Ellora
After we finished at Daulatabad, we continued a short distance to Ellora Caves. This site is very different from Ajanta, there are 34 "caves" of varying size which were constructed between the 5th and 10th centuries.
Although still carved into a cliff line, the caves are against an escarpment as opposed to in a river valley as was the case at Ajanta. The caves, in a number of cases, are not caves but complete free standing Dravidian style temples, similar to those at Badami and Pattacharkal, but carved out of the cliff. The third major difference is that there are three sections encompassing Jain, Brahman and Buddhist temples.
Our first stop was the Jain section which was a short drive from the car park. The Jain caves date from the 9th and 10th centuries. The temple is not as large as the Brahman or Buddhist temples but the artwork is very detailed.
The Indra Sabha is a two storey cave with a shrine and two elephants in the central courtyard both all carved in a single piece out of the cliffline. Inside the temple there is an amazing lotus flower carved into the ceiling.
In addition to the monolithic temple in the centre, there are two monolithic elephants which Ada was particularly impressed with although one was a little worse for wear with an epoxy "band aid to hold his butt on" as Ada described it.
Next we went to the main Brahman temple Kailasanatha, which is the main site at Ellora, and is dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is dated from the 8th or 9th century. In the centre of a courtyard carved out of the cliff stands a multi-level temple complex surrounded by terraces and subsidiary temples carved into the remaining cliff. It is estimated that it involved the quarrying of 3,000,000 cubic feet of stone.
The most amazing aspect is that it carved out of a single piece of rock and is reputed to cover an area twice the size of the Parthenon. The base is circled with carved elephants with smaller figures covering the structure above. It was initially covered in white plaster with painted figures and some of this decoration still remains.
The Buddhist Caves are the oldest structures at Ellora, dating from the 5th century. They seem far more functional than the Jain and Brahman temples with cells for the monks and halls thought to be used for classrooms or guest rooms in some of the caves. This is believed to be that case as the image of Buddha appears in an chapel off to the side of the main hall in these caves.
There is only one chaitya of the types we had seen at the caves near Mumbai. This included an elaborately carved gallery above the prayer hall. The roof is carved in stone to appear like the wooden beams that we had seen in the Mumbai caves.
What is interesting is that the main cave temple is dedicated to Vishwarkarma, the Hindu architect to the gods and the god of artisans, but with no connection to Buddhism. This is thought to be an example of the co-mingling of religious concepts that occurred when Indian Buddhism was absorbed by Hinduism
Although still carved into a cliff line, the caves are against an escarpment as opposed to in a river valley as was the case at Ajanta. The caves, in a number of cases, are not caves but complete free standing Dravidian style temples, similar to those at Badami and Pattacharkal, but carved out of the cliff. The third major difference is that there are three sections encompassing Jain, Brahman and Buddhist temples.
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| Intricately carved columns in the Indra Sabha |
Our first stop was the Jain section which was a short drive from the car park. The Jain caves date from the 9th and 10th centuries. The temple is not as large as the Brahman or Buddhist temples but the artwork is very detailed.
The Indra Sabha is a two storey cave with a shrine and two elephants in the central courtyard both all carved in a single piece out of the cliffline. Inside the temple there is an amazing lotus flower carved into the ceiling.
 |
| The elephant with the "butt" band aid |
In addition to the monolithic temple in the centre, there are two monolithic elephants which Ada was particularly impressed with although one was a little worse for wear with an epoxy "band aid to hold his butt on" as Ada described it.
 |
| The courtyard at Kailasanatha |
Next we went to the main Brahman temple Kailasanatha, which is the main site at Ellora, and is dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is dated from the 8th or 9th century. In the centre of a courtyard carved out of the cliff stands a multi-level temple complex surrounded by terraces and subsidiary temples carved into the remaining cliff. It is estimated that it involved the quarrying of 3,000,000 cubic feet of stone.
 |
| The main temple carved as a monolithic structure with the surrounding cliffs |
The most amazing aspect is that it carved out of a single piece of rock and is reputed to cover an area twice the size of the Parthenon. The base is circled with carved elephants with smaller figures covering the structure above. It was initially covered in white plaster with painted figures and some of this decoration still remains.
The Buddhist Caves are the oldest structures at Ellora, dating from the 5th century. They seem far more functional than the Jain and Brahman temples with cells for the monks and halls thought to be used for classrooms or guest rooms in some of the caves. This is believed to be that case as the image of Buddha appears in an chapel off to the side of the main hall in these caves.
 |
| Looking out from the chaitya with the balcony above |
There is only one chaitya of the types we had seen at the caves near Mumbai. This included an elaborately carved gallery above the prayer hall. The roof is carved in stone to appear like the wooden beams that we had seen in the Mumbai caves.
 |
| The outside of the intricately carved balcony |
What is interesting is that the main cave temple is dedicated to Vishwarkarma, the Hindu architect to the gods and the god of artisans, but with no connection to Buddhism. This is thought to be an example of the co-mingling of religious concepts that occurred when Indian Buddhism was absorbed by Hinduism
