Ellora Caves; It is one of the largest complexes of rock-hewn temples and caves in the world. Kailasha Temple in the region is known for being the world’s largest monolithic carved from a single piece of stone. Apart from its size, the caves attract attention with their architectural workmanship and the fascination of the sculptures. Considered the eighth wonder of the world, the Kailasha temple and the area are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The ornate caves have been attracting great attention by archaeologists and tourists for many years.
The Ellora Caves are located in the Maharastra region of central India, about 30 km from the city of Aurangabad. The Ellora Caves are not made up of a single cave and temple, but rather temples and caves belonging to many religions. The area where the Ellora caves, which bear the traces of ancient cultures dating back thousands of years, is declared as a protected area. Temples belonging to the period between 600 and 1000 AD; It houses Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism monuments and rock paintings.
The Ellora Caves are one of the important historical trade centers of the Deccan Region, located on the ancient trade route of South Asia. All the monuments found in the caves were built by Hindu dynasties, such as the Rashtratuka and Yadav dynasties. The caves served as monasteries for monks and as places of rest and temples for pilgrims. Today, it is used only for archaeological purposes. There are more than 100 caves in the region. 34 caves, including 17 Hindu, 12 Buddhist and 5 Jain caves, are open to visitors. The first temples in the caves were built in the name of Buddhists. The paintings and sculptures in the temples are truly masterpieces of craftsmanship.
Unbelievable Construction of Kailasha Shrine
Kailasha Temple; It is located in the cave called “Cave No. 16” in the Ellora Caves. The temple, which was carved from a single piece of stone, stands out as the world’s largest monolith. It is also the largest of the Hindu temples in the region. It is said that 10,000 workers worked in the construction of Kailasha Temple, known as the main temple. The height of Kailasha Temple, which is said to have taken 150 years to be built, is 98 meters. What makes the temple incredible is; It is the construction of a hard rock starting from the top and carving downwards. Moreover, it is thought that only primitive tools such as hammers and chisels were used in its construction.
The temple also houses gods, goddesses and mythological drawings that summarize the two great Indian epics, Vaishnavism and Shaktism. Kailasha Temple is named after Mount Kailasha, the settlement of Indian God Shiva in the Himalayas. It is estimated that the temple was built in the 8th century AD during the reign of Krishna I of the Rashtrakuta Empire. The temple was dedicated to the god as it represents the holy mountain of the Indian god Shiva.
It is estimated that 200 thousand tons of stones were removed from the vertical basalt cliffs in the hills of Charanandri for its construction. While the temple was being built, the palace of the god Shiva, which is believed to be located on Mount Kailash, was imitated. Below the temple is the carved scene of Ravana, Shiva’s archenemy and trapped inside the mountain. The temple is placed on a high platform that worshipers have to climb by 2 ladders. Thus, an additional mountain effect is achieved.
There are many statues on the temple. There is also a statue of Nandi, the sacred cow of God Shivan. On the ground of the temple, there are elephant statues surrounding a 100-meter column that serves as the main structure. In all temples built for the god Shiva, there are statues with such traditional features. At the same time, there are various carved figures carved in intricate shapes in the temple. The most important of these carvings are the depictions of the Mahabharata and Ramayana epics.
Legend of Kailasha Shrine
A medieval legend is told about the temple that circulated among the Marathi people of Maharashtra. According to the legend told, the temple was built in a week. The queen, whose husband was very sick, prayed to the god Shiva to heal her husband. The queen swore that if her husband recovered, he would build a temple dedicated to him in return for this favor and fast until the construction was completed.
The queen, whose husband had recovered, decided to keep her promise and started the construction of the temple. But the queen’s fasting is of concern, as the construction of such a temple is thought to take a very long time. For this reason, it is said that they accelerated the construction of the temple and finished it in a week. The temple, whose construction was completed, is a tribute to the gods in every respect.
