The Grandeur of Ellora

Ellora locally known as 'Verul Leni' is an impressive temple complex
and the finest example of cave architecture in India.It reflects the rich
artistic legacy of India.It is hewn out of the volcanic basaltic formation
of Maharastra,the Deccan Trap.Ellora is historically important as a
strategic stronghold of the Satavahana Dynasty and is located in the
ancient trade route connecting western ports of Arabian sea to Sopana.
Ellora caves symbolises three major religions of the world-Hinduism,
Buddism and Jainism.Of the 34 monastries and temples inside this
cave complex(5-11C AD) twelve belong to Mahayana
Buddhism(500-750AD),seventeen Hindu temples(600-850Ad)
and five caves belonging to the Jains(800-1000AD).The Buddhist
caves are mostly Viharas or monastries(cave 1-9) and the rest
have adjoined Chitya halls or prayer halls.These caves are known
for their elaborate facade and intricately carved interior.Cave 10
or the Visvakarma cave is note worthy for its cealing with wooden
beam impression(Earliest cave temples of Kanheri,Badami etc.,were
caves accompained with wooden structres but got soon destroyed so
stone began to be widely used retaining the elements of
wooden construction).Of the Hindu temples cave 16 the Kailash

Temple is a free standing multi-storied temple complex of single rock.

It has the largest cantilevered rock cealing in the world.It was build by the
Rastrakuda king Krishna 1 (757-773 AD) in the model of the
Virupaksha Temple Pattadakal.The Sikhara (curved Dome),
the typical feature of North Indian architecture is absent. The
influence of south Indian articeture is seen in the pyramidical
dome(the typical feature of S Indian temples is that it looks like
a Pyramid with its top cut off) proves it to be a splendid achievement
of Dravidian art.The major patrons of the Jain temples were the Yadavas
It is not so large as the earlier ones.The reason for this was owing to the
Jain tradition of asceticism.,but it is noteworthy for its exceptionally
detailed art work.Cave no 32 also called the Indra Sabha can be called
a miniature of of the Kaliash temple is know for its intricate desingns
and sculpture(lotus cealing and Yakshni seated on lion)Architectural
contribution of the Budhist was tremendous.They were the

first to introduce structural temples in non-perishable meterials(stone)

inspite of their being against image worship.Budha assumed divine

powers as a avatara under Mahayana Buddhism . With the fall of

Budhism many of these structures and its architectural

tradition( including Ellora )was taken up by Hinduism and many

were converted to Hindu shrines