ELLORA CAVES : CREATIVE EXCELLENCE
(By Subbaram Danda)
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| The grand view of the "Kailash" cave |
The long cherished ambition of our family to visit the world-famous Indian heritage site of Ellora caves, along with similar monuments of Ajanta at a different location, bore fruit last year. Camping at the city of Aurangabad in the state of Maharashtra we first drove to the Ellora caves about 35 kilometres away. Well-mowed expansive lawns and neatly-pruned flower plants in front of the caves greeted us.
Scooped out of the cliffs of the Sahyadri range of hills, the caves number over 100 but only 34 of them are prominent and well patronized. With superb stone images and stunning creative art works, 17 of them reflect the doctrines of the Hindu faith, 12 Buddhist and 5 Jain. Built between the 6th and 12th centuries AD, they are temples of a distinctive kind, prayer halls or monasteries.
Undoubtedly, the Kailash cave enjoys pride of place. It is designed on the lines of Mount Kailash, the conceptualized abode of Lord Shiva and his consort Parvati of the Hindu pantheon of Gods.
It is a unique cave-temple, exceptionally different from others in the Ellora cluster. For its creation, its builders selected a gigantic monolithic rock and adopted the method of “vertical excavation.” Accordingly, its stone carvers started at the top of the rock chipping and chiselling and moved systematically downwards. Today’s visitors, once inside, would get the feeling of having entered a regular temple complex, despite it being a cave, with a lot of space open to the sky.
As we stepped into it, we were awe-struck by its colossal ambience, sculptural splendour and all-pervading grandeur. Built by King Krishna I of the Rashtrakuta dynasty in the 8th century, it is an outstanding example of Dravidian architecture, characterized by striking proportions, elaborate ornamentation and astounding workmanship.
With multiple storeys, the cave-temple presents a sanctum for Shiva in the form of an enormous stone linga, several smaller shrines, long arcades, ornate pillars and decorative niches. Images of deities sculpted on innumerable wall panels are strikingly attractive. Carved figures of animals, natural sceneries and floral patterns can be seen everywhere. Highly impressive are two soaring rock-cut obelisks (rectangular pillars) standing independently in the courtyard. The base of the main sanctuary gives the impression that it is being held aloft by elephants. The overall temple’s area is said to be twice that of the renowned shrine of Parthenon in Athens, Greece.
Among the Buddhist caves, what attracts the visitors most is a chaityagriha (prayer hall) that displays a vaulted roof with “ribs” uniquely cut as if done in wood by a skilled carpenter. It also shows off another outstanding feature. To appreciate it, one should step inside, walk to the far end on the left and chant a hymn aloud. A pleasing echo keeps reverberating for a while.
The Jain caves are not relatively large but they should also be seen for exceptionally done-up sculptures, intricate bas reliefs and other works of art. They largely highlight the ascetic philosophy of the religion.
The Ellora caves, described as “the epitome of Indian rock-cut architecture,” have received the “world heritage” tag from the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Lovers of ancient art and architecture will certainly cherish a visit to the caves.
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| A sculpture of "Gajalakshmi" at the entrance to the "Kailash" cave |
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| A lion and an elephant tugging at each other in the "Kailash" cave |
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| One of the two obelisks in the courtyard of "Kailash" cave |
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| An extrior view of a cave |
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| A powerful sculpture |
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| A harmonious divine relationship frozen in stone |
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The celestial wedding of Shiva and Parvati
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