| | | Ellora Caves
UNESCO World Heritage Site : 1983
Ellora (India)
| | | | The world famous rock-cut cave temples and monasteries at Ellora are located on the Charanadri hill range in north-south direction near Ellora town. | | Ellora Caves : Virtual tour |  | 30 sections and 24 items |
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Ellora Caves : Guide (1)
Ellora Caves : Place(s) of worship (29)
|  | Cave n° 1
Buddhist caves
approx. between the VIIIth and the Xth century
The smallest Vihar having eight cells. No carvings.
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|  | Cave n° 2
Buddhist caves
approx. between the VIIIth and the Xth century
This Vihar is small in size but is lavishly decorated with beautiful sculptures. This cave contains Panchik and Hariti, Five images of Buddha in Padmasan, Miracle of Sravasti and huge standing Bodhisattvas on the doorways. The facade is very attractive.
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|  | Cave n° 05
Buddhist caves
between the VIIIth and the Xth century
The biggest Vihar in Maharashtra. It's spacious hall has no columns supporting the ceiling. Here, long benches are carved out of the floor. Which were used for study and dining. The columns are delicately carved.
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|  | Cave n° 06
Hindu caves
between the VIIIth and the Xth century
This cave served as a junction. The road coming from Kailas ended near this cave. The entrance for caves 5 To 1 is through this cave. Also entrance to Cave 9 is through this cave.
Two panels of this cave showing Mahamayuri and Tara are extremely beautiful.
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|  | Cave n° 07
Buddhist caves
between the VIIIth and the Xth century
This sanctuary has a Pradakshina marg and giant standing images of Maitrya and Manushi on the doorways. This cave also contains the panel of Mahamayuri and Tara.
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|  | Cave n° 10
Buddhist caves
VIIIth century
Only Chaitya-Griha among the Buddhist caves of Ellora. It is named after Vishwakarma, a mythological architect of universe.
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|  | Teen Taal (Tin Thal)
Cave n° 12
Hindu caves
VIIIth century
The structure of Do Taal and Teen Taal is quite different from all other Buddhist caves in India. It's architecture resembles the modern multi storied apartments. This cave has two large sculpture-panels. Each having seven images of Buddha. They stand out for their grace and grandeur.
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|  | Raven Ki Khai (Ravana-Ki-Khai) (4)
Grotte n° 14
Hindu caves
between the VIIIth and the XIst century
First Hindu cave. A remarkable change in style, architecture and sculptures can be noticed from this cave. All the walls are occupied by large sculpture-panels. The panel of Sapta Matrika occupied the entire left side wall of Pradakshina marg. There is no idol in the sanctum. There was image of Durga which is now broken. On the doorways there are large male and female guardians.
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|  | Kailasha (18)
Cave n° 16
Hindu caves
between the VIIIth and the Xth century
Kailas is the highest peak of cave architecture in the world. The giant cutout which was carved out of solid mass of rock to create this largest cave temple has no parallel in the world.
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|  | Cave n° 17
Hindu caves
VIIIth century
The cave appears to have two parts because of it's centrally located steps. Though the cave is incomplete, still some of it's work is noteworthy. The shape of the Shivling is square. Two large attendants are on doorways. The Pradakshina Marg is spacious. It has two separate doors one for entrance and other for exit. Two columns are elaboratiory carved.
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|  | Cave n° 18
Hindu caves
VIIIth century
Some traces of color work can be seen in this cave. There are sculptures of Vishnu, Brahmadev and Mahishasurmardini.
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|  | Cave n° 19
Hindu caves
VIIIth century
This cave is in two parts, A and B. It has Shivling, and two attendants on the doorways. One attendant has a head of a lion near his feet.
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|  | Rameshvara
Cave n° 21
Hindu caves
VIIIth century
Perhaps this cave was older than Kailas. It contains some of the famous sculptures and sculpture-panels. Only here, Nandi is outside the cave. He is installed on a high pedestal in front of the cave.
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| Chhota Kailas
Cave n° 30
Jain Caves
In both parts of Chhota Kailas there was an attempt to create a cut-out cave temple similar to cave 16. But both the caves could not be completed.
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|  | ndra Sabha
Grotte n° 32
Jain Caves
A double-storey cave. At the entrance are a lofty pillar and a giant elephant. The sculpture-panels of Bahubali and Parshwanath, Matang and Siddhayika, Indra and Indraniare gracefully carved. The upper storey is entirely adorned with sculptures.
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|  | Jagannath Sabha
Cave n° 33
Jain Caves
A double-storey cave. It has a temple and large hall on the second floor. The second storey has attractive images of Bhagwan Mahavir and Parshwanath.
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|  | Cave n° 34
Jain Caves
This cave has sculptures like other Jam caves. Behind this cave there is a Parshwanath cave on the hill. The image of Parshwanath is very attractive. It has one inscription.
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| | Ellora Caves : Hours | |
Open daily excepted thursday
Open from sunrise to sunset,
Admissions :
Citizens of India and visitors of SAARC (Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Maldives and Afghanistan) and BIMSTEC Countries (Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Myanmar) - Rs. 10 per head. Others: US $ 5 or Indian Rs. 250/- per head (children up to 15 years free)
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| | Ellora Caves : Visit Guide | |
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Aurangabad is the nearest airport, and there are daily flights from Delhi and Mumbai.
Mainly from Mumbai and Delhi. Please contact Indian Airlines, Jet Airways, Deccan, Spice and Kingfisher airlines for information from other places. Distance from Airport: 40km/25 miles
Aurangabad is the nearest railway station, and there are regular trains from Mumbai, Hyderabad, Delhi, Amritsar etc. There is an overnight train from Mumbai.
Hotel Kailas is the closest hotel to Ellora Caves and is a few meters from the entrance. The hotel offers cottages and standard rooms. A few of the cottages overlook the caves but are priced slightly higher than the normal cottages.
Alternatively, one can stay at Aurangabad and visit the caves on a day trip.
The gate and parking lot is in front of Kailas. The ticket office is at the left side of this cave where books published by Department of Archaeology are also available. The distance between 1st and the last 34th cave is approximately 3 kilometers. The Kailas occupying middle position having 15 caves at left and 18 at the right side. The road leading to cave 1 ends at cave 6. For the rest of the caves, entrance is from cave 6. Vehicle is not allowed at right side but vehicles are essential at the left side. | | Ellora Caves : Description | |
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There are total 34 caves. They belonged to three different religious faiths : Buddhist, Hindu and Jain. In India it is the only place where three religious groups have their important caves. Religion-wise groups and their approximate period of excavation.
- Buddhist caves : 1 to 12 (12 caves) from 500 to 700AD.
- Hindu caves : 13 to 29 (17 caves) from 757 to 900AD.
- Jain caves : 30 to 34 (5 caves) from 900 to 1100AD.
These excavations were carried out during the regimes of Kalachuri, Chalukya and Rashtrakut dynasties.
The cave n° 19, 24 and 30 are in two parts. They are marked as A and B. There are some earlier caves located above cave n° 28 and 29 on the banks of river Yelganga. They are 20 in numbers. All are Hindu caves. They are in two groups, Ganesh and Jogeshwari. The Ganesh group has 18 and Jogeshwari 2 caves.
The Buddhist Caves of Ellora : from 1 to 12 (12 caves)
All the caves belonged to Mahayan cult. Of these only one is Chaitya-Griha and rest of the eleven caves are Vihar. Soon after the Mahaparinirvan of Bhagwan Buddha, the followers of Buddha split into two sects known as Hinayan and Mahayan. In the beginning worship was not prevalent in Buddhism. Bhagwan Buddha came to be deified in a Buddhist gathering held under the patronage of emperor Kanishka in Peshawar in the 1st century B.C. This new cult of worshipers came to be known as Mahayan while the cult of non- worshipers remained as Hinayan. Henceforth, the disciples of Mahayan began creating idols of Buddha in Pralambpad Asan. So that a disciple could touch and worship his feet with ease. Soon Mahayan sect came under the influence of Vajrayan cult which introduced Shakti cult. - a female energy as an essential part of Bodhisattvas. So, the beautiful images of female Shakti were carved throughout Mahayan caves. Tara got the highest position among them.
The Hindu Caves of Ellora : from 13 to 29 (17 caves)
This group stands out eminently because of the grandeur of it's architecture, abundance of sculptures and variety of subjects. The episodes from Hindu mythologies are found animated here in the form of sculptures. If we observe sculptures closely we get amazed to see the different types of emotions, sentiments, different bodily actions, variety in jewellery, clothing and hairdressing everything so skillfully carved that these figures stand before us as living models. The expressions of feminine modesty, their fears and anger all are shown with ease and delicacy.
There is a great influence of Shaiv cult on this group. Therefore, the image of Shiva in the form of Shivling (celestial energy) is carved in almost all the sanctuaries. The events and episodes associated with him and his consort Parvati are found everywhere in large panels.
The gods and goddesses of other Hindu faiths are rarely found in these caves. These caves have sculptures relating to Shiva-Parvati.
The Jain Caves of Ellora : from 30 to 34 (5 caves)
These caves are located at the distance of 1.5 kilometre from the last Hindu cave Sita Ki Nahani. The Kailas-Cave 30 is in two parts A and B. Part is on the nearby hill. All other caves are continuous and on ground level near a foothill. All these caves belonged to Digamber Jain Cult. All the temples are adorned with intricate and graceful sculptures and designs. Particularly, artistic and delicate decoration of the columns is the peculiarity of these cave temples. | | Ellora Caves : More pictures | |
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