The Wonder that is Ellora

What is the place and how to reach?

Ellora also locally called Verul/Elapura/Elura, located approximately 30 Kms from Aurgangabad on the picturesque Aurangabad-Kannad route is home to around 100 historical caves (around 40 for public exhibit) of highest sculptural and cultural essence. It is quintessentially, a site of secular Ancient India - Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism existed with mutual respect and competed with each other only in artistic sense of carving beauty by cutting hills and rocks.  This place is surely the rock-cut architectural capital of India - a gateway to the glorious past of our nation (c.600-1000s CE), attributed to many great kingdoms like Rashtrakutas, Kalachuris, Yadavas etc.

Regular buses/share autos/jeeps ply from Aurangabad Central Bus station to Ellora. In fact, Daulatabad, Khultabad, Ellora and Grishneshwar are located on the same route - in that order. This World Heritage site has wheelchair assisted entrance for the needy - one of the rare ones to do so! The Entry fee is Rs.40 per head (Indians). Directly opposite the entrance is Cave 16 (Kailasa Cave Temple).

Cave 16 - Kailasa Cave Temple

What to expect?

Plenty to please the inquisitive eyes, curious mind and artistic heart that would dominate the aching legs! Caves 1-12 located to the left side of the entrance are related to Buddhism. The depiction of Bodhisattva Padmapani (Lotus-Bearer) along with his female attendants is a recurring theme in Buddhist caves. Cave 10 is a Chaitya, also called 'Vishwakarma Cave/Carpenters Hall' - because the stone work of the ceiling resembles the wood work of a modern day carpenter! Cave 12 is a large triple-storied Vihara (Resting place of monks). Caves 30-34 located to the far right side of the entrance are related to Digambar Jainism. The best of these is Cave 32. On rediscovery of this cave, the Britishers mistook the idol of Jain cult deity Matanga as Hindu king of Gods - Devendra, and hence named it as Indra Sabha. The carvings of Tirthankars with religious motifs inside these caves are much finer in detail that in Hindu/Buddhist caves.

Caves 17-29 are related to Hinduism - mostly centered around Lord Shiva. Cave 15 has two floors - on the top floor, there is a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva with many carvings of Varaha, Mahishashura Mardhini etc on walls. Cave 16, also called Kailasa Cave Temple, is the largest single rock (monolithic) excavation in the World, attributed to Rashtrakuta king Krishna I (c.Late 8th Century) - so sublime and awe inspiring! Brilliant pillars resembling Greek style, mini-carvings of Ramayana (South Wall) and Mahabharata (North Wall), life like sculptures of elephants - these make this monument a must visit place. Cave 21 called Rameshwar cave temple is another fine cave. Cave 29, located a bit far, called Dhumar Lena/Seeta ki Khai is perhaps the most under-rated Hindu cave. It has colossal reliefs/friezes of an epic scale - beautiful river goddesses, marriage of Lord Shiva and Godess Parvati, Lord Shiva slaying the demon Andhakasura as Godess Parvati wathces in joy etc. Perhaps the finest one among these is the concept of 'Ravana lifting/shaking Kailasa' - an obsessive dominant theme here, found in Caves 16 (twice), cave 21 and cave 29.

Ravana lifting/shaking Kailasa - Cave 29

Lord Shiva slays Andhakasura as Godess Parvati watches in joy - Cave 29

Beware of/What not to expect?

• There is no proper bus stand at Ellora caves - no place to sit once outside the caves while waiting for buss - it's only a junction, a sort of centre teeming with hawkers and toursits.  
• If you got to visit this place, do not miss the important caves - Caves 1,5,10,12,15,16,21,29,32. Since caves 29, 32 are very far from the entrance (1.5-2 kms), most people skip them and there is always a huge crowd at Cave 16. In case of too little time, there's a bus from the entrance (cave 16) that takes you there for a charge of Rs.20.
• Ideally for such a huge site, the drinking water facilities are disappointing - there are only 2 or 3 taps - so plan accordingly. 
• Avoid visiting in summer - it gets too hot. I was lucky to visit it on a rainy day with very few tourists around.  

Entrance to Cave 32 - Indra Sabha

The Wonder that is Ellora (On Ellora Caves)
#MyTravels - Ellora Caves (July 2019)