La Ellora Caves They are one of the wonders of India, one of the many, since this enormous country is a true treasure chest. It may not be on your list of places to visit on a first trip, but many fall in love with India and return, so you can include it on your return trip.
These caves, numerous and unforgettable once you get to know them, are World Heritage Site from 1983. Let's get to know them.
Ellora Caves
They are situated in maharashtra, a state in the west of the peninsular region of the country. It is the second most populous state in India. It is, in turn, divided into many districts and its capital, Mumbai, is the most populous urban area in the country.
This state contains six World Heritage Sites in its geography, and among them are the Ellora Caves. These caves They are a cave complexIn fact, they hide inscriptions and temples that They date from 600 AD to the year 1000 and reflect the ancient Indian civilization.
There is a total of hundred caves, they are all excavated in basalt cliffs, product of volcanic activity, in the Charanandri Hills, and all are open to the public. There are 17 hindu caves, from 13 to 29 according to the numbering with which they have been organized, buddhist cavess, from 1 to 12, and five Jain caves, from 30 to 34.
Each group of caves depicts deities from the mythology prevalent in the period in which they were carved, and there are also monasteries. They are built very close to each other and reflect the religious coexistence that has always existed in that part of the world.
What do we know about its construction? Well, it has been studied a lot, especially in the times when India was British property. The study of it was not without difficulties, mainly due to the juxtaposition of the Hindu, Jain and Buddhist styles, so that complicated things to draw a good chronology.
Finally, there is some consensus, achieved by comparison with the other caves in the region, various written records and evidence found at nearby archaeological sites, that the Ellora Caves They were built in several periods: an early Hindu period, a Buddhist period, a Hindu period and finally a Jain phase.
So, let's go in parts. Of the Hindu monuments, namely caves 13 to 29, nine cave temples were built during the Kalachuri period, from the mid-16th century to the end of the XNUMXth century. Then there are others built during the Rashtrakuta period, with cave XNUMX being the last to be carved, with the largest monolith in the world. King Krishna himself patronized these caves.
The first cave temples to be built were the Hindus, before the Buddhists and the Jains. In general they are dedicated to Shiva, among other equally important gods. Of all, The largest cave is also one of the oldest, it is Cave 29 or Dhumar Lena, built around a natural waterfall, also visible from a balcony.
The Buddhist monuments, in caves 1 to 12, are on the south side of the archaeological site and were built between 630 and 700, more or less, AD. Although at first they were thought to be the oldest of the group, today it is considered that they are not as old as the Hindu ones.
The Buddhist caves are beautiful. Eleven of the 12 are monasteries with huge, multi-story prayer halls, all carved into the face of the mountain, with bedrooms, kitchens and living rooms. Gautama Buddha, saints and bodhisattvas are honored and you will see that in some corners the stone looks like wood.
Among all the Buddhist caves is the beautiful Vishvakarma Cave, Cave 10, also known as the «carpenter's cave because precisely the rock has been carved in such a way that it looks like wood. Has a stuppa It looks like a cathedral and in the center there is a towering statue of Buddha sitting praying. This cave has a design with a central nave and a type of side chapels with 28 octagonal columns. Frizzes are something spectacular.
And finally there are the Jain monuments, the caves from 30 to 34. They are north of Ellora and they belong to the Digambara sect, so They were excavated in the 9th and 10th centuries. They are more small than Buddhist or Hindu caves, but they do not lack beauty. Compare much of the style of the latter, but, on the contrary, the emphasis is placed on the description of the 24 Jinas, spiritual conquerors who managed to overcome the eternal cycle of rebirths. In this last group, all the caves have their own, small treasures with enormous pillars, several floors, halls and images of gods.
The cave site is actually part of an old trade route through South Asia, and it was an important commercial area, beyond the fact that the caves served as temples and rest for pilgrims. Why are they called Ellora? The name is the short version of Ellorpuram, a name found in ancient inscriptions.
Where are the Ellora Caves? Are located about 29 kilometers northwest of Sambhaji Nagar city and 300 kilometers from Mumbai. There are clear indications that since its construction the Ellora Caves They have been visited a lot, on a regular basis, as they were within a busy trade route. That has produced A lot of damages, especially the damage has been suffered by the statues of the gods and idols since the carvings on the columns or walls are quite intact.
It seems that this major damage to the figures of the gods They were mostly made during the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries, when the Muslim armies arrived. to the peninsula. It must also be said that once all this was beautifully painted, the rock was covered with plaster and that was painted in colors. Only in some parts the original plaster and painting have survived.
When should you visit the Ellora Caves? Although thousands of visitors arrive every year, a good time to visit is during the third week of march, for these days precisely, since the Ellora Classical Music and Dance Festival.
La visit It can be done in three or four hours, choosing which caves you will visit from each group (although the Jain caves can be visited all because they are the smallest). The best thing, however, is to stay all day. The site is open every day except Tuesdays, from 9 am to 5:30 pm.