Ellora is an ancient village that is
located at about 30 km from the city of Aurangabad in the state of
Maharastra. Ellora is famous in all over the world fir its spectacular
monumental caves. The caves are in fact one of the wonders of time and
narrates volumes about the great craftsmanship of the artists of that era.
It won't be wrong to say that Ellora represents the epitome of Indian rock
cut architecture.
There are about 34 monastic caves in Ellora in which 12 are Buddhist, 17
Hindu and 5 Jain caves. The caves built in proximity showcase the religious
tolerance prevalent during that period.
Cave numbers 1-12 are the Buddhist Caves. They are the oldest caves dating
back to 500- 750 AD. The Hindu caves , numbered 14 -29 date between 600 and
870 AD. Unfortunately the oldest cave 13 is in ruins. The Jain Caves,
numbered 30-34 date back to 800 AD and late 10th century AD. Most of the
caves face towards the east.
Buddhist caves - Most of the Buddhist caves at Ellora
consist of Viharas or monasteries. The Viharas are multi-storeyed buildings
carved into the mountain face, including living quarters, sleeping quarters,
kitchens, etc. The most famous Buddhist cave is cave number 10. It is known
as the "Carpenter's Cave". Cave 5 known as the Maharwada is the
largest and the grandest single storeyed cave in Ellora.
Hindu Caves - The Hindu temples were carved from top to
down. Many of the temples of Ellora are intricately designed. In their
making they must have required several generations of planning and
coordination. The focal point of Ellora is the Kailasa or Kailashanatha
Temple. The Kailashanatha temple is an excellent example of Dravidian art.
This temple was started by Krishna I (757- 773) of the Rashtrakuta dynasty.
Other notable Hindu caves at Ellora include the Dasha Avatara cave, which
depicts the 10 incarnations of Vishnu, and the Rameshvara cave, which has
figurines of river goddesses at the entrance.
Jain Caves - The Jain Caves demonstrates a strict sense
of asceticism and are not as large as the Buddhist or Hindu caves. An
interesting example of this is the 32nd cave, a shrine with a very fine
carving of the lotus flower on the ceiling. An important thing about the
Jain caves is that almost all the Jain caves are characterized by intricate
detailing. Many of the structures had rich paintings in the ceilings.
Year Of Kudos
The 30 monastic caves and temples of Ellora were
included in the list of the World Heritage Site of UNESCO in the year 1983.
The Ellora Caves are very famous among the tourists.
Peppery Bulletin
- The Ellora Caves are locally known as Verul Leni.
- It was discovered after the discovery of Ajanata.
- Ellora was originally known as Elur and Elapura due to its location
near the Elaganga river.
- All the caves at Ellora face west and can be seen best in the
afternoon.
- The Ellora Caves are not much different from Ajanata in terms of
space and time.
- The Buddhist Caves are the earliest structures of Ellora.
- The Kailasha Temple is carved out of a single rock.
