05 April,2026 08:59 AM IST | Mumbai | Team SMD
Elephant plinth supporting the main temple; Kailash, Cave 16. Pics/Arno Klein
Seated Buddhas; Tin Thal, Cave 12, third floor; interior stupa with Buddha triad; Vishvakarma, Cave 10
One of the more curious aspects of this site is that it marks the evolution of Buddhism from stupa (symbolic) to statue (iconic) worship. Ellora displays an "almost overwhelming exuberance of figural representation", say the authors, "Curiously, a significant proportion of these images were not "supposed" to be there - according to scholarly presumption - but were added in an ad hoc manner over time." This is also seen at Cave 10, where an expansive chaitya hall is dominated by a monolithic rock-cut stupa in the center of the hall's apse, upon which has been carved a large Buddha triad beneath an archway comprising flying devotees.
Kailash is the largest monolithic rock excavation in the world dedicated to Shiva, and is among the earliest to have been developed. "Carving from the top and working their way down with no room for error, makes abundantly clear the level of precision and planning this project required," write the authors, "The main temple at the center of the complex sits atop a high plinth which is supported by a ring of beautifully carved, life-size elephants and vyalas (mythical lions)... These creatures create movement, as if the whole temple were poised to go on a procession at any moment."
Interior pillar; Indra Sabha, Cave 32, upper storey cave
"The Jain caves at Elora are among the most impressive examples of rock-cut architecture found on the subcontinent," write the authors, "They are noteworthy for their variety in form and scale, their beauty in carving, and their expansive sculpted and painted programs. For example, pillar shafts are multifaceted and carved with pearl festoons and lozenge-shaped gems or diamonds, indicative of the earth's treasures."
Wedding scene of Shiva and Parvati; Dhumar Lena, Cave 29, southern subshrine
Cave 29 - with its Shaivite sculptural panels - was among caves that were carved during the Kalachuri dynasty (between 575 and 608 CE). "Cave 29 stands at a crucial juncture, marking both the decline of Kalachuri influence at Ellora and the rise of the Chalukya dynasty around the sixth century CE... The project was left incomplete, likely because finishing a major Pashupata monument held little interest for the Chalukya kings, who followed the Vaishnava sect instead," the authors say.
600-1000 CE
Period in which Ellora Caves are said to have been carved
Excerpted with permission from Ellora: Cross-Fertilization of Style in Buddhist, Hindu and Jain Cave Temples by Deepanjana Klein and Arno Klein, published by Mapin Publishing.
