The caves were later inspected and described by Cunningham, Beglar, Stein, Marshall and others; but their approach to the antiquarian importance of the caves was influenced by other considerations. They wanted to examine the possible identification of the caves with the famous Saptaparni caves of the Buddhist tradition where the first Buddhist council was held during the reign of King Ajatasatru. Cunningham was of the view that the Son Bhandar cave was the site of the meeting of that great council though his opinion is not generally accepted now. 

The dating of the Sone Bhandar Cave is not certain. If it according to Beglar was one of the caves in which the Buddha meditated after his noon day meal, then it certainly would be existing around 500 B.C. From the architectural style as noted by Fergusson and Burgess, the cave is of the style of the caves at Barabar, and hence dated in the 3rd century B.C. The board put up by the ASI near the caves mentions the date of the excavation as being in the 3rd or 4th century A.D. from one of the inscriptions at the site. There are a number of short epigraphs which can be traced on the inner walls, the door jambs and on the front wall. One of them is in the “shell” characters; but the others are mostly obliterated with the exception of one to the right of the door”. The inscription referred to was read by T. Bloch. From his reading it appears to be in incorrect Sanskrit and does not seem to have been critically examined and edited afterwards. It records, as interpreted by Bloch, the installation of the Jain images by Muni Vairadeva who, it is further claimed, excavated the caves. The inscription has been assigned to 3rd or 4th century AD on palaeographical grounds. 

To be continued...