General information
| Destination |
|---|
| Aurangabad, India |
Program details
Today proceed to Ellora rock-cut Caves, a series of 34 magnificent rock-cut temples in northwest central Maharashtra state, western India. They are located near the village of Ellora, 19 miles (30 km) northwest of Aurangabad and 50 miles (80 km) southwest of the Ajanta Caves. Spread over a distance of 1.2 miles (2 km), the temples were cut from basaltic cliffs and have elaborate facades and interior walls.
The Ellora complex was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1983. The 12 Buddhist caves (in the south) date from about 200 BCE to 600 CE, the 17 Hindu temples (in the centre) date from about 500 to 900 CE, and the 5 Jain temples (in the north) date from about 800 to 1000. The Hindu caves are the most dramatic in design, and the Buddhist caves contain the simplest ornamentation. Ellora served as a group of monasteries (viharas) and temples (caityas); some of the caves include sleeping cells that were carved for itinerant monks.
The most remarkable of the cave temples is Kailasa –World Oldest Single Rock Carving(Kailasanatha; cave 16), named for the mountain in the Kailas Range of the Himalayas where the Hindu god Shiva resides.
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