We drove from Trimbakeshwar to Ghrineshwar temple and finished the Darshan as soon as we could because out next sightseeing was to the Ellora Caves.From Grishneshwar it takes just 5 minutes to reach the Ellora Caves in Khuldabad and from Aurangabad it is at a distance of 30 kms.Ellora caves are a group of Hindu, Buddhist and Jain rock cut caves.Number of caves in the Ellora group are 34, out of which 12 are Buddhist caves, 17 are Hindu and 5 are Jain caves. Striking features of these caves include a 15 metres tall statue of Lord Buddha. This statue is situated in cave no. 10 that is there in the Buddhist group of caves.

Be amazed by the spellbinding craftsmanship at Ellora Caves.To see what wonders a hammer and a chisel can do, you must visit the Ellora Caves, 30 km from Aurangabad. What makes the architecture even more splendid is that the entire complex was carved out of a single monolithic rock.

As soon as you enter the Ellora complex, your eyes drift towards the splendid structure before you. It really doesn't matter if you worship the gods that the temple was built for. You will stop in your tracks and stare at the marvel in front of you, the marvel that has been carved out of one rock. The beauty seems impalpable, and it seems even more so upon entering the temple. The rock and stone at Ellora sing and beauty flows through the cracks. It's a wonderful harmony to witness.

Ellora Caves took me about an hour to reach from Aurangabad. This is a world heritage site now and has 34 caves that were built between the 5th century and 10th century. The 17 Hindu (caves 13–29), 12 Buddhist (caves 1–12) and 5 Jain (caves 30–34) caves, built in proximity, demonstrate the religious harmony prevalent during this period of Indian history. The entrance to this site will directly lead you to cave 16 which is the kailash temple. This is the best preserved cave and is carved out of a single rock. The kailash temple is 2 storeys, the top most storey has a Shiva idol and a small chamber has Nandi , the bull. it is surrounded by a pillared corridor. The temple on the outside is surrounded by elephants. I clearly saw lot of sexual positions carved on the outer side of the temple but could not understand why they would be present in a temple. I came back and searched a lot of articles on the internet but none mentioned any of these carvings. (I have uploaded some of these figurines in pictures). Could it be possible that the process of mating was considered sacred and hence carved outside a temple?! The Kailash temples awed us so much that the Buddhist caves looked a little too simple and plain in comparison , much like the religion itself. There were only huge rooms inside with idols of Buddha. The jain temples are about 2 kilometres away and you have to take a bus to reach cave 34. The five Jain caves at Ellora belong to the ninth and tenth centuries. They all belong to the Digambara sect.[10] Jain caves reveal specific dimensions of Jain philosophy and tradition. They reflect a strict sense of asceticism – they are not relatively large as compared to others, but they present exceptionally detailed art works. The most remarkable Jain shrines are the Chhota Kailash (cave 30), the Indra Sabha (cave 32) and the Jagannath Sabha (cave 33). Cave 31 is an unfinished four-pillared hall and a shrine.[11] Cave 34 is a small cave, which can be approached through an opening on the left side of Cave 33.[12] Amongst other devotional carvings, a place called Samavasarana can be found in Ellora caves. Samavasarana is of special interest to Jains, as it is a hall where the tirthankara preaches after attaining omniscience.

tourist attractions in Aurangabad that have made it to the list of World heritage sites are the Ajanta and Ellora caves. The Ajanta and Ellora cave shrines cut out of rock, by hand, rank amongst the most outstanding historical tourist attractions in India. It is believed that, originally, Buddhist monks sought shelter in these natural grottos during monsoons and began decorating them with religious motifs to help pass the rainy season

#Carvings #Architecture #Natural Beauty

The caves were just exquisite and it was a different kind of experience going inside these caves.This was one heck of a different experience.Very exciting place.

The Ellora Caves are an impressive complex of Buddhist, Hindu and Jain cave temples built between the 6th and 10th centuries AD near the ancient Indian village of Ellora. The caves have a slightly less dramatic setting than those at Ajanta, but more exquisite sculptures. Ellora is a World Heritage Site and the most visited ancient monument in Maharashtra State.