Temple caves of India. Ellora Caves: a unique temple complex and "the top of the world

Architectures featuring intricate façades and exquisitely decorated interiors.
The creation of the Ellore caves dates back to around the 6th to the 9th century AD. It is assumed that sculptors and Buddhist monks moved to Ellora, leaving Ajanta to the mercy of the elements for unknown reasons.
Of the 34 caves of Ellora, 12 caves in the south are Buddhist, 17 in the center are dedicated to Hindu Gods, 5 caves to the north are Jain.

Access to Ellora Caves daily from morning to sunset, weekend tuesday... to the Kailasantha temple 250 rupees, the rest of the caves can be viewed free of charge.

Ellora Buddhist Caves

The caves start from the simplest and smallest and grow to three-story, huge and richly decorated (in some places) temples. Unlike Jain and Hindu caves, which are temples, in some Buddhist caves there are no images at all, apparently they were used for living and household needs.
The first interesting cave is №2, on the porch you will meet the statues of the gatekeepers - dvarapala, which will be depicted in the same way inside the temples at the altars and in the temples of the Hindu tradition too. The cave is a small hall with columns, in the far central part of which there is an image of Buddha in a niche, surrounded by bodhisattvas it seems Padmapani with a lotus Vajrapani with a vajra, respectively. The walls of the vihara are decorated with high reliefs with Buddhas in his various states. This design or similar will be found in almost all other Buddhist temples of the early period, differing only in plots and personalities, making only a few of them truly memorable.
Cave No. 4 is interesting in that the image of the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara (on his crown there is the image of the little Amitabha Buddha) is larger than the image of the Buddha himself, the last Buddha, Sidhartha Gautama Shakya Muni.
I liked Cave 5 - it is a huge rectangular hall, with stone benches and small rooms around the perimeter, there are no decorations, the columns are roughly processed, the floor and ceilings are not hewn. At the far end in a beggar Buddha and boddhisattvas by tradition. Due to the asceticism of the cave, there are almost no tourists here, so the atmosphere of peace and something else remains here, in general it is pleasant to sit here.
Cave 10 is a chaitya, that is, a monolithic stupa carved inside the cave. The Buddha sits on the facade. Moreover, the architects tried to give the maximum resemblance to wooden structures, cutting out the rafters that turn into columns, the porticoes of which are decorated with sculpture. Unfortunately, the local temples are very poorly lit and it is almost impossible to see, and even more so to remove, some scenes. The façade of the chaitya is two-story, but the entrance to the second floor was closed. The facade is richly decorated with nymphs, a frieze, it is difficult to retell, it is better to look at.
Cave No. 11 is two-storied, and No. 12 is three-storied, the entrance to them is from a small courtyard. The most interesting one is on the top floor, where you can climb up the side ladder. By the way, if earlier Buddha reigned over the rushing world surrounded by the half-enlightened, now 1) people with gifts or prayers appear at his feet, 2) if there are no people around, he multiplies and changes his pose to padmasana. A sculpture is carved along the perimeter of the 3rd floor, and on the sides of the central altar part there are 3 maidens and several Buddhas in meditation, on the sides of the Buddha hall they sit in various poses.

Ellora Hindu Caves

The walls of the cave of 14 and the following Hindu temples are covered with bas-reliefs with various mythological scenes, such as the game of Shiva and dice, the couple and Lakshmi, the avatar of Vishnu, the boar-headed Varaha, Dancing, Shiva defeats Adhakasura ...
All the walls of this cave are covered with images that have survived very well. The bas-reliefs are located in small niches and are separated from each other by relief panels. There is an altar room in the central part of the cave, but the place of the deity is empty. The cave is large, in addition to the reliefs on the walls, the columns are also decorated with carvings, the cave also has a bypass corridor around the altar, at the end of which there are creatures, among which I recognized only Lord Ganesha - the son of Parvati and Shiva, Kalu - the goddess of time, it is difficult not to recognize her , she looks like a skeleton, and one of the warlike incarnations of the Divine Mother - with skulls around her neck ...
15, the cave is two-storied and larger in size than the previous one. It is located in the courtyard behind the Dashavatar mandapa building with carved stone frames and bars on the windows, which is closed for visits. The first floor is not very interesting, but on the second there are columns with couples in love on capitals and several notable reliefs, such as the exit of Shiva from the lingam or Vishnu resting on the serpent Sheshe. The rest of the reliefs do not differ much from the previous cave, but they are either made or preserved worse.

Most interesting among other temples of Ellora Kailasanatha temple(Kailasanatha), referred to as Cave 16, which is a colossal monolith with an ornate appearance, entirely carved from basalt, therefore it is a rare opportunity to see the temple from the inside and outside from above. It is especially interesting to wander around Kailash at sunset, when the rays of the setting sun make the reliefs golden-pink.
Due to the strong material of the rock of which it is well preserved, in some places there were also fragments of color, it is assumed that the Kailasantha temple was originally painted with white paint to resemble the snowy peak of Mount Kailash, the abode of Shiva and the axis of the universe. Shikhara is built and carved in the Dravidian architectural style, lions roam on flat rooftops, perhaps these are snow lions, popular in Tibet and Nepal, guarding the entrance to heaven. The tower of the temple bears a resemblance to the towers of the Mamallapuram temples near Chennai in Tamil Nandu, built around the same time. The Kailasanatha temple is similar in style to the architectural style of the Pallava dynasty, which was established in Mamallapuram and became widespread. It is believed that architects from the southern kingdom of the Pallavs were specially found to create the temple.
The amazing thing about Kailasanatha is that, unlike other temples, which were usually built from the bottom up, the sculptors of this temple carved the temple from the top and from the sides. This temple is one of the most intricate pieces of architecture in the world.
The construction of the temple began between 757 and 773, it took over a century to build. The temple is about 60,000 square feet and its tower is about 90 feet high. The Kailasantha Temple in Ellora was created by hollowing out approximately 400,000 tons of rock from top to bottom, which speaks of the extraordinary imagination and fantastic precision of the instrument and the craftsmanship of its creators.
The complex is fenced off from the rest of the world by a wall covered with 3-4 meter reliefs with a low gopuram, also abundantly decorated inside.
The complex includes a central two-storey temple, on the sides of which from the side of the facade there are columns - mansthumb, which are the emblem of the complex, and in front of them are life-size statues of elephants, unfortunately crippled. On the sides of the temple with a rock there are two-storey side rooms decorated with sculptures, where they end the colonnade begins and a corridor, in the niches of which there are numerous images of Shiva and Vishnu, which probably goes around about 150-180 degrees of the perimeter of the temple.
The walls of the central mandapa along the perimeter are decorated in the lower part with elephants, and above them in the openings between the windows and ceilings there are reliefs framed with floral ornaments, in the front part of the mandapa on both sides it is decorated with reliefs telling about the deeds of the heroes of the Mahabharata. On the ground floor, under the passage from the main part to the front, there are 2 large reliefs with the image of Shiva ...
I can say for sure - the Kailasantha temple is magnificent, it is one of the greatest works of art and is worth a visit.
Entrance to Kailasanatha is paid for 5 bucks or 250 rupees from a foreigner.

As for the rest of the Hindu temples, if you have time, go to caves 14-18, standing on the outskirts.
The reliefs of these caves are rather modest, but there are ceiling paintings in Cave 18, which the guidebooks do not mention. And in general, the place there is interesting - even in dry February there was, albeit a little, and small multi-level lakes of a bizarre shape were filled and you can dip your legs into their pleasant coolness.
Temple number 29 is also remarkable for its gigantic scale. The temple has a cross in its plan and looks like the temple of Elephanta Island. The bas-reliefs are well preserved, but the main thing is that the giants guarding the lingam in the inner sanctuary of the temple are preserved.

3 Jain caves are located near the Kailash temple. 32 cave is decorated with fine carvings depicting lotus flowers and lions under mango trees. One of the caves has a sculptural image of a seated Mahavir.

How to get to Ellora

from Aurangabad you can take a bus, which takes an hour, or a taxi for 40 minutes (800 rupees round trip), then halfway you can stop and visit the forts of Daulatabad, towering over the scorched hills.
In the town of Ellora, at a distance of about 2 km. from the rock temples is the 17th century Shivaite temple Grishneshwar mandir.
There are guesthouses in Ellora, but their choice is very small, if you do not plan to live here for a long time (there is such a temptation, I must say) it is better to stay in Aurangabad.

Today I propose to get acquainted with similar structures in India. Meet: Caves of Ajanta and Ellora. When looking at the complex, one gets the impression that no one hollowed it out in the rock, but carved it with one stroke of a knife over butter, and the decorative statues were, rather, printed with some kind of 3D stamp. In the spring of 1819, British officers, making their way through the jungle jungle in search of a tiger family, accidentally found themselves in the gorge of the Indian river Waghora. Pushing the lush thickets of greenery apart in front of him, one of the soldiers suddenly cried out sharply, forcing everyone else to stop and literally freeze in amazement: a huge stone statue of Buddha towered right above them.

What they saw interested them even more: their gaze opened up many passages, leading travelers deep into the bowels of the mountain. Something like this is written in a document from the 19th century about how an abandoned Buddhist cave monastery was found by chance (!) Not far from the village of Ajanta. On a rocky horseshoe-shaped cliff in the bay of the Waghora River, the British discovered 29 caves with a length of just over 500 meters. The surviving cave chaityas (temples) and viharas (cells), decorated inside and outside with sculptures and amazingly beautiful stone frescoes, said that an ancient Buddhist monastery abandoned by people appeared before them. As it was later found out, for the first time these places were inhabited by monks in the 2nd century BC, and around the 9th century AD, when the attention to Buddhism in India was not so great, the temple was abandoned and abandoned.

Personally, I am inclined to the version that the temples were devastated as a result of a powerful man-made disaster, as evidenced by the melted rock on the outside in places.

A large piece was obviously torn out.

Of course, time could not but affect the condition of the monastery: the premises were gradually destroyed, overgrown with climbing ivy, and wild animals (monkeys, tigers, bears) found shelter in the underground halls for themselves and their offspring.

Ajanta Cave: History of the Treasury

Surprisingly, the treasury found by the British did not arouse the interest of the Indian authorities. For twenty-five years, only a few scientists were sent to explore the caves of Ajanta, but they, however, also did not pay enough attention to this archaeological find. In 1843, the Englishman James Fergusson went to India with the aim of a more detailed study of the Ajanta caves, the construction date of which goes back to the most ancient times. What he saw made a strong impression on him: 29 caves were carved out of the hardest basalt, 24 halls turned out to be abandoned monasteries, and 5 more - temples.

They are surprisingly well preserved magnificent paintings describing the various stages of the life of the Buddha, and sculptures of the deity. As a result of his trip, James Fergusson immediately wrote a scientific paper to the Royal Asiatic Society. In addition, he was worried about the further fate of this accidentally found historical monument: the local climate and raids of robbers could completely destroy this grandiose complex. Of course, after Fergusson's report, the Indian authorities could no longer stand aside: for further research and sketching of the cave paintings of the Ajanta caves, the East India Company sends a British Army captain and artist Robert Gill to the state of Maharashtra.

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Some scholars call the wall paintings of the caves of Ajanta nothing more than an encyclopedia of the life of the entire Indian society. From it, you can get a certain idea not only about how the rulers of the country lived in ancient times, but also learn about the everyday life of the poor and disadvantaged. There is not a single empty corner in the underground halls: gods and people, animals and flowers "look" at the guest from everywhere. All of them tell about something to the music of the celestial spheres, many sculptures are depicted singing or dancing.

The painting, created by monks in distant times, is like a mysterious book of life, which should tell descendants that everything in the world is interconnected: people, gods, animals, heaven and earth. In addition, it is impossible not to mention that on the walls in the caves of Ajanta in the drawings one can trace the life of the great teacher Buddha - from his enlightenment, reincarnations and to his death. All this tried to capture in his drawings and Robert Gill, who in 1844 arrived in the caves of Ajanta.

The magnificent artist made copies of the surviving and surviving elements of the painting in the smallest detail, for which he practically did not go out into the light, spending all the time inside the cave. Copying the rock frescoes on the canvas, Gill later painted and painted them. He devoted 20 years of his life (!) To this occupation, which requires slowness and endurance.

Many Hindus believe in the existence of the legend of the curse of the caves of Ajanta. Having disturbed the peace of the gods with his presence, Robert Gill seemed to have sent their wrath upon himself. He could not be cured of many diseases. And when, in 1866, some of the copies of the main frescoes were collected for demonstration at an exhibition in the Crystal Palace in London, a fire broke out that destroyed not only all the artist's canvases and the palace itself, but almost killed Gill himself. Despite this tragic fact, the artist is again taken up for a titanic work. Five years later, he falls ill again, however, this time the illness progressed, Robert Gill's body could not cope, and the artist died. He was buried near the caves, which he so admired and which destroyed him.

Another dramatic story has survived to this day. A group of artists from Bombay have been redrawing the rock paintings of Ajanta for quite a long time. The finished works were sent to one of London's museums, which is today known as the Victoria and Albert Museum. However, the same fate awaited these copies: they were all destroyed by an all-consuming fire, although the museum itself remained intact during that fire.

The cave-temple complex of Ajanta: our time

Around 1928, photographs were taken by Italian scientists studying the caves of Ajanta, which they eventually published in the media. The world was shocked by the art of ancient masters, and this rock painting was recognized as "the most outstanding artistic achievement of Asia."

The uniqueness of the Ajanta caves was eventually recognized by the World Organization of UNESCO, which in 1983 included them in the list of world heritage sites. Today, the Ajanta Caves are a museum of Buddhist art, which anyone can visit, regardless of their faith. But still, despite the opportunities that modern society has today, in our time there are a lot of questions around the cave-temple complex, the answers to which are still stored in the bowels of Ajanta. So, for example, until now, scientists cannot unravel the secret of luminous paints, which were used by monks before our era for painting walls, ceilings and columns.

All caves of Ajanta are numbered from east to west, although they were knocked out by craftsmen not in this sequence. The most ancient of them are located in the middle of the mountain range - these are the so-called caves of the Hinayana and Mahayana periods. This is the time of the beginning of the development of Buddhism, when it was not yet accepted to portray the Buddha, but only to hint at his presence among people with mystical symbols. These caves are devoid of deity sculptures.

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In hall 9, among the octagonal columns, you can see a huge monolithic sounding (!) Stupa: according to archaeologists and historians, this is where the monks spent their time while chanting mantras. The 26th cave contains the most interesting sculptures. Thus, tourists can see a sculptural composition telling about the moment when the Buddha is tempted by seductive women, demons and animals. Almost next to this composition there is a lying sculpture of a Buddhist god, telling everyone about his departure to nirvana.

By the way, quite often it is here that you can meet people in meditation, even despite the presence of a large number of travelers. The largest temple of Ajanta is in cave number 4. Popular among tourist groups are caves 1 and 2. Built later than all, they are the best preserved, allowing guests of this Indian landmark to see in detail the ancient cave paintings, frescoes and sculptures. Not every traveler can go around all the caves of Ajanta in one day, however, the part of the Buddhist temple-monastic cave complex seen during the excursion will leave the most vivid memories.

Ellora Hindu Caves

Ellora's Hindu monasteries are completely different from Buddhist caves in terms of style and decoration. These caves were cut from top to bottom and shaped in stages. There are 17 caves in total, carved between 600 and 870 years. They occupy the central part of the rock, grouped around the famous Kailas temple. Unlike the solemn and serene Buddhist caves, the walls of Hindu monasteries are covered with living bas-reliefs depicting the events of the scriptures of Hinduism. All of them are dedicated to the god Shiva, but there are also images of Vishnu and his various reincarnations.

Here one gets the impression that the whole temple was squeezed out into the rock with one big signet.

By the way, at the top of the Kailas mountains (in India) there is another huge temple - the Shaivite, it is called Kailasanatha. It is also assigned to the Ellora cave complex. So, according to the legends of ancient Hindus, it is believed that it is this temple that leads to heaven, and it is in it that Shiva himself dwells. This sanctuary is hewn out of monolithic rock and decorated with carvings, the beauty of which is almost impossible to describe in words; perhaps even a huge construction company with the most cutting-edge tools will not dare to repeat the work of the ancient masters.

By the way, Kailasanatha was made under the guidance of a person, not a god or a representative of an alien civilization. This is evidenced by a copper tablet found in one of the caches of a Shaiva temple. It reads something like this: "O Great Shiva, how did I manage to build such a miracle without magic?" After deciphering the master's address to the god Shiva, it becomes clear that Kailasanatha was built by the most ordinary people. How, then, in ancient times, was it possible to literally carve this temple? Alas, there is no answer to this question yet: there are assumptions of archaeologists, builders and architects, however, they remain only theories that have yet to be explained to our descendants.

At the moment, one can only marvel at the work of ancient masters who showed the world one of the most significant wonders of India - the mysterious Ellora caves. What are our historians ridiculous "The caves were illuminated with the help of some kind of metal screens or white sheets, and thus sunlight got into the caves." "Most likely, it was a spontaneous building, and Buddhist monks made it" - despite the fact that the monks themselves openly tell everyone that all this was built by the gods ...

When I show you this object, I am amazed once again and once again I can’t even believe that such majestic structures could have been built a long time ago. How much labor, effort and energy was invested in these rocks!

A total of 34 Buddhist, Hindu and Jain caves - some of which were created at the same time, competing with each other - encircle the foot of the two kilometers long Chamadiri cliff at the point where it merges into the open plains.

The main attraction of this territory - the gargantuan-sized temple of Kailash - rises up from a huge, sheer-walled hollow in the hillside. The largest monolith in the world, this incredibly huge piece of solid basalt has been transformed into a picturesque cluster of intersecting colonnaded halls, galleries and sacred altars. But let's talk about everything in more detail ...

The temples of Ellora originated in the era of the state of the Rashtrakut dynasty, which united the western part of India under their rule in the 8th century. In the Middle Ages, many considered the state of the Rashtrakuts the greatest state, it was compared with such powerful powers as the Arab Caliphate, Byzantium and China. The most powerful Indian rulers at that time were the rashtrakuts.

The caves were created between the 6th and 9th centuries AD. There are 34 temples and monasteries in Ellora. The interior decoration of the temples is not as dramatic and rich as in the caves of Ajanta. However, there are refined sculptures of a more beautiful form, a complex plan is observed and the dimensions of the temples themselves are larger. And all the memorials have been much better preserved to this day. Long galleries were created in the rocks, and the area of one hall sometimes reached 40x40 meters. The walls are skillfully decorated with reliefs and stone sculptures. Temples and monasteries were created in the basalt hills for half a millennium (6-10 centuries AD). It is also characteristic that the construction of the Ellora caves began around the time when the holy places of Ajanta were abandoned and lost from sight.

In the 13th century, by order of Raja Krishna, the Kailasantha cave temple was created. The temple was erected according to very specific treatises on construction, everything was set out in them to the smallest detail. Kailasantha was to become intermediate between the heavenly and terrestrial temples. A kind of gate.

Kailasantha has dimensions 61 meters by 33 meters. The height of the entire temple is 30 meters. Kailasantha was created gradually, they began to cut down the temple from the top. First, they dug a trench around the boulder, which eventually turned into a temple. Holes were cut in it, later it will be galleries and halls.

The Kailasantha Temple in Ellora was created by gouging about 400,000 tons of rock. From this we can judge that those who created the plan of this temple had an extraordinary imagination. The features of the Dravidian style are demonstrated by Kailasantha. This can be seen in the gate in front of the entrance to Nanding, and in the very outline of the temple, which gradually tapers towards the top, and along the facade with miniature sculptures in the form of decor.

All Hindu buildings are located around the most prominent Kailash temple, which personifies the sacred mountain of Tibet. In contrast to the calm and more ascetic decoration of Buddhist caves, Hindu temples are decorated with catchy and bright carvings, which is very characteristic of Indian architecture.

Near Chennai in Tamilnand there is the Mamallapuram temple, with its towers the tower of the Kailasantha temple resembles. They were built at about the same time.

An incredible amount of effort has gone into building the temple. This temple stands in a well 100 meters long and 50 meters wide. At Kailasanath, the foundation is not only a three-tiered monument, but also a huge complex with a courtyard near the temple, porticoes, galleries, halls, statues.

The lower part ends with a plinth of 8 meters; figures of sacred animals, elephants and lions, are girdled on all sides. The figures guard and support the temple at the same time.

The original reason why this rather remote place became the center of such an active religious and artistic activity was the lively caravan route that ran here, connecting the flourishing cities in the north and the ports of the west coast. The profits from the lucrative trade went to the construction of the sanctuaries of this five-hundred-year-old complex, which began in the middle of the 6th century. n. BC, at about the same time that Ajanta, located 100 km to the northeast, was abandoned. This was the period of the decline of the Buddhist era in central India: by the end of the 7th century. the rise of Hinduism began again. The revival of Brahmanism gained momentum over the next three centuries under the patronage of the Chalukya and Rashtrakuta kings, two powerful dynasties that helped carry out most of the work in Ellora, including the creation of the Kailash temple in the 8th century. The third and final stage of the rise of construction activity in this area came at the end of the first millennium of the new era, when local rulers turned from Shaivism to Jainism of the Digambara direction. A small cluster of less prominent caves to the north of the main group stands as a reminder of this era.

Unlike the secluded Ajanta, Ellora did not escape the consequences of the fanatical struggle with other religions that accompanied the rise to power of Muslims in the 13th century. The worst extremes were taken during the reign of Aurangzeb, who, in a fit of piety, ordered the systematic destruction of "pagan idols." Although Ellora still bears the scars of that time, much of her sculpture has remained miraculously intact. The fact that the caves were carved into solid rocks, outside the zone of monsoon rainfall, determined their preservation in remarkably good condition.

All caves are numbered, approximately according to the chronology of their creation. Numbers 1 through 12 in the southern part of the complex are the oldest and date back to the Buddhist Vajrayana era (500-750 AD). Hindu caves numbered 17 to 29 were built at the same time as later Buddhist caves and date back to the period between 600 and 870. new era. Further north, the Jain caves - numbers 30 to 34 - were carved from 800 AD to the end of the 11th century. Due to the sloping nature of the hillside, most of the entrances to the caves are set back from the ground level and are located behind open courtyards and large pillared verandas or porticos. Entrance to all caves, except for the Kailash temple, is free.

To see the oldest caves first, turn right from the car park, where buses arrive, and walk along the main path to Cave 1. From here, gradually move further north, resisting the temptation to go to Cave 16 - the Kailash temple, which is better to leave for later when all the tour groups leave at the end of the day, and the long shadows cast by the setting sun bring its striking stone sculpture to life.

The man-made rock caves scattered across the volcanic hills of the northwestern Deccan are among the most astonishing religious monuments in Asia, if not the world. Ranging from tiny monastic cells to colossal, meticulously executed temples, they are remarkable for being hand-carved in solid stone. Early caves of the 3rd c. BC BC, it seems, were temporary shelters of Buddhist monks when torrential monsoon rains interrupted their wanderings. They copied earlier wooden structures and were financed by merchants, for whom the casteless new faith was an attractive alternative to the old, discriminatory social order. Gradually, inspired by the example of Emperor Ashoka Maurya, the local ruling dynasties also began to convert to Buddhism. Under their auspices, during the 2nd century. BC BC, the first large cave monasteries were established in Karli, Bhaj and Ajanta.

At this time, the ascetic Buddhist Theravada school prevailed in India. Closed monastic communities had little interaction with the outside world. The caves created during this era were mostly simple "prayer halls" (chaityas) - long, rectangular apsidal chambers with cylindrical vaulted roofs and two low aisles with columns curving gently around the back of a monolithic stupa. Symbols of Buddha's enlightenment, these hemispherical burial mounds were the main centers of worship and meditation around which communities of monks made their ritual walks.

The methods used to create caves have changed little over the centuries. Initially, the main dimensions of the decorative facade were applied to the front of the rock. Then the groups of masons cut a rough hole (which later became an elegant horseshoe-shaped chaitya window) through which they cut further into the depths of the rock. As workers made their way to floor level using heavy iron picks, they left chunks of untouched rock, which skillful sculptors then transformed into columns, prayer friezes and stupas.

By the 4th century. n. NS. the Hinayan school began to give way to the more luxurious Mahayana school, or “Great Vehicle”. The greater emphasis of this school on the ever-increasing pantheon of deities and bodhisattvas (gracious saints who postponed their own attainment of Nirvana in order to help humanity in its progress towards Enlightenment) was reflected in the change in architectural styles. The chaityas were supplanted by the richly decorated monastic halls, or viharas, in which the monks lived and prayed, and the image of the Buddha gained great importance. Taking the place where a stupa used to stand at the end of the hall, around which ritual walks were performed, a colossal image appeared that carried 32 characteristics (lakshanas), including long hanging earlobes, a bulging skull, curls of hair that distinguish the Buddha from other creatures. Mahayana art reached its peak at the end of the Buddhist era. The creation of an extensive catalog of themes and images found in ancient manuscripts such as the jatakis (legends of previous incarnations of the Buddha), as well as presented in the marvelous, awe-inspiring wall paintings at Ajanta, may have been partly due to an attempt to stir up interest in a faith that by that time had already begun to fade in this region.

Buddhism's aspiration to compete with resurgent Hinduism, formed in the 6th century, eventually led to the creation of a new, more esoteric religious movement within the Mahayana. Direction of Vajrayana, or "Thunder Chariot", emphasizing and affirming the creative principle of the feminine principle, shakti; in secret rituals, spells and magic formulas were used here. Ultimately, however, such modifications proved to be powerless in India in the face of the revived appeal of Brahmanism.

The subsequent transfer of royal and popular patronage to the new faith is best illustrated by the example of Ellora, where during the 8th century. many of the old viharas were converted into temples, and polished shivalingas were installed in their sanctuaries instead of stupas or Buddha statues. Hindu cave architecture, with its gravitation towards dramatic mythological sculpture, received its highest expression in the 10th century, when the majestic Kailash temple was created - a giant copy of structures on the surface of the earth, which have already begun to replace the caves carved into the rocks. It was Hinduism that bore the brunt of the fanatical medieval persecution of other religions by Islam, which reigned in the Deccan, and Buddhism had long since moved to the relatively safe Himalayas, where it still flourishes.

Buddhist caves are located on the sides of a gentle cut in the side of the Chamadiri cliff. All but Cave 10 are viharas, or monastery halls, which the monks originally used for teaching, solitary meditation and communal prayer, as well as for such mundane activities as eating and sleeping. As you walk through them, the halls will gradually become more and more impressive in size and style. Scholars attribute this to the rise of Hinduism and the need to compete to seek the patronage of rulers with the more awe-inspiring Shaiva cave temples that have been excavated so close in the neighborhood.

Caves 1 to 5

Cave 1, which may have been a granary, as its largest hall is a simple vihara devoid of ornaments, containing eight small cells and almost no sculpture. In the much more impressive Cave 2, a large central chamber is supported by twelve massive columns with square bases, and Buddha statues sit along the side walls. On the sides of the entrance leading to the altar room are the figures of two giant dvarapalas, or gate guards: the unusually muscular Padmapani, the bodhisattva of compassion with a lotus in his hand, on the left, and the jeweled Maitreya, the “Coming Buddha,” on the right. Both are accompanied by their spouses. Inside the sanctuary itself, a majestic Buddha sits on a lion-shaped throne, who looks stronger and more determined than his serene predecessors in Ajanta. Caves 3 and 4, which are slightly older and similar in design to Cave 2, are in rather poor condition.

Known as the Maharwada (because during the monsoon rains the local Mahara tribe took refuge in it), Cave 5 is the largest one-story vihara in Ellora. Its huge, 36 m long, rectangular meeting room is said to have been used by the monks as a refectory, with two rows of benches carved in stone. At the far end of the hall, the entrance to the central sanctuary is guarded by two beautiful statues of bodhisattvas - Padmapani and Vajrapani ("Thunder Holder"). Inside sits the Buddha, this time on a dais; his right hand touches the ground in a gesture indicating the “Miracle of the Thousand Buddhas” that the Master performed to confuse a group of heretics.

The next four caves were dug around the same time in the 7th century. and are just a repetition of their predecessors. On the walls of the vestibule at the far end of the central hall in Cave 6 are the most famous and beautifully executed statues. Tara, the consort of Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, stands on the left with an expressive, friendly face. On the opposite side is the Buddhist goddess of teachings Mahamayuri, depicted with a symbol in the form of a peacock, in front of her at the table is a diligent student. There is an obvious parallel between Mahayuri and the corresponding Hindu goddess of knowledge and wisdom Saraswati (the latter's mythological vehicle, however, was a goose), which clearly shows to what extent Indian Buddhism in the 7th century. borrowed elements of a rival religion in an attempt to revive his own waning popularity.

Caves 10, 11 and 12

Dug at the beginning of the 8th century. Cave 10 is one of the last and most magnificent chaitya halls in the Deccan Caves. To the left of its large veranda, steps begin that rise to the upper balcony, from where a triple passage leads to the inner balcony, with flying horsemen, heavenly nymphs and a frieze decorated with playful dwarfs. From here there is a beautiful view of the hall with its octagonal columns and vaulted roof. From the stone "rafters" carved into the ceiling, imitations of beams that were present in earlier wooden structures, the popular name of this cave is derived - "Sutar Jhopadi" - "Carpenter's Workshop". At the far end of the hall, the Buddha sits on a throne in front of a vowed stupa - this group is the central place of worship.

Despite the discovery in 1876 of its formerly hidden underground floor, Cave 11 is still called the "Dho Tal" or "two-tiered" cave. Its upper floor is a long, pillared assembly hall with the Buddha's sanctuary, and the images on its back wall of Durga and Ganesha, the elephant-headed son of Shiva, indicate that the cave was converted into a Hindu temple after being abandoned by the Buddhists.

The neighboring cave 12 - "Tin Tal", or "three-tiered" - is another three-tiered vihara, the entrance to which leads through a large open courtyard. Again, the main attractions are on the top floor, which was once used for teaching and meditation. Along the sides of the altar room at the end of the hall, along the walls of which there are five large figures of bodhisattvas, there are statues of five Buddhas, each of which depicts one of his previous incarnations of the Teacher. The figures on the left are shown in a state of deep meditation, and on the right - again in the "Miracle of a Thousand Buddhas" position.

The seventeen Hindu caves of Ellora cluster around the middle of the cliff, where the majestic Kailash Temple is located. Carved out at the beginning of the Brahmin revival in the Deccan, during a time of relative stability, the cave temples are full of a sense of life that their reserved Buddhist predecessors lacked. There are no more rows of big-eyed people with a soft expression on the faces of Buddhas and bodhisattvas. Instead, huge bas-reliefs line the walls depicting dynamic scenes from Hindu tradition. Most of them are associated with the name of Shiva, the god of destruction and rebirth (and the main deity of all the Hindu caves of the complex), although you will also find numerous images of Vishnu, the guardian of the universe, and his many incarnations.

The same pictures are repeated over and over, giving Ellora's artisans the perfect opportunity to hone their technique for centuries, culminating in the Kailash Temple (Cave 16). Described separately, the temple is a must-see attraction while in Ellora. However, you can better appreciate its beautiful sculpture by first exploring the earlier Hindu caves. If you don't have too much time, then keep in mind that numbers 14 and 15, located directly to the south, are the most interesting in the group.

Dating from the early 7th century, one of the last caves of the early period, Cave 14, was a Buddhist vihara converted into a Hindu temple. Its plan is similar to Cave 8, with an altar room separated from the back wall and surrounded by a circular passage. The entrance to the sanctuary is guarded by two imposing statues of river goddesses - Ganga and Yamuna, and in an alcove behind and to the right, seven fertility goddesses “Sapta Matrika” swing fat babies on their knees. The son of Shiva - Ganesha with the head of an elephant - sits to their right next to two terrifying images of Kala and Kali, the goddesses of death. Beautiful friezes adorn the long walls of the cave. Starting from the front, on the friezes on the left (when facing the altar), Durga is depicted killing the buffalo demon Mahisha; Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, sits on a lotus throne, while her elephant attendants pour water from their trunks; Vishnu in the form of the boar Varaha, saving the earth goddess Prithvi from the flood; and finally Vishnu with his wives. The panels on the opposite wall are dedicated exclusively to Shiva. The second from the front shows him playing dice with his wife Parvati; then he dances the dance of the creation of the Universe in the form of Nataraja; and on the fourth frieze, he blithely ignores the vain attempts of the demon Ravana to throw him and his wife from their earthly home - Mount Kailash.

Like the neighboring cave, the two-story Cave 15, to which a long staircase leads, began its existence as a Buddhist vihara, but was occupied by the Hindus and turned into a Shiva sanctuary. You can skip the generally not particularly interesting first floor and immediately go up, where there are several samples of Ellora's most majestic sculpture. The name of the cave - "Das Avatara" ("Ten Avatars") - comes from a series of panels along the right wall, which represent five of the ten incarnations - the avatar - Vishnu. On the panel closest to the entrance, Vishnu is shown in his fourth image of the Lion-Man - Narasimha, which he took to destroy the demon, which “neither man nor beast could kill, neither day nor night, neither inside the palace nor outside” ( Vishnu overpowered him, hiding at dawn on the threshold of the palace). Pay attention to the serene expression on the face of the demon before death, who is confident and calm, because he knows that, being killed by God, he will receive salvation. On the frieze second from the entrance, the Guardian is depicted in the embodiment of a sleeping “Primal Dreamer”, reclining on the rings of Ananda, the cosmic serpent of Infinity. A sprout of a lotus flower is about to grow from his navel, and Brahma will emerge from it and begin the creation of the world.

A carved panel in the recess to the right of the vestibule depicts Shiva emerging from the lingam. His rivals - Brahma and Vishnu, stand before his vision humiliatingly and pleadingly, symbolizing the predominance of Shaivism in this region. And finally, in the middle of the left wall of the room, facing the sanctuary, the most elegant sculpture of the cave depicts Shiva in the form of Nataraja, frozen in a dance pose.

Caves 17 to 29

Only three of the Hindu caves located on the hillside north of the Kailash temple are worth exploring. Cave 21 - "Ramesvara" - was created at the end of the 6th century. Believed to be the oldest Hindu cave in Ellora, it houses several amazingly executed pieces of sculpture, including a pair of beautiful river goddesses on the sides of the veranda, two marvelous statues of gatekeepers, and several sensual mithunas adorning the balcony walls. Note also the magnificent panel depicting Shiva and Parvati. In Cave 25, further away, there is a striking image of the Sun God - Surya, driving his chariot towards dawn.

From here, the trail leads past two more caves, and then abruptly descends along the surface of a steep cliff to its foot, where a small river gorge is located. Crossing a seasonal river with a waterfall, the path climbs up the other side of the crevice and leads to Cave 29 - Dhumar Lena. This dating back to the end of the 6th century. the cave is distinguished by an unusual ground plan in the form of a cross, similar to the Elephanta cave in Mumbai harbor. Its three staircases are guarded by pairs of rearing lions, and the walls inside are decorated with huge friezes. To the left of the entrance, Shiva pierces the demon Andhaka; on the adjacent panel, it reflects the attempts of the multi-armed Ravana to shake him and Parvati off the top of Mount Kailash (note the fat-cheeked dwarf teasing the evil demon). The south side depicts a dice scene in which Shiva teases Parvati by holding her hand as she prepares to throw.

Kailash Temple (Cave 16)

Cave 16, the colossal temple of Kailash (6:00 am to 6:00 pm daily; 5 rupees) is Ellora's masterpiece. In this case, the term "cave" turns out to be a mistake. Although the temple, like all caves, was carved into solid rock, it is strikingly similar to the usual structures on the surface of the earth - in Pattadakal and Kanchipuram in South India, after which it was built. It is believed that this monolith was conceived by the ruler of Rashtrakuta Krishna I (756 - 773). A hundred years passed, however, and four generations of kings, architects and artisans changed, until this project was completed. Climb up the path along the complex's north cliff to the landing above the squat main tower and you'll see why.

The size of the structure alone is amazing. The work began by digging three deep trenches at the top of the hill using picks, hoes and pieces of wood that, soaked in water and inserted into narrow cracks, expanded and crumbled the basalt. When a huge piece of rough rock was thus isolated, the royal sculptors began to work. It is estimated that a total of a quarter of a million tons of debris and crumbs were cut from the hillside, and it was impossible to improvise or make mistakes. The temple was conceived as a giant replica of the Himalayan dwelling of Shiva and Parvati - the pyramidal Mount Kailash (Kailasa) - a Tibetan peak that is said to be the "divine axis" between heaven and earth. Today, almost all of the thick layer of white lime plaster that gave the temple the appearance of a snowy mountain top has fallen off, revealing the carefully crafted surfaces of gray-brown stone. At the rear of the tower, these ledges have been exposed to centuries of erosion and faded and blurred, as if the gigantic sculpture was slowly melting from the fierce Deccan heat.

The main entrance to the temple leads through a high stone partition, which is designed to delimit the transition from the mundane to the sacred kingdom. Passing between the two river goddesses guarding the entrance, the Ganges and Yamuna, you find yourself in a narrow passage that opens into the main front yard, opposite a panel depicting Lakshmi - the Goddess of Wealth - being poured by a pair of elephants - this scene is known to Hindus as Gajalakshmi. The custom requires pilgrims to walk around Mount Kailash in a clockwise direction, so go down the steps on the left and walk through the front of the courtyard to the nearest corner.

All three main sections of the complex are visible from the top of the concrete staircase in the corner. The first is an entrance with a statue of the buffalo Nandi - Shiva's vehicle, lying in front of the altar; the next is the intricately decorated, stone-cut walls of the main meeting room, or mandapa, which still retains traces of the colored plaster that originally covered the entire interior of the structure; and finally, the sanctuary itself with a short and thick 29-meter pyramidal tower, or shikhara (which is best viewed from above). These three components rest on a suitably sized raised platform supported by dozens of lotus-collecting elephants. Besides the fact that it symbolizes the sacred mountain of Shiva, the temple also depicts a giant chariot. The transepts protruding from the side of the main hall are its wheels, the Nandi sanctuary is the collar, and the two life-size truncated elephants in front of the courtyard (disfigured by marauding Muslims) are draft animals.

Most of the main attractions of the temple itself are limited by its side walls, which are covered with expressive sculpture. Scenes from the Mahabharata are vividly depicted on a long panel along the staircase leading to the north of the mandapa. It shows some episodes from the life of Krishna, including the one shown in the lower right corner, with the baby god sucking the poisoned breast of the nurse sent by his evil uncle to kill him. Krishna survived, but the poison dyed his skin a characteristic blue. If you continue looking at the temple clockwise, you will see that most of the panels in the lower sections of the temple are dedicated to Shiva. In the southern part of the mandapa, in an alcove carved from its most prominent part, you will find a bas-relief that is generally considered the finest sculpture in the complex. It shows how Shiva and Parvati are disturbed by the multi-headed demon Ravana, who was imprisoned inside a sacred mountain and is now swinging the walls of his prison with his many hands. Shiva is about to assert his supremacy by calming the earthquake with a movement of his big toe. Parvati, meanwhile, watches him nonchalantly, leaning on her elbow as one of her maids flees in panic.

At this point, make a small detour and climb the stairs in the lower (southwest) corner of the courtyard to the “Hall of Sacrifices” with its striking frieze depicting the seven mother goddesses, the Sapta Matrika, and their terrifying companions Kala and Kali (represented by standing on top mountains of corpses), or head straight up the steps of the main meeting room, past the energetic battle scenes of the dramatic Ramayana frieze, into the altar room. A meeting room with sixteen columns is shrouded in a gloomy half-light, which is intended to focus the attention of worshipers on the presence of the deity within. With the help of a portable electric flashlight, Choukidar will illuminate fragments of the ceiling painting, where Shiva in the form of Nataraja performs the dance of the birth of the Universe, as well as numerous erotic couples of mithun. The sanctuary itself is no longer a working altar, although it still contains a large stone lingam, mounted on a yoni pedestal, symbolizing the dual aspect of Shiva's reproductive energy.

It is remarkable that after so many years, the cultural, historical and architectural heritage of the planet has been imprinted on our earth forever. And one of them is Ellora's caves. The caves and temples of Ellora are included in the UNESCO list as monuments that are the world's heritage of mankind.

one of the questions that interests me is this: surely a lot of people lived here or came here. And how were the water pipes arranged here? Yes, at least the same Sewerage tapas there. - how? It would seem a common thing, but it needs to be organized somehow!

Be sure to take a virtual tour of the temple. Click on the picture below ...

When I show you this object, I am amazed once again and once again I can’t even believe that such majestic structures could have been built a long time ago. How much labor, effort and energy was invested in these rocks!

The most visited ancient monument of Maharashtra - the ELLORA caves, which are located 29 km northwest of Aurangabad, may not be located in such an impressive place as their older sisters in Ajanta, but the amazing richness of their sculpture fully compensates for this shortcoming, and they must not be missed if you are heading to Mumbai or from Mumbai, which is 400 km southwest. A total of 34 Buddhist, Hindu and Jain caves - some of which were created at the same time, competing with each other - encircle the foot of the two kilometers long Chamadiri cliff, where it merges into the open plains. The main attraction of this territory - the gargantuan-sized temple of Kailash - rises up from a huge, steep-walled hollow in the hillside. The largest monolith in the world, this incredibly huge piece of solid basalt has been transformed into a picturesque cluster of intersecting colonnaded halls, galleries and sacred altars. But let's talk about everything in more detail ...

Near Chennai in Tamilnand there is the Mamallapuram temple, with its towers the tower of the Kailasantha temple resembles. They were built at about the same time.

The lower part ends with a plinth of 8 meters; figures of sacred animals, elephants and lions, are girdled on all sides. The figures guard and support the temple at the same time.

All caves are numbered, approximately according to the chronology of their creation. The numbers 1 through 12 in the southern part of the complex are the oldest and date back to the Buddhist Vajrayana era (500-750 AD). Hindu caves numbered 17 to 29 were built at the same time as later Buddhist caves and date back to the period between 600 and 870. new era. Further north, the Jain caves - numbers 30 to 34 - were carved from 800 AD to the end of the 11th century. Due to the sloping nature of the hillside, most of the entrances to the caves are set back from the ground level and are located behind open courtyards and large pillared verandas or porticos. Entrance to all caves, except for the Kailash temple, is free.

Caves 1 to 5
Cave 1, which may have been a granary, as its largest hall is a simple vihara devoid of ornaments, containing eight small cells and almost no sculpture. In the much more impressive Cave 2, a large central chamber is supported by twelve massive columns with square bases, and Buddha statues sit along the side walls. On the sides of the entrance leading to the altar room are the figures of two giant dvarapalas, or gate guards: the unusually muscular Padmapani, the bodhisattva of compassion with a lotus in his hand, on the left, and the jeweled Maitreya, the “Coming Buddha,” on the right. Both are accompanied by their spouses. Inside the sanctuary itself, a majestic Buddha sits on a lion-shaped throne, who looks stronger and more determined than his serene predecessors in Ajanta. Caves 3 and 4, which are slightly older and similar in design to Cave 2, are in rather poor condition.

Cave 6
The next four caves were dug around the same time in the 7th century. and are just a repetition of their predecessors. On the walls of the vestibule at the far end of the central hall in Cave 6 are the most famous and beautifully executed statues. Tara, the consort of Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, stands on the left with an expressive, friendly face. On the opposite side is the Buddhist goddess of teachings Mahamayuri, depicted with a symbol in the form of a peacock, in front of her at the table is a diligent student. There is an obvious parallel between Mahayuri and the corresponding Hindu goddess of knowledge and wisdom Saraswati (the latter's mythological vehicle, however, was a goose), which clearly shows to what extent Indian Buddhism in the 7th century. borrowed elements of a rival religion in an attempt to revive his own waning popularity.

Caves 10, 11 and 12
Dug at the beginning of the 8th century. Cave 10 is one of the last and most magnificent chaitya halls in the Deccan Caves. To the left of its large veranda, steps begin that rise to the upper balcony, from where a triple passage leads to the inner balcony, with flying horsemen, heavenly nymphs and a frieze decorated with playful dwarfs. From here there is a beautiful view of the hall with its octagonal columns and vaulted roof. From the stone "rafters" carved into the ceiling, imitations of beams that were present in earlier wooden structures, the popular name of this cave is derived - "Sutar Jhopadi" - "Carpenter's Workshop". At the far end of the hall, the Buddha sits on a throne in front of a vowed stupa - this group is the central place of worship.

Cave 14
Dating from the early 7th century, one of the last caves of the early period, Cave 14, was a Buddhist vihara converted into a Hindu temple. Its plan is similar to Cave 8, with an altar room separated from the back wall and surrounded by a circular passage. The entrance to the sanctuary is guarded by two imposing statues of river goddesses - Ganga and Yamuna, and in an alcove behind and to the right, seven fertility goddesses “Sapta Matrika” swing fat babies on their knees. The son of Shiva - Ganesha with the head of an elephant - sits to their right next to two terrifying images of Kala and Kali, the goddesses of death. Beautiful friezes adorn the long walls of the cave. Starting from the front, on the friezes on the left (when facing the altar), Durga is depicted killing the buffalo demon Mahisha; Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, sits on a lotus throne, while her elephant attendants pour water from their trunks; Vishnu in the form of the boar Varaha, saving the earth goddess Prithvi from the flood; and finally Vishnu with his wives. The panels on the opposite wall are dedicated exclusively to Shiva. The second from the front shows him playing dice with his wife Parvati; then he dances the dance of the creation of the Universe in the form of Nataraja; and on the fourth frieze, he blithely ignores the vain attempts of the demon Ravana to throw him and his wife from their earthly home - Mount Kailash.

Cave 15
Like the neighboring cave, the two-story Cave 15, to which a long staircase leads, began its existence as a Buddhist vihara, but was occupied by the Hindus and turned into a Shiva sanctuary. You can skip the generally not particularly interesting first floor and immediately go up, where there are several samples of Ellora's most majestic sculpture. The name of the cave - "Das Avatara" ("Ten Avatars") - comes from a series of panels along the right wall, which represent five of the ten incarnations - the avatar - Vishnu. On the panel closest to the entrance, Vishnu is shown in his fourth image of the Lion-Man - Narasimha, which he took to destroy the demon, which “neither man nor beast could kill, neither day nor night, neither inside the palace nor outside” ( Vishnu overpowered him, hiding at dawn on the threshold of the palace). Pay attention to the serene expression on the face of the demon before death, who is confident and calm, because he knows that, being killed by God, he will receive salvation. On the frieze second from the entrance, the Guardian is depicted in the embodiment of a sleeping “Primal Dreamer”, reclining on the rings of Ananda, the cosmic serpent of Infinity. A sprout of a lotus flower is about to grow from his navel, and Brahma will emerge from it and begin the creation of the world.

Caves 17 to 29
Only three of the Hindu caves located on the hillside north of the Kailash temple are worth exploring. Cave 21 - "Ramesvara" - was created at the end of the 6th century. Believed to be the oldest Hindu cave in Ellora, it houses several amazingly executed pieces of sculpture, including a pair of beautiful river goddesses on the sides of the veranda, two marvelous statues of gatekeepers, and several sensual mithunas adorning the balcony walls. Note also the magnificent panel depicting Shiva and Parvati. In Cave 25, further away, there is a striking image of the Sun God - Surya, driving his chariot towards dawn.

From here, the trail leads past two more caves, and then abruptly descends along the surface of a steep cliff to its foot, where a small river gorge is located. Crossing a seasonal river with a waterfall, the path climbs up the other side of the crevice and leads to Cave 29 - Dhumar Lena. This dating back to the end of the 6th century. the cave is distinguished by an unusual ground plan in the form of a cross, similar to the Elephanta cave in Mumbai harbor. Its three staircases are guarded by pairs of rearing lions, and the walls inside are decorated with huge friezes. To the left of the entrance, Shiva pierces the demon Andhaka; on the next panel, it reflects the attempts of the multi-armed Ravana to shake him and Parvati off the top of Mount Kailash (note the fat-cheeked dwarf teasing the evil demon). The south side depicts a dice scene in which Shiva teases Parvati by holding her hand as she prepares to throw.

Kailash Temple (Cave 16)
Cave 16, the colossal temple of Kailash (6:00 am to 6:00 pm daily; 5 rupees) is Ellora's masterpiece. In this case, the term "cave" turns out to be a mistake. Although the temple, like all caves, was carved into solid rock, it is strikingly similar to the usual structures on the surface of the earth - in Pattadakal and Kanchipuram in South India, after which it was built. It is believed that this monolith was conceived by the ruler of Rashtrakuta Krishna I (756 - 773). A hundred years passed, however, and four generations of kings, architects and artisans changed, until this project was completed. Climb up the path along the complex's north cliff to the landing above the squat main tower and you'll see why.

one of the questions that interests me is this: surely a lot of people lived here or came here. And how were the water pipes arranged here? Yes, at least the same Sewerage Topas

With the fact that India is an amazing country, no one would argue. Not only beach lovers come here, but also those who suffer to learn all the secrets of the universe and feed themselves with spiritual food. Indian spiritual practices are known all over the world, because it was here that they originated. Until now, scientists with admiration and reverence study the ancient temple complexes that amaze the imagination of modern people with their beauty and monumentality. There are many similar places in India, but one of them is forever imprinted in the memory of curious tourists, and this is the Ellora Caves. At the first glance at the complex of these structures, the thought of their extraterrestrial origin comes, since it is difficult to imagine that human hands could create this incredible beauty in the thickness of the basalt rock. Today, all the temples that make up this historical monument are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. They are carefully guarded from destruction, but the Indians themselves still treat them as a shrine, observing a special ritual of behavior when approaching the temple. The article will tell you what the Ellora caves are, and describe the most famous and beautiful temples of this unique complex.

Brief description of the complex

India today is a completely civilized country, at first glance not much different from many others. However, it is worth moving away from the tourist districts a little and taking a look at the life of ordinary people to understand that Indians are incredibly distinctive. They get along well with modern rules and laws with ancient traditions and rituals. Therefore, the spirit of sacred knowledge is still alive here, for the sake of which many Europeans come to India.

Ellora is an iconic place for any inhabitant of the country. It is on a par with such great monuments of world culture as the Egyptian pyramids and Stonehenge. Scientists have been studying the Ellora caves for many years and during this time they could not put forward any reliable version that could explain the appearance of dozens of temples in this place.

So what exactly is the ancient temple complex? The cave temples are located in the Indian state of Maharashtra, which today is a place of pilgrimage for tourists from all over the world. The complex itself is conditionally divided into three parts, since in fact three groups of temples were carved from basalt in the caves. Each belongs to a certain religion. There are a total of thirty-four sanctuaries in the caves of Ellora. Of them:

twelve belong to Buddhists;
seventeen were created by the Hindus;
five are Janaic.

Despite this, scientists do not divide the complex into parts. If you look at the UNESCO World Heritage List, it does not describe the temples separately. For historians and archaeologists, they are of interest precisely in the complex.

The temples of Ellora are full of amazing mysteries. It is impossible to get around them all in one day, so many tourists stay near the complex in a small hotel and live there for several days to explore the entire complex. And it's worth it, because the temples still have ancient sculptures, bas-reliefs and other decorations in their places. All this is carved from stone and has been preserved almost in its original form. Shiva's sculptures, for example, are striking in their authenticity and subtlety of work. It seems that divine power guided the hand of the master when he created such masterpieces.

The history of the creation of a unique complex

It is amazing, but so far not a single explanation has been found for why and for what the temples were built in Ellora. It is difficult to imagine what genius the idea of hollowing out a large-scale complex of temples in dense rock could have come to. Scientists make only assumptions on this score.

Many agree that the temples in Ellora (India) arose on the site of a busy trade route. India in the Middle Ages conducted an active trade in its goods. From here were exported spices, the finest silks and other fabrics, precious stones and figurines with skillful carvings. All this was sold for a lot of money, mainly to European countries. Trade was brisk, and merchants and maharajas grew rich. However, in order not to feel the need in the future, they donated their money for the construction of temples. A lot of different people, including craftsmen, always gather on the trade routes. The merchants agreed with them about the work. To prevent gold from leaving these places, temples were built right here. In addition, everyone who donated money could at any time check how the masters disposed of them.

Scientists believe that the first structures in Ellora appeared at the beginning of the sixth century. In general, the temples were erected for a century and a half. However, some of the decorations and improvements date back to a later time - the ninth century.

Therefore, scientists consider the temple complex of Ellora not just a cultural monument, but rather a kind of textbook on the history of religion. The sculptures, decorations and bas-reliefs show how the religious beliefs of the Hindus have changed over the centuries.

Features of the temple complex

Scientists, when studying the temples, determined that they were erected in groups according to religion. The first were Buddhist structures, they began to be built in the fifth-sixth centuries and are represented by a large number of temples. Gradually, Buddhism in all regions of the country was replaced by Hinduism, and the next group of buildings was erected according to the canons of this religion. The last to appear in Ellara were the Janai monasteries. They turned out to be the smallest.

One of the buildings of Ellara, which is considered one of the most beautiful today, the Kailasanatha temple was built in the thirteenth century. Its construction was financed by the Rashtrakut dynasty. Its representatives were fabulously rich, and in terms of their influence they could even be compared with the rulers of the Byzantine Empire.

All temples have their own numbering. This was done by scientists in order to facilitate the study of the complex's structures. However, tourists usually do not focus on these numbers when viewed. They arm themselves with flashlights and set off to meet amazing Indian history.

Buddhist part of the temple complex

Since these temples were erected the very first, tourists visit them first of all. In this part of the complex, there is a huge number of sculptural images of the Buddha. They are executed very skillfully and depict the Buddha in various poses. If you put them together, they will tell the story of his life and enlightenment. According to religious rules, all sculptures are facing east. Interestingly, some Buddhist temples look unfinished. For some reason, the craftsmen stopped and did not complete the work. Others have a stepped architecture. They rise in tiers and have many niches in which the sculptures of the Buddha were placed.

The most memorable temples in this part of the complex are:

Tin Thal temple;
Rameshwara complex.

They will be discussed in detail in the following sections of the article.

Interestingly, Buddhist temples (India) in Ellara consist not only of prayer halls. Here you can also see the cells of the monks, where they lived for a long time. Some of the rooms were used for meditation. In this part of the complex, there are also caves, which were later tried to be converted into other temples. However, the process was not completed.

The pearl of the Buddhist part of Ellara

To see such a majestic and austere structure, which is Tin Thal, you need to go down twenty meters. A very narrow stone staircase leads to the foot of the temple. Going down, the tourist finds himself in front of a narrow gate. Before his eyes there will be massive square columns. The craftsmen arranged them in three rows, each rising sixteen meters in height.

Entering the gate, the curious finds himself on the site, from where it is necessary to descend another thirty meters. And here the gaze opens up spacious halls, and from the twilight of the caves here and there the figures of the Buddha appear. All halls are framed by the same imposing columns. All this spectacle leaves a truly lasting impression.

Rameshwar temple in the caves

This temple looks no less majestic than the previous one. However, it is made in a completely different style. The main decoration of the facade of Rameshvara is female statues. They seem to hold its walls, while the statues look both graceful and stern.

The facades of the temple are distinguished by densely applied carvings. It is made in such a way that from a distance it resembles hands raised to the sky. But it is worth approaching the temple closer, as the bas-reliefs seem to come to life, and in them you can see plots on a religious theme.

Everyone who dares to enter this stone temple finds himself in a dense ring of fantastic creatures. The sculptures are made so skillfully that they create a complete illusion of life. They seem to reach out to a person, trying to grab him and leave him forever in darkness and dampness.

The walls of the temple depict real animals, scenes from the lives of ordinary people and the gods watching them. It is interesting that when the lighting changes, the paintings change, which gives them an unprecedented reality.

Many tourists write that this temple amazed them the most and left a feeling of an undisclosed mystical secret.

Hindu temples

This part of Ellara was built a little differently than the previous one. The fact is that Buddhist craftsmen erected their temples from the bottom up, but the workers built Hindu temples using different technologies. The craftsmen began to cut off the excess from the upper part and only then moved on to the foundation of the temple.

Almost all buildings here are dedicated to the god Shiva. Sculptures and bas-reliefs with his images cover the entire surface of the temples and courtyards. Moreover, in all seventeen temples, Shiva is the main character. Interestingly, only a few compositions are dedicated to Vishnu. This approach is not typical for Hindu structures. Until now, scientists do not know why all the temples in this part of the complex are dedicated to only one god.

Near the temples there are rooms for monks, places for prayer and meditation, as well as cells for solitude. In this, both parts of the complex are almost identical.

Experts believe that construction was completed by the eighth century. The most significant object for tourists here is Kailash. This temple is often called the "roof of the world" because of its unusual location on the top of a hill. In ancient times, its walls were painted white, which was superbly visible from afar and resembled the top of the mountain, after which it got its name. Many tourists first of all go to inspect this unusual structure. It will be discussed in the next section of the article.

Kailasanatha: the most amazing sanctuary

Temple Kailasanatha (Kailash), according to legends and legends, was built for a long one hundred and fifty years. It is believed that about seven thousand workers worked at the construction site, who during all the time carried out more than four hundred thousand tons of basalt rock. However, many doubt the reliability of this information, because, according to preliminary estimates, the indicated number of people could not cope with such a large-scale project. Indeed, in addition to the construction of the temple itself, they had to carry out carving. And she, by the way, glorified the temple to the whole world.

The sanctuary is a temple thirty meters high, thirty-three meters wide and over sixty meters long. Even from afar, Kailasanatha amazes the imagination of any person, and close up it leaves an indelible impression even among archaeologists who have seen a lot of bizarre structures of antiquity before.

It is believed that the order for the construction of the sanctuary was given by the Rajah from the Rashtrakut dynasty. He had great influence in India and was very wealthy. At the same time, the Raja turned out to be very talented, since he independently developed the project of the temple. All sculptures, carvings and bas-reliefs were invented by him.

As for construction technologies, here scientists just shrug their shoulders. They have not seen anything like this in any other corner of the world. The fact is that the workers began to carve it from the top. At the same time, they dug an adit into the depths of the hill, so that the other could deal with the interior halls and their decoration. Most likely, at this stage of construction, the sanctuary resembled a well, surrounded on all sides by people.

Kailasanatha was dedicated to Lord Shiva and was very important for the Hindus. It was assumed that he would serve as a kind of intermediate link between the gods and ordinary people. Through these gates, they were supposed to communicate with each other, thereby bringing peace to earth.

The temple has a lot of decorative elements. Strikingly, the surfaces of the sanctuary, be it the ceiling, walls, or floor, do not have a single centimeter of smooth stone. The entire temple is completely covered with patterns from floor to ceiling inside and outside. It amazes, surprises and delights at the same time.

The temple is conventionally divided into three parts, but in reality it has a large number of rooms with sculptures of Shiva and other gods. For example, the image of the demon Ravana is often found in the sanctuary. He, according to the religious beliefs of the Hindus, is the master of the dark forces.

Jain Caves

Many tourists are advised to start visiting these temples, because after the splendor of the Hindu and Buddhist sanctuaries, the unfinished structures will not make the proper impression. It is known that this religion was unable to conquer the Hindus. It was distributed for a very short time. Perhaps this is connected with a certain modesty of the temples. In addition, almost all of them are unfinished.

Even with a cursory examination of the caves, it is noticeable that much in them repeats the temple complexes already built earlier. However, the masters did not even manage to come close to the perfection of such sanctuaries as Kailasanatha or Tin Thal.

Europeans quite often violate the rules of conduct in Indian temples, so it is worthwhile to carefully study them before going to Ellora. After all, be that as it may, these sanctuaries were created to serve the gods, and special rituals were held here. The Indians themselves are very serious and reverent about the Ellora complexes.

Remember that it is forbidden to take anything from here as a keepsake. Esotericists believe that pebbles from ancient sanctuaries will bring only trouble to the owner. But the guards, who disguise themselves as ordinary tourists, will not explain anything to you, but will simply lead you out of the temple.

It is forbidden to be in the sanctuaries after sunset. But with the first rays of the sun, you can already be at the walls of the temple and spend the whole day here until dark. Nobody limits the time of the excursion.

The cost of an entrance ticket to the territory of the complex is two hundred and fifty rupees for children and adults. Tourists are advised to take a flashlight with you for inspection, as without it, some sculptures and carvings will simply not be seen. The temple complex is open six days a week and is closed to the public on Tuesday.

If you can't find a time to travel to India and see the temples, then consider December as an option. A traditional festival takes place in Ellora this month. It is dedicated to music and dance, and is often held in places near temples. This sight leaves a lot of unforgettable impressions.

Ellora: how to get to the caves

There are several options to visit these magnificent temples. For example, while vacationing in Goa, you can buy an excursion tour for yourself and go to the caves with all the comfort that India is capable of.

If you are not afraid to travel by rail, then we can advise you on a very interesting tour, which includes a visit to Ellora. His program involves a train ride with stops in five cities in India. The starting point of the route is Delhi. Then tourists spend time in Agra and Udaipur. The next intermediate station of the railway travel is Aurangabad. It is from here that you will be taken to inspect the cave temples. And quite a lot of time is allotted for this - the whole day. Tour ends in Mumbai. It should be noted that for such a trip, trains with all the amenities are used. Therefore, tourists always leave positive reviews about such tours.

For those who go to India just for the sake of visiting cave temples, we recommend a flight to Mumbai. The nearest international airport to Ellora is located here. However, it should be borne in mind that there are no direct flights from Russia to Mumbai. It is better to choose a transit route that is operated by Arab air carriers.

Arriving in Mumbai, you can change to a train and in nine hours be in Aurangabad. If the train is not your option, then get on the bus. He also goes to the city at about eight or nine o'clock.

In Aurangabad, you also need to change to a bus. In just half an hour you will already be in Ellora and can finally start exploring the sanctuaries. By the way, there are many taxi drivers working in Aurangabad. Any of them will gladly take you to the right place. Many tourists do this in order not to wait for the bus.

There is another option, how to get to Ellora. From Russia, planes fly straight to Delhi. And from there you can buy a train ticket to Aurangabad. It is believed that such a route is much more convenient and faster than the previous ones.