The Ellora Caves in India

Discover the ancient Ellora caves in India

The Ellora caves, one of the largest monastic sites in the world, are located 30 km north-north-west of Aurangabad, near the village of Ellora in India. Followers of Buddhism, Hinduism and Jainism built this complex between the sixth and tenth centuries AD. There are 12 Buddhist caves, 17 Hindu caves and five Jain caves. The fact that these groups built their structures so close to one another, and sometimes at the same time, is proof of the religious harmony that existed during that period in Indian history.

Ellora cave near Aurangabad, in the state of Maharashtra in India

The builders cut the Ellora Caves from the face of the Charanandri hills, a volcanic basalt formation. Work began around 500 AD. Work on the Buddhist caves took place from roughly 500-750 AD. The carving of the Hindu caves took place from roughly 600-870 AD, while work on the Jain caves took place from 800-1000 AD. The temples and monasteries were carved one beside the other into the wall of the basalt cliff. There are 34 caves in all, and they are numbered chronologically, starting with the oldest Buddhist cave at the southern end of the site.

Cave 10

The Buddhist caves were the oldest. All of these caves, except for Cave 10, were monasteries used for activities such as eating, sleeping and meditating. As the caves progressed northwards, they became larger. For example, cave 1 is very simple, with a small sculpture and eight small monastic cells, while cave 11 has three floors with a large upper hall. In the shrine hall, the walls contain five bodhisattvas (the Buddhas who remain in the realm of the earth) and seven Buddhas representing the previous incarnations.

Kailasa Temple, Ellora

The 17 Hindu caves are located in the centre of the cave complex. Unlike the earlier serene Buddhist caves, bas-reliefs cover the walls of the Hindu caves, which are dedicated to the god Shiva. The reliefs depict various events from the Hindu scriptures. The builders transformed cave 14 from a Buddhist monastery into a Hindu temple. Magnificent friezes decorate the walls and an alcove covers the fertility goddesses and their young. Cave 15 at first seems very simple, but the top floor contains some of the finest sculptures in Ellora.

The unrivalled centrepiece of Ellora is cave 16. Known as the Kailasa Temple, it is not actually a cave but rather a free-standing temple entirely carved from solid rock. This enormous structure covers an area twice the size of the Parthenon in Athens. It represents the home of Lord Shiva, Mount Kailash. It was originally covered in white plaster to make the mountain look snow-capped.

Ellora Caves, Aurangabad

Archaeologists believe that cave 21 is the oldest Hindu cave in Ellora. It also contains beautiful sculptures such as door guardians and river goddesses. Cave 29, carved at the end of the 16th century, has three staircases guarded by pairs of lions. Like the other Hindu caves, magnificent friezes cover the walls.

The Jain caves, carved between the end of the 800s and the 900s, display the distinct Jain tradition of austerity combined with elaborate decoration. They are not as large as the other caves, but the artwork contained in them is exceptional. Some of the Jain caves had coloured paintings on the ceilings and some fragments are still visible. The most spectacular of the Jain caves is cave 32, the Indra Sabha. It is a miniature of the Kailash Temple. The first level is unadorned, but the second level contains elaborate carvings, such as a lotus flower on the ceiling. Two carved holy men guard the entrance to the shrine. On the right is Gomatesvara, another holy man, meditating in the forest. He is meditating so deeply that vines have grown up his legs and animals and snakes crawl around his feet.

Elephant statue at the ancient Jain Rock Temple in Ellora

A visit to the Ellora Caves can sometimes be overwhelming because of the great quantity of art and architecture to see all at once. It is better to set aside sufficient time when exploring these caves so that you can appreciate the site and all that it represents.