Ellora (Elura) Caves, India
Ellora (Elura) Temple Caves, Elora Village, India
Near the village of Ellora lies a series of 34 basalt carved temples known as the Elora caves. The southern 12 caves date from around 200 BC to 600 AD and are simplistic and Buddhist in origion. The central 17 caves date from 500 to 900 AD, are Hindu and contain with striking designs and art. The northernmost 5 caves date from 800 to 1,000 AD and are Jain.
Some of the Ellora caves so house both Hindu and Buddhist images and they mostly served as monasteries and temples (some with sleeping cells within). This is an awe inspiring example of cave temple architecture and the most striking cave a Hindu cave named the Kailasa or Kailasanatha named after the sacred Kailas Mountain range of the Himalayas. This cave is built in a way that allows it to be naturally light in, which illuminates the complex structures within. Some 200,000 tons (just over 181,436 metric tons) of stone had to be removed to build this cavern beginning in 8 BC. The temple covers twice the area of the Parthenon in Athens and is 1,5 times higher.
The ornamental facades and shrines, the monoliths, halls, stairs, windows stairs and a footbridge are just some of the rich architectural features a spiritual traveller would find at the Ellora caves.
