecting the ports of the western coast (such as Sopara, Kalyan and Thane) with the interior.
• It was patronised by the Satavahanas and later rulers.
• It was a centre of Buddhist learning for many centuries.

Other Buddhist caves of Maharashtra:

• Ajanta (Aurangabad district): famous for paintings; a UNESCO site.
• Ellora: Buddhist, Hindu and Jain caves; a UNESCO site.
• Karla and Bhaja (near Lonavala): famous early chaityas.
• Nashik (Pandavleni caves): with Satavahana inscriptions.

Other caves in Mumbai:

• The Elephanta Caves (on an island in the harbour): Hindu (Shaiva) caves, a UNESCO site.
• The Mahakali Caves (Jogeshwari).

About Sanjay Gandhi National Park:

It is one of the few large protected forests within a city, and is home to leopards.

Why not the other options?

• ✗Aurangabad, Pune and Nashik have other caves.