07/02/2021
Ellora
Ellora, known as Verul, has been a place of pilgrimage since ancient times.
The 34 caves at Ellora were excavated over a period of 600 years - from the 5th century AD to the 11th century AD. Extending in a linear arrangement, these excavations comprise Buddhist shrines and monasteries (Caves 1-12), located at the southernmost end of the site; the Hindu temples (Cave 13 29), occupying the central portion, and the Jain temples (Caves 30-34), at the northernmost end.
The most remarkable excavation at Ellora is that of the magnificent Kailasa temple (Cave 16), which is the largest monolithic structure in the world
In the Buddhist caves, are sculpted figures of Lord Buddha Bodhisattvas and the pantheon of Buddhist divinities: embellished with medallions, ornamental scrolls and floral motifs. The art of sculpture reaches its zenith in the Hindu caves, where larger-than-life images of various deities (Cave 15) like Shiva, Vishnu along with other gods and goddesses exude vigour and the dynamic energy of divine beings. The Jain caves are decorated with sculptures of Mahavira, the founder of Jainism and Tirthankaras (the saints worshipped by the Jains). Fragments of paintings, depicting celestial beings and couples flying through the clouds, reveal the wealth of visual imagery which must have once adorned these caves,
World Heritage Site
