After Hampi, this point in the state of Maharashtra worried me a lot. I really liked the atmosphere of Hampi and the feeling that you are going back many many years; I thought that in a more ancient monument in India these impressions would be even stronger. But that was not the case. Ellora and Ajanta are magnificent cave temple complexes, but the atmosphere of something special here seems to have been lost long ago. In the photographs it certainly looks impressive and I will be happy to show and tell you about these places in more detail, but first I need to cry a little in my vest :)

Indian food poisoning
In the morning in Nasik, I boarded the Tapovan Express train, which went to the city of Aurungabad. This city is a stopover for all travelers who come to admire the ancient caves of Ellora and Ajanta. Making my way through the cramped passage of the carriage and the bustling crowd of Indians, I looked for my seat and prayed that I would not get a seat next to a man. But apparently my words didn’t have time to reach God and my place turned out to be right in the middle between a woman and a man. I hinted to the man that it wouldn’t be a bad idea for him to change places with the woman opposite, but my hint was cheerfully ignored.

The train started moving and after a while my health worsened sharply. At first I thought that I was probably getting motion sickness, but the nausea and weakness became stronger and I began to turn over in my head what I had eaten in the morning or the night before. Suspicion fell on the cute sweets that I bought in Nasik in a seemingly decent store. I record much of what I buy and eat, so I even have a photograph of the culprits of my poisoning. Although I still doubt it was candy.

You never know what is hidden under the cover of dirt or clean tablecloths in India - sometimes in a completely sloppy-looking counter you can buy delicious tea and samosa and feel great, and in a decent restaurant you can get so poisoned that you can barely put yourself back together.

The train took long breaks at stops at which I wanted to run out of the car to the nearest toilet. The place of the man sitting next to him was taken by two children who were playing a strange game: the boy allowed himself to hit and pull out the girl’s hair, and she humbly accepted it all and seemed to even enjoy it. I suddenly felt sick not only of what I had eaten the day before, but of all of India.

Having reached Aurungabad, without looking for cheap accommodation, I checked into a good, clean hotel for 1000 rupees, took a bottle of water from the reception and went to my room to get sick. By this time, my voice had become weak, my temperature had risen, I felt nauseous, had a headache and was so weak that I could barely raise my arm. It looked like I also had a cold. I had to lie in bed all day and evening, comprehending what was happening. I wanted to escape from this country to somewhere far away: from the ambiguous views of Indians, dubious food with spices, unfamiliar smells, loud music and car horns. Then I decided that I would not write another word about my journey until this period had passed, or I would not write at all.

In the morning, I pulled myself together and after a hot shower, I hurried to the bus stop to get to Ajanta. These caves are located 3 hours drive from the city. The travel agency offered individual tours for 2000-2500 rupees, but I had already forked out money for accommodation and could not afford an expensive excursion as well. Aurungabad was noisy and buzzing like a beehive; an endless swarm of rickshaws rushed along the main road and everyone considered it their duty to offer me a ride. But it was clear from my face that I was categorically against even saying “Hello.” There was not a single foreigner on the bus and I was glad about that - in this state I would not have been able to carry on a conversation for long.

Ajanta
After 3 hours the bus dropped me off near the Ajanta turnoff. I looked around the landscape - nothing remarkable, ordinary hills of Maharashtra. Judging by the signs and loud names such as “Shopping Plaza,” it was clear that the place had long been a tourist spot. "Shopping Plaza" is just a regular souvenir market behind the parking lot where you can buy something to eat. I bought three tangerines and devoured them with pleasure, but my body was still against it and I had to leave these tangerines in the nearest toilet. Behind the market there is a bus station to the caves themselves. Already here it was clear how many people had gathered to see the local landmark.

After standing in line for a while, I bought an entrance ticket for a foreigner for 250 rupees and scolded myself that for an Indian this was a symbolic 10. In this state, every little thing irritated me: India looked unfriendly and even repulsive in places. I was even depressed by the fact that I still had to travel here for many months and even thought about a plan for my escape somewhere to Nepal, or even better, home to my homeland. It seemed that this poisoning had infected my thoughts and the joyful feeling of freedom had evaporated somewhere.

I took the ticket and looked at the map of the upcoming route. It didn’t seem like much to walk, but after the first 10 steps the path stopped looking easy. For the first time in my life, I felt what it was like to be a frail old woman and looked with envy at the elderly people who ordered porters for 1000 rupees. I couldn’t afford this, not only because of money, but also because of pride: besides, I’m so athletic and resilient, I’ll sit with my legs folded on a stretcher! As a result, every ten steps I stopped and took a breath.

The Ajanta Caves did not make a strong impression on me at that moment; of course, this was due to my internal state and the crowds of tourists. But I couldn’t help but admire the work of the ancient masters: for centuries, Buddhist monks painted beautiful patterns and images depicting the life of the Buddha and his followers. Now, looking at the photographs, I am simply amazed how it was possible to hollow out such majestic structures in the rock using only primitive tools!

Many of the paintings have survived to this day and are carefully preserved: the climate in the caves is maintained, and photography can only be done without flashes. The smell of the caves repelled me and, unfortunately, I could not stay there for a long time and look at these masterpieces.

Buddhist monks lived in these caves, who chose this place because of its distance from all major settlements, and also because there was a trade route here and they could thus support travelers.

It took me two hours to explore the caves and, after resting under a banyan tree, I hurried to the hotel. The road to the hotel took longer. A crowded bus, fatigue and weakness played a role. In addition, I was still brutally hungry, and had no appetite. In the hotel restaurant, I forced myself to swallow plain rice and fresh vegetables. They didn’t ask to return - a good sign.

Ellora
The second day I devoted to the Ellora caves, which were only an hour's drive away. My health was far from ideal: I still couldn’t afford to eat tangerines, and the smells of Indian food made me nauseous and I couldn’t even believe that I could have made it appetizing not so long ago. To get to Ellora, I took the local bus, but this is not the only option. Black jeeps travel through the city and its surroundings, like our minibuses, where you can get from point to point quickly and almost without stopping for almost the same price.

The Ellora caves impressed me more, especially the huge, majestic Kailasa temple, in whose labyrinths one could easily get lost. The Kailasa Temple is completely carved out of rock and decorated with many sculptures - a real man-made miracle!

Ellora is more popular among tourists as these caves are just an hour's drive from Aurungabad. At the time of my visit, there were crowds of Indian schoolchildren who were haunted by the questions “What is your name?” and “Where are you from?” Honestly, I hesitated to answer the questions and allow them to be photographed.

You quickly get tired of so many people, especially in my condition.

But in the Ellora caves there are many places where you can hide and walk alone.

Two days was enough for me to visit the ancient caves and try to catch the spirit ancient india, but there wasn’t much else to do here, so I quickly packed all my things and took an overnight bus to Gujarat. Moreover, Mysura, a couchsurfer from Ahmedabad, was waiting for me there to visit.

Showing you this object, I am once again amazed and once again somehow can’t even believe that such majestic structures could have been built a long time ago. How much work, effort and energy was invested in these rocks!

Maharashtra's most visited ancient monument, the ELLORA Caves, 29 km north-west of Aurangabad, may not be in as impressive a location as their more ancient sisters at Ajanta, but the amazing richness of their sculpture makes up for this deficiency, and their not to be missed if you are traveling to or from Mumbai, which is 400 km to the southwest.

A total of 34 Buddhist, Hindu and Jain caves - some of which were created simultaneously, competing with each other - encircle the base of the two-kilometer-long Chamadiri cliff where it meets open plains.

The main attraction of this territory - the gargantuan-sized Kailasha Temple - rises up from a huge, steep-walled depression in the hillside. The largest monolith in the world, this incredibly huge piece of solid basalt has been transformed into a picturesque cluster of intersecting colonnaded halls, galleries and sacred altars. But let's talk about everything in more detail...

The Ellora temples arose during the era of the state of the Rashtrakuta dynasty, which in the 8th century united the western part of India under their rule. In the Middle Ages, the Rashtrakuta state was considered by many to be the greatest state and was compared to such powerful powers as the Arab Caliphate, Byzantium and China. The most powerful Indian rulers at that time were the Rashtrakutas.

The caves were created between the 6th and 9th centuries AD. There are a total of 34 temples and monasteries in Ellora. The interior decoration of the temples is not as dramatic and ornate as that of the Ajanta Caves. However, there are sophisticated sculptures of a more beautiful form, it is observed complex plan and the sizes of the temples themselves are larger. And all the reminders have been much better preserved to this day. Long galleries were created in the rocks, and the area of ​​one hall sometimes reached 40x40 meters. The walls are skillfully decorated with reliefs and stone sculptures. Temples and monasteries were created in the basalt hills over half a millennium (6th-10th century AD). It is also characteristic that the construction of the Ellora caves began around the time when the holy places of Ajanta were abandoned and lost sight of.

In the 13th century, on the orders of Raja Krishna, the Kailasantha cave temple was created. The temple was built according to very specific treatises on construction; everything was outlined in them down to the smallest detail. Between the heavenly and earthly temples, Kailasantha was supposed to be intermediate. A kind of gate.

Kailasantha measures 61 meters by 33 meters. The height of the entire temple is 30 meters. Kailasantha was created gradually; they began to cut down the temple from the top. First, they dug a trench around the block, which over time turned into a temple. Holes were cut into it; later these would be galleries and halls.

By hollowing out about 400,000 tons of rock, the Kailasantha Temple at Ellora was created. From this we can judge that those who created the plan for this temple had extraordinary imagination. Features of the Dravidian style are demonstrated by Kailasantha. This can be seen in the gate in front of the Nandin entrance, and in the very outline of the temple, which gradually narrows towards the top, and along the facade with miniature sculptures as decoration.

All Hindu buildings are located around the most outstanding Kailash temple, which personifies the sacred mountain of Tibet. In contrast to the calm and more ascetic decoration of Buddhist caves, Hindu temples are decorated with catchy and bright carvings, which is very characteristic of Indian architecture.

Near Chennai in Tamilnan there is the Mamallapuram Temple, the tower of the Kailasantha Temple is similar to its towers. They were built around the same time.

Incredible efforts went into building the temple. This temple stands in a well 100 meters long and 50 meters wide. At Kailasanatha, the base is not only a three-tiered monument, but also a huge complex with a temple courtyard, porticoes, galleries, halls, and statues.

Ends with a plinth of 8 meters bottom part, with figures of sacred animals elephants and lions, it is girded on all sides. The figures guard and at the same time support the temple.

The original reason why this rather remote location became a center of such intense religious and artistic activity was the busy caravan route that ran through it, connecting the thriving cities of the north with the ports of the west coast. The profits from the profitable trade went towards the construction of the sanctuaries of this stone-hewn complex over five hundred years, begun in the mid-6th century. n. e., approximately at the same time when Ajanta, located 100 km to the northeast, was abandoned. This was the period of decline of the Buddhist era in central India: towards the end of the 7th century. Hinduism began to rise again. The Brahmanical revival gained momentum over the next three centuries under the patronage of the Chalukya and Rashtrakuta kings, two powerful dynasties responsible for much of the work at Ellora, including the creation of the Kailasha temple in the 8th century. The third and final stage of the rise of construction activity in this area occurred at the end of the first millennium new era, when local rulers turned from Shaivism to Jainism of the Digambara direction. A small cluster of less prominent caves to the north of the main group stands as a reminder of this era.

Unlike the secluded Ajanta, Ellora did not escape the consequences of the fanatical struggle with other religions that accompanied the rise to power of the Muslims in the 13th century. The worst extremes were taken during the reign of Aurangzeb, who, in a fit of piety, ordered the systematic destruction of “pagan idols.” Although Ellora still bears the scars of that time, much of her sculpture remains miraculously intact. The fact that the caves were carved out of solid rock, out of the zone of monsoon rainfall, determined their preservation in remarkably good condition.

All caves are numbered, approximately according to the chronology of their creation. Rooms 1 to 12 in the southern part of the complex are the oldest and date back to the Vajrayana Buddhist era (500-750 AD). The Hindu caves, numbered 17 to 29, were built at the same time as the later Buddhist caves and date back to between 600 and 870 BC. new era. Further north, the Jain caves - numbers 30 to 34 - were hollowed out from 800 AD until the end of the 11th century. Due to the sloping nature of the hillside, most of the cave entrances are set back from ground level and are behind open courtyards and large pillared verandas, or porticoes. Entrance to all caves, except Kailash Temple, is free.

To see the oldest caves first, turn right from the bus parking lot and follow the main path to Cave 1. From here, gradually work your way further north, resisting the temptation to go to Cave 16 - the Kailash Temple, which is best left for later , when all the tour groups have left at the end of the day and the long shadows cast by the setting sun bring its striking stone sculpture to life.

Artificial rock caves scattered across the volcanic hills of the northwestern Deccan are among the most amazing religious monuments in Asia, if not the world. Ranging from tiny monastic cells to colossal, elaborate temples, they are remarkable because they were hand-carved into solid stone. Early caves of the 3rd century. BC e., it seems, were temporary refuges for Buddhist monks when heavy monsoon rains interrupted their wanderings. They copied earlier wooden buildings and were financed by merchants for whom the casteless new faith provided an attractive alternative to the old, discriminatory social order. Gradually, inspired by the example of Emperor Ashoka Maurya, local ruling dynasties also began to convert to Buddhism. Under their patronage, during the 2nd century. BC e., the first large cave monasteries were created in Karli, Bhaja and Ajanta.

At this time, the ascetic Theravada Buddhist school predominated in India. Closed monastic communities had little interaction with the outside world. The caves created during this era were mostly simple “prayer halls” (chaityas) - long, rectangular apsidal chambers with barrel-vaulted roofs and two low columned passages curving gently around the rear of the monolithic stupa. As symbols of the Buddha's enlightenment, these hemispherical burial mounds were the main centers of worship and meditation around which communities of monks performed their ritual circuits.

The methods used to create caves have changed little over the centuries. First, the main dimensions were applied to the front of the rock decorative facade. Teams of masons would then carve a crude hole (which would become the elegant horseshoe-shaped chaitya window) through which they would cut further into the depths of the rock. As workers reached the floor level using heavy iron picks, they left behind pieces of untouched rock that skilled sculptors then transformed into columns, prayer friezes and stupas.

By the 4th century. n. e. The Hinayana school began to give way to the more luxurious school of the Mahayana, or “Great Vehicle”. This school's greater emphasis on an ever-increasing pantheon of deities and bodhisattvas (merciful saints who delayed their own attainment of Nirvana in order to assist humanity in its progress towards Enlightenment) was also reflected in changing architectural styles. The chaityas were replaced by richly decorated monastery halls, or viharas, in which the monks both lived and prayed, and the image of the Buddha acquired greater significance. Taking the place where there used to be a stupa at the end of the hall, around which ritual circumambulation was made, a colossal image appeared that bore 32 characteristics (lakshanas), including long drooping earlobes, a convex skull, and curls of hair that distinguish the Buddha from other beings. Mahayana art reached its peak at the end of the Buddhist era. The creation of a vast catalog of themes and images contained in ancient manuscripts such as the Jatakas (legends of the Buddha's previous incarnations) and as represented in the stunning, awe-inspiring wall paintings at Ajanta may have been partly an attempt to generate interest in a faith that By that time, it had already begun to fade away in this region.

Buddhism's desire to compete with the resurgent Hinduism, which emerged in the 6th century, eventually led to the creation of a new, more esoteric religious movement within the Mahayana. The Vajrayana direction, or “Thunder Chariot”, emphasizing and affirming the creative principle of the feminine, shakti; Spells and magic formulas were used here in secret rituals. Ultimately, however, such modifications proved powerless in India in the face of the renewed appeal of Brahmanism.

The subsequent transfer of royal and popular patronage to the new faith is best evident in the example of Ellora, where throughout the 8th century. Many of the old viharas were converted into temples, and polished shivalingas were installed in their sanctuaries instead of stupas or Buddha statues. Hindu cave architecture, with its penchant for dramatic mythological sculpture, received its highest expression in the 10th century, when the majestic Kailasha Temple was created - a giant copy of structures on the surface of the earth, which had already begun to replace rock-cut caves. It was Hinduism that bore the brunt of the fanatical medieval persecution of other religions by Islam, which reigned in the Deccan, and Buddhism by that time had long since moved to the relatively safe Himalayas, where it flourishes to this day.

Buddhist caves are located on the sides of a gentle recess in the side of the Chamadiri cliff. All except Cave 10 are viharas, or monastery halls, which the monks originally used for study, meditation in solitude and common prayers, as well as for such mundane activities as eating and sleeping. As you walk through them, the halls will gradually become more impressive in size and style. Scholars attribute this to the rise of Hinduism and the need to compete for the patronage of rulers with the more successful reverent Saivite cave temples that were being excavated so close next door.

Caves 1 to 5

Cave 1, which may have been a granary, as its largest hall is a simple, unadorned vihara containing eight small cells and almost no sculpture. In the much more impressive Cave 2, the large central chamber is supported by twelve massive columns with square bases, and Buddha statues sit along the side walls. Flanking the entrance leading to the shrine are the figures of two gigantic dvarapalas, or gate guards: the unusually muscular Padmapani, the bodhisattva of compassion with a lotus in his hand, on the left, and the richly jeweled Maitreya, the “Buddha of the Future,” on the right. Both are accompanied by their spouses. Inside the sanctum itself, a majestic Buddha sits on a lion throne, looking stronger and more determined than his serene predecessors at Ajanta. Caves 3 and 4, which are slightly older and similar in design to Cave 2, are in fairly poor condition.

Known as “Maharwada” (because it was the shelter of the local Mahars tribe during the monsoon rains), Cave 5 is the largest single-storey vihara in Ellora. Its huge, 36 m long, rectangular meeting hall is said to have been used as a refectory by the monks, with two rows of benches carved into the stone. At the far end of the hall, the entrance to the central sanctuary is guarded by two beautiful statues of bodhisattvas - Padmapani and Vajrapani (“Thunder Holder”). Inside sits the Buddha, this time on a raised platform; his right hand touches the ground making a gesture indicating the “Miracle of a Thousand Buddhas” that the Master performed to confuse a group of heretics.

The next four caves were dug at approximately the same time in the 7th century. and are merely a repetition of their predecessors. On the walls of the vestibule at the far end of the central hall in Cave 6 are the most famous and beautifully crafted statues. Tara, the consort of the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, stands on the left, with an expressive, friendly face. On the opposite side is the Buddhist goddess of the teachings of Mahamayuri, depicted with a symbol in the form of a peacock, and a diligent student sits at the table in front of her. There is an obvious parallel between Mahayuri and the corresponding Hindu goddess of knowledge and wisdom Saraswati (the latter’s mythological vehicle, however, was a goose), which clearly shows to what extent Indian Buddhism of the 7th century. borrowed elements from a rival religion in an attempt to revive his own flagging popularity.

Caves 10, 11 and 12

Dug at the beginning of the 8th century. Cave 10 is one of the last and most magnificent chaitya halls in the Deccan Caves. To the left of her large veranda, steps begin that rise to the upper balcony, from where a triple passage leads to the inner balcony, with flying horsemen, celestial nymphs and a frieze decorated with playful dwarfs. From here you have a wonderful view of the hall with its octagonal columns and vaulted roof. From stone “rafters” carved into the ceiling, imitations of beams that were present in earlier wooden structures, comes the popular name of this cave - “Sutar Jhopadi” - “Carpenter’s Workshop”. At the far end of the hall, the Buddha sits on a throne in front of a votive stupa - this group represents the central place of worship.

Despite the discovery of its previously hidden underground floor in 1876, Cave 11 is still called the "Dho Tal", or "two-tier" cave. Its top floor is a long pillared meeting hall with a Buddha shrine, and images on its rear wall of Durga and Ganesha, the elephant-headed son of Shiva, indicate that the cave was converted into a Hindu temple after being abandoned by Buddhists.

Nearby Cave 12 - "Tin Tal", or "three-tiered" - is another three-tiered vihara, entered through a large open courtyard. Once again, the main attractions are on the top floor, which was once used for study and meditation. On the sides of the altar room at the end of the hall, along the walls of which five large figures of bodhisattvas are located, there are statues of five Buddhas, each of which depicts one of his previous incarnations of the Teacher. The figures on the left are shown in a state of deep meditation, and on the right are again in the “Miracle of a Thousand Buddhas” position.

The seventeen Hindu caves of Ellora cluster around the middle of the cliff where the majestic Kailasha temple is located. Carved out at the beginning of the Brahmanical revival in the Deccan, a time of relative stability, the cave temples are full of a sense of life that their subdued Buddhist predecessors lacked. There are no longer rows of big-eyed, soft-faced Buddhas and bodhisattvas. Instead, huge bas-reliefs stretch along the walls, depicting dynamic scenes from Hindu legends. Most of them are associated with the name of Shiva, the god of destruction and rebirth (and the main deity of all the Hindu caves in the complex), although you will also find numerous images of Vishnu, the guardian of the Universe, and his many incarnations.

The same patterns are repeated again and again, which gave the artisans of Ellora a wonderful opportunity to hone their technique over the centuries, the crowning and greatest achievement of which was the Kailasha Temple (Cave 16). The temple described separately is an attraction that you should definitely visit while in Ellora. However, you can better appreciate its beautiful sculpture if you first explore the earlier Hindu caves. If you don't have too much time, consider that numbers 14 and 15, located directly to the south, are the most interesting of the group.

Dating back to the early 7th century, one of the last caves of the early period, Cave 14, was a Buddhist vihara converted into a Hindu temple. Its layout is similar to Cave 8, with an altar chamber separated from the rear wall and surrounded by a circular passage. The entrance to the sanctuary is guarded by two imposing statues of river goddesses - Ganga and Yamuna, and in an alcove behind and to the right, seven Sapta Matrika fertility goddesses rock well-fed babies on their laps. The son of Shiva - Ganesha with the head of an elephant - sits to their right next to two terrifying images of Kala and Kali, goddesses of death. Beautiful friezes decorate the long walls of the cave. Starting from the front, the friezes on the left (as you face the altar) depict Durga slaying the buffalo demon Mahisha; Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, sits on a lotus throne while her elephant attendants pour water from their trunks; Vishnu in the form of the boar Varaha, saving the earth goddess Prithvi from the flood; and finally Vishnu with his wives. The panels on the opposite wall are dedicated exclusively to Shiva. The second one from the front shows him playing dice with his wife Parvati; then he performs the dance of the creation of the Universe in the form of Nataraja; and on the fourth frieze, he blithely ignores the futile attempts of the demon Ravana to throw him and his wife off their earthly home - Mount Kailash.

Like the neighboring cave, the two-story Cave 15, reached by a long staircase, began life as a Buddhist vihara but was occupied by Hindus and turned into a Shiva sanctuary. You can skip the generally not particularly interesting first floor and immediately go upstairs, where there are several examples of Ellora's most magnificent sculpture. The name of the cave - "Das Avatara" ("Ten Avatars") - comes from a series of panels located along the right wall, which represent five of the ten incarnations - the avatar - Vishnu. On the panel closest to the entrance, Vishnu is shown in his fourth image of the Lion Man - Narasimha, which he took to destroy the demon who could not be killed by “neither man nor beast, neither day nor night, neither inside the palace nor without” ( Vishnu defeated him, hiding at dawn on the threshold of the palace). Notice the serene expression on the face of the demon before death, who is confident and calm, because he knows that, having been killed by God, he will receive salvation. On the second frieze from the entrance, the Guardian is depicted in the embodiment of the sleeping “Primeval Dreamer”, reclining on the rings of Ananda - the cosmic serpent of Infinity. A shoot of a lotus flower is about to grow from his navel, and Brahma will emerge from it and begin the creation of the world.

The carved panel in the recess to the right of the vestibule depicts Shiva emerging from the linga. His rivals, Brahma and Vishnu, stand before his vision humbly and pleadingly, symbolizing the predominance of Shaivism in this region. Finally, in the middle of the left wall of the room, facing the sanctum, the most elegant sculpture of the cave depicts Shiva in the form of Nataraja, frozen in a dancing pose.

Caves 17 to 29

Only three Hindu caves located on the hillside north of the Kailash temple are worth visiting. Cave 21 - "Ramesvara" - was created at the end of the 6th century. Believed to be the oldest Hindu cave in Ellora, it contains several marvelously crafted pieces of sculpture, including a pair of beautiful river goddesses flanking the veranda, two wonderful statues of gatekeepers, and several sensual loving couples (mithunas) adorning the walls of the balcony. Note also the magnificent panel depicting Shiva and Parvati. In Cave 25, located further away, there is a striking image of the Sun God - Surya, driving his chariot towards the dawn.

From here the path leads past two more caves, and then descends sharply along the surface of a steep cliff to its foot, where a small river gorge is located. Crossing a seasonal river with a waterfall, the path climbs up the other side of the chasm and leads to Cave 29 - “Dhumar Lena”. This one dates back to the end of the 6th century. The cave is distinguished by an unusual ground plan in the form of a cross, similar to the Elephanta Cave in Mumbai Harbour. Its three staircases are guarded by pairs of rearing lions, and the walls inside are decorated with huge friezes. To the left of the entrance, Shiva pierces the demon Andhaka; in the adjacent panel he reflects the attempts of the many-armed Ravana to shake him and Parvati off the top of Mount Kailasha (note the fat-cheeked dwarf taunting the evil demon). The south side depicts scenes of a game of dice, in which Shiva teases Parvati by holding her hand as she prepares to throw.

Kailash Temple (Cave 16)

Cave 16, the colossal Kailash Temple (daily 6am to 6pm; 5 rupees) is Ellora's masterpiece. In this case, the term “cave” turns out to be erroneous. Although the temple, like all caves, was cut out of solid rock, it is strikingly similar to the usual structures on the surface of the earth - at Pattadakal and Kanchipuram in South India, after which it was built. It is believed that this monolith was conceived by the Rashtrakuta ruler Krishna I (756 - 773). However, a hundred years passed and four generations of kings, architects and artisans passed until this project was completed. Climb up the path that runs along the outcropping of the complex's northern cliff to a platform above the squat main tower and you'll see why.

The size of the structure alone is amazing. The work began with the digging of three deep trenches at the top of the hill using picks, hoes and pieces of wood which, soaked in water and inserted into narrow cracks, widened and crushed the basalt. When a huge piece of raw rock was thus exposed, the royal sculptors began to work. It is estimated that a total of a quarter of a million tons of fragments and chips were cut from the hillside, there was no room for improvisation or error. The temple was conceived as a gigantic replica of the Himalayan home of Shiva and Parvati - the pyramidal Mount Kailash (Kailasa) - a Tibetan peak that is said to be the “divine axis” between heaven and earth. Today, almost the entire thick layer of white lime plaster, which gave the temple the appearance of a snowy mountain peak, fell away, revealing carefully crafted surfaces of gray-brown stone. At the rear of the tower, these projections had been exposed to centuries of erosion and had faded and faded, as if the giant sculpture was slowly melting under the brutal heat of the Deccan.

The main entrance to the temple leads through a high stone partition, which is designed to delimit the transition from the secular to the realm of the sacred. Passing between the two river goddesses Ganga and Yamuna guarding the entrance, you find yourself in a narrow passage that opens into the main forecourt, opposite a panel depicting Lakshmi - the Goddess of Wealth - being showered by a pair of elephants - a scene known to Hindus as “Gajalakshmi”. Custom dictates that pilgrims circumambulate Mount Kailash in a clockwise direction, so take the steps on the left and walk across the front of the courtyard to the nearest corner.

From the top of the concrete staircase in the corner, all three main sections of the complex are visible. The first is the entrance with a statue of the buffalo Nandi - the vehicle of Shiva, lying in front of the altar; next are the intricately decorated, stone-set walls of the main meeting hall, or mandapa, which still bears traces of the colored plaster that originally covered the entire interior of the structure; and finally, the sanctuary itself with its short and thick 29-meter pyramidal tower, or shikhara (best viewed from above). These three components rest on an appropriately sized raised platform supported by dozens of lotus-picking elephants. In addition to symbolizing the sacred mountain of Shiva, the temple also depicts a giant chariot. The transepts projecting from the side of the main hall are its wheels, the Nandi shrine is its yoke, and the two elephants without trunks in life size in front of the courtyard (mutilated by marauding Muslims) - draft animals.

Most of the main attractions of the temple itself are limited to its side walls, which are covered with expressive sculpture. Along the staircase leading to the northern part of the mandapa, a long panel vividly depicts scenes from the Mahabharata. It shows some scenes from the life of Krishna, including the one in the lower right corner of the infant god suckling the poisoned breast of a nurse sent by his evil uncle to kill him. Krishna survived, but the poison colored his skin a characteristic blue. If you continue to explore the temple clockwise, you will see that most of the panels in the lower sections of the temple are dedicated to Shiva. At the southern end of the mandapa, in an alcove carved from the most prominent part of it, you will find a bas-relief generally considered to be the finest example of sculpture in the complex. It shows Shiva and Parvati being disturbed by the many-headed demon Ravana, who was imprisoned inside a sacred mountain and is now shaking the walls of his prison with his many arms. Shiva is about to assert his supremacy by calming the earthquake with movement thumb legs. Parvati, meanwhile, watches him carefree, leaning on her elbow, while one of her maids runs away in panic.

At this point, take a slight detour and climb the stairs at the lower (southwest) corner of the courtyard to the “Hall of Sacrifice” with its striking frieze of the seven mother goddesses, the Sapta Matrika, and their terrifying companions Kala and Kali (represented standing on top of piles of corpses), or head straight up the steps of the main meeting hall, past the energetic battle scenes of the spectacular Ramayana frieze, into the shrine room. The meeting hall with sixteen pillars is shrouded in a dark half-light, which is intended to focus the attention of worshipers on the presence of the deity within. Using a portable electric flashlight, the chowkidar will illuminate fragments of the ceiling painting, where Shiva in the form of Nataraja performs the dance of the birth of the Universe, and numerous erotic Mithuna couples are also presented. The sanctuary itself is no longer a functioning altar, although it still contains a large stone linga mounted on a yoni pedestal, symbolizing the dual aspect of Shiva's generative energy.

It is remarkable that after so many years, the cultural, historical and architectural heritage of the planet is forever imprinted on our land. And one of them is the Ellora caves. The caves and temples of Ellora are included in the UNESCO list as monuments that are a global heritage of mankind.

One of the questions that interests me is this: a lot of people probably lived here or came here. How were the water pipes arranged here? Yes, at least the same sewerage is there. - How? It would seem like an ordinary thing, but it needs to be organized somehow!

Be sure to take a virtual tour of the temple. Click on the picture below...

A huge number of travelers come to visit the ancient cave Temples of Ellora, because these mysterious religious caves leave an indelible impression on every person.

The Ellora Cave Temples are the standard of ancient temples. In total, 34 sacred caves are carved into the rock, located along a single line over a distance of two kilometers. It’s hard to even imagine how difficult it was to create two kilometers of continuous ancient halls, having primitive construction tools. Some of them reach a decent size - about ten acres. The caves have many beautiful columns and sculptures.

The Ellora rocks have sheltered the cultures of three religions: Buddhism, Hinduism and Jainism. It’s simply amazing how these three completely different religious movements could exist so closely, literally side by side. Looking at the ancient cave Temples of Ellora, memories of the ancient Temple of Jerusalem involuntarily come to mind.

The very first caves of Ellora are Buddhist. These temples were created from the 6th to the 8th century AD. In some of the sacred temples you can see sculptures of an unconventionally seated Buddha - his legs are down. In other caves, Buddha is depicted in the usual lotus position. Absolutely all Buddha sculptures “look” to the east, that is, towards to the rising sun.

Some of the temples remained unfinished, while the rest, opposite, were carved out at the level of three floors and completely filled with columns and sculptures. There are also sculptures that do not belong to the Buddhist religion. They clearly show elements of Hindu aesthetics.

For European travelers, the sacred Ellora Temples are a kind of museum, but for Indians of any religion, the ancient caves are “living” temples. Indians remove their shoes before entering some caves.

Next begin the sacred Hindu caves, which were created from the 6th to the 8th centuries. There are 17 Hindu temples in total and they are very different from the Buddhist caves. In these sacred caves, all the sculptures “dance”; not one of them sits with their legs dangling. Many images are filled with eroticism and this is a special cult. Only in ancient times were erotica and dances filled with spirituality and divinity.

The creation of the caves dates back to approximately the 6th to 9th centuries AD. Of the 34 caves of Ellora, 12 caves in the south are Buddhist, 17 in the center are dedicated to Hindu gods, 5 caves to the north are Jain.

Almost all Hindu caves are dedicated to Lord Shiva, as well as his inner circle. Also in these temples you can see sculptures of the bull Nanti, this bull was “ vehicle» Shiva. Nanti means the giver of joy. As you know, in India, cows have long been sacred animals.

In the very center of the line of sacred caves is the main abode of God Shiva - the Kailasanatha Temple. This temple was carved from a single rock in the eighth century AD using the top-down method. Over 150 years, 7,000 stone cutters removed a very large volume of stone - about two hundred thousand tons. At that time, the craftsmen had only primitive tools, so their work can be called a real feat. By the way, the main bas-reliefs of the main Shiva Temple are dedicated to the theme of feats. They depict battle scenes.

It is also worth saying that the entire removed stone seems to be “nothing”, if we remember that the entire ancient Kailasanatha Temple is completely painted. It is in these ancient places that the artistic diligence of the Hindus clearly goes beyond all acceptable standards.

Ellora is literally overflowing with vital sacred energy, which is felt literally in every image, every stone and crack. It is in the ancient Temples of Ellora that life itself lives!

Something frightening, mystical and, at the same time, attractive emanates from the temples in the caves of Ellora. There, deep underground, in the twilight, always without sun rays there are 34 temples carved directly into basalt rock cliffs. Two kilometers of underground halls...

One can’t help but wonder: what kind of force ─ divine, supernatural, alien ─ could create this? If the debate on this topic does not subside around Egyptian pyramids, then one cannot help but wonder: could a person who lived in an era when the most progressive tools of labor were a hammer and a chopper, have created this? I did it, I did it. And one of the nameless builders, in a fit of great admiration for the fruits of his labor, inscribed on the wall of the cave: “Oh, Shiva the Great, how did I manage to build this miracle without witchcraft?” Isn’t this evidence that temples are the creation of human hands?

What are Ellora caves?

The caves are 3 groups of temples, united according to religious principles: Buddhist in the south, Hindu in the center, Jain in the north.

From east to west, the mountain in which the caves are carved is crossed by 4 rivers. The biggest ─ Elaganga, it forms a waterfall between the caves, torrent water, falling from a considerable height during the rainy season, is perceived as a natural force connecting with the divine force.

Buddhist temples

The earliest halls, 12 of them, are Buddhist. There are numerous sculptures of Buddha in different poses, all of them facing east ─ towards the rising sun. Some temples are clearly unfinished, while others, on the contrary, are cut out at the level of three floors and densely filled with sculptures.

The steps of a narrow staircase lead down 20 meters. This is where the main Buddhist temple is located. Tin Thal. Its facade is harsh and ascetic: a narrow high gate, three rows of square columns that rest on basalt platforms and go up 16 meters.

The main temple of Ellora - Tin Thal

Behind these gates is a platform and a steep staircase going down 30 meters. There, before the human gaze, spacious rooms appear, also framed by square columns, as powerful as those on the facade. In the thick gloomy air, huge basalt sculptures ─ numerous Buddhist deities glow dimly and ghostly.

The rest of the temples in this part of the caves also leave an indelible impression.

For example, Rameswara temple.

Ellora Caves. Rameshvara Temple.

Its facades are decorated with four columns with large female caryatids. All the stone carvings on the facade seem to be made by human hands, frozen in terrible tension.

In the temple itself there are huge high reliefs ─ fantastic sculptures. They surround the person entering from all sides, causing an inexplicable feeling of fear. The ancient sculptor was able to accurately convey the plasticity of movement, to capture the smallest play of shadow and light.

It seems that all this lives its own life, hidden from the eyes of visitors, and only now, with his appearance, the animals, gods and people depicted on the walls froze.

Hindu temples

These caves were carved differently from Buddhist ones: from top to bottom, and work on them took place in several stages. There are 17 of them and they are surrounding Kailash temple.

The walls of the caves are completely covered with bas-reliefs depicting scenes from sacred Hindu books. Basically, they are all associated with the life of the god Shiva, and only a few bas-reliefs show the reincarnation of the god Vishnu.

Kailasanatha Temple (Kailash) dedicated to god Shiva. This is the most incredible structure on Earth. Everything here is surprising. And everything is inexplicable at first glance. The building was carved into the rock and suddenly appeared on the surface of the hill. And at the same time its base stands in a hundred-meter well.

Over the course of a century and a half, seven thousand builders carved out the largest monolithic structure in the world from top to bottom, removing 200 thousand tons of rock. They created, as if they were liberated from stone husks, from everything superfluous, superficial, they opened the light, released their brainchild into life; They cut giant holes, which then became galleries and halls, and every detail here mattered.

It is especially beautiful here in the evening, when the temple is illuminated by the last rays of the sun.

Kailasanatha - symbol of Mount Kailash in Tibet, where, according to legend, the god Shiva and his wife Parvati live. Once upon a time the temple stood white, it was covered with a thick layer of plaster; rare traces of it are still visible. According to the creators, the white temple looked as if it was covered with snow, like a sacred mountain in Tibet.

The temple rises up to more than 30 meters and is all covered with the most intricate carvings. It resembles a giant chariot carried by elephants, whose figures are carved around the entire perimeter. They froze for hundreds of centuries in the courtyard of the temple and hold it, as if reconstructing the idea of ​​​​the people of that era about the structure of the Universe.

The 29-meter tower of the main sanctuary rises above the complex, rushing upward towards the sky, full of grandeur.

There are countless sculptures of Shiva inside the temple. This god is always in constant motion: he plays dice, participates in ceremonies, and tames the demon Ravana. And the demon also moves, shakes the sacred mountain, rages in rage. And Shiva himself, and everything around him dances and soars, energy splashes over the edge, no one sits still.

With its energy, Shaivism is very in tune with the modern world, where a person is also surrounded by speed, strength, and drive. Many images of Shiva are filled with eroticism, but they are done so subtly that they are perceived as a natural and integral part of his divine essence, and for many centuries this did not bother even the monks. Everything looks spiritual and divine.

In the southern wall there is a Hall of Sacrifice, it is always dark, gloomy and scary there. And in order to see anything, you have to shine a flashlight on yourself. The mistresses of the Hall are three bloodthirsty goddesses: Chamunda, Kali and Durga. For impressionable people, visiting their monastery is a real test.

Of the 34 caves of Ellora ─ 12, located in the south, are Buddhist, 17 were built for Indian Gods, and 5 caves located to the north are Jain.

The Jain caves are the youngest, three of them have interesting carvings and skillful bas-relief images Mahavira, the founder of Jain philosophy, giant lotuses and fearsome lions.

They are dug to the side, two kilometers from the main complex. The traditions and philosophy of Jainism dominate here. Everything is strict and even ascetic; there is no riot of architectural details and splendor of reliefs and high reliefs.

Once upon a time, the ceilings of the temples were covered with paintings; they are still partially preserved and are of great interest to both art experts and numerous tourists.

These temples are much smaller in size than Buddhist and Hindu ones.

Almost all the caves in Ellora are monasteries.

History of the complex

The grandiose construction began around the year 500 and ended almost 150 years later. Some buildings were completed already in the 9th century. And in 600 the first Hindu temple was ready.

The Buddhist caves, or Vishwakarma caves as they are also called, were the first to be built in the complex. They were built from 500 to 750. Time passed, rulers and religious preferences changed, and construction continued to take place near the village of Ellora. And the direction of underground temples changed over the centuries: first Buddhist, then Hindu, then the time came for Jain monasteries.

Kailasantha was created by order of Raja Krishna of the Rashtrakuta dynasty in the 13th century. The Arabs who lived in those days argued that the power and wealth of the Rashtrakuta empire could only be compared with Byzantium and the Arab Caliphate. This can be seen from the scale of construction in Ellori.

It is believed that architects from the Pallava kingdom were invited to design and supervise the construction work.

From the images carved on the walls of the temple, you can study Indian mythology and the history of India: a huge number of events are reflected in sculptures and bas-reliefs.

Another temple complex in India that is worth visiting is.

Auroville is a city-landmark, a city-galaxy, a city-utopia on the right coast of India.

Tourists often visit another historical place - the temples in Hampi:

Ellora Caves now

Ellora complex is included in the list of world historical heritage UNESCO.

A music and dance festival is held in Ellora in December. Thousands of tourists come to see this interesting spectacle.

The complex is open from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on all days except Tuesday.

Going to explore the caves, don't forget to take a flashlight. In many places, you simply won't see anything without it.

And one more thing: when you arrive in Ellora, remember that for you the caves are a tourist site, but for hundreds of Indians they are a temple, a holy place where they came to worship their Gods. The caves are an example of respect for other religions, and this should be a lesson to all of us, people of the 21st century.

How to get to Ellora

If you make it to India, be sure to visit Ellora.

This can be done as part of excursion groups from GOA resorts.

Or buy Delhi - Agra - Udaipur - Aurangabad - Mumbai Railway Tour. This tour allows a day to explore the Ellora Caves. Reviews about the comfort on the train and the service are positive.

Mumbai is the closest. Planes from Moscow and St. Petersburg do not fly there. But you can choose a convenient connecting option on Arab lines or on lines of the republics of the former USSR.

• From Mumbai by train to Aurangabad it takes 8-9 hours. There is a night bus from Mumbai to Aurangabad. Travel time is also 8 hours.
• From Aurangabad to Ellora it is another 30 km. There is a bus service there, but many tourists use taxis.

There is another option. By plane to Delhi, and then by train to Aurangabad.

Ellora is always open to tourists hotel Kailash, it is located just opposite the caves.

The craftsmen who built the temples in Ellora worked in such a way that the viewer, as soon as he descends into the caves, ceases to be an outside observer, at that moment he is captured by the drama of the events depicted, he is captivated by the characters masterfully carved into the rocks. Only here, in Ellora, the artistic images of Indian art affect a person in this way.

Video “Ellora Caves and Kailasanatha Temple (India)”

If you want to know history better ruling dynasties and religious cults of India, preserved architectural monuments that clearly tell about the greatness of ancient empires will help you do this. Of course, one of the most important monuments of ancient history are the cave temples of India, which served as a refuge and the main center of learning for followers of Buddhism, Hinduism and Jainism from the beginning of our era.

The most famous and well-preserved cave temples are located in the state of Maharashtra near the city of Aurangabad, the ancient capital of the Mughal Empire. Long before the arrival of the Mughals, this region was a center of trade and religion. Ancient trade routes passed through the plains of the Deccan and pilgrims found refuge in caves that were rebuilt into spiritual abodes.

I want to talk about cave temples of Ajanta and Ellora- true diamonds of ancient Indian art and architecture. Even at the beginning of our era, there were trade routes along the territory of the Deccan Plateau (the modern state of Maharashtra); the first Buddhist ascetics walked along with the traders, bringing their faith to the territory of southern India. To escape the seasonal rains and scorching sun, travelers needed shelters. The construction of monasteries and temples is a long and expensive task, so the first pilgrims chose caves in the rocky mountains as their refuge, which provided coolness in the heat and remained dry in the rainy season.

The first Buddhist caves were carved in the 2nd century BC, when they were simple and uncomplicated shelters. Later, at the turn of the 4th-6th centuries, the cave temple complexes grew into huge monastic cities where hundreds of monks lived, and the caves turned into three-story monasteries, skillfully decorated with sculptures and wall paintings.

In the cave cities of Ajanta and Ellora, three religions were successively practiced - Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism. Now on the territory of the complexes you can see ancient statues and wall painting these three religions. Thus, the first inhabitants of the cave cities were Buddhists, then the Hindus came, and the last to be carved out were the Jain temples, although it is possible that followers of all religions coexisted here at the same time, creating a tolerant religious society in the middle of the first millennium.

Ajanta

The Ajanta cave temple complex is located 100 km from the city of Aurangabad, it is located in the bed of the Waghur River and has been cut down since the 2nd century BC. to the middle of the 7th century AD Over the centuries, ancient sculptors methodically excavated the soil from the basalt rock, and the interior of the caves was decorated with elegant sculptures and frescoes.

At the end of the 5th century, the Harishen dynasty, which was the main sponsor of the construction of the caves, fell, and the complex was gradually abandoned. The monks left their secluded monastery, and the local residents gradually forgot about the existence of the cave temples. The jungle has swallowed up the caves, sealing the entrances with a thick layer of vegetation. An artificial microclimate was formed in the caves, which has preserved to this day the frescoes of the beginning of the first millennium, which have no analogues not only in India, but throughout the world. Thus, the caves have brought the beauty of ancient masters to the present day.

The complex was discovered by an officer british army John Smith in 1819 while hunting a tiger. From the opposite bank of the river. Vaghar he saw the arch of the entrance to cave No. 10.

"Graffiti" by officer John Smith, which he left in 1819.

Later, 30 caves were discovered, the complex was cleared and partially restored, and in 1983 the Ajanta cave temple complex was included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

It is now one of the most famous landmarks in central India. At the moment, in the complex you can visit 28 caves belonging to the Buddhist tradition. In caves 1,2,9,11,16,17 ancient frescoes are preserved and in caves 9,10,19,26 you will see elegant Buddhist sculpture.

Some caves served as places for rituals and group prayers, they are called "chatyas" or meeting halls, others served as habitats for monks, they are called "viharas" or monasteries. The caves have different layouts and degrees of decoration.

Some caves are under development; these examples clearly show how the construction of the complex took place.
From the opposite bank of the Vaghar River there is a beautiful view of the entire complex; the scale of the complex is truly impressive.

Previously, each cave had its own personal descent to the river for collecting drinking water; a system for storing rainwater and water flow during the monsoon period was developed. The walls of most of the caves were painted with detailed frescoes, the secret of which has not yet been solved; some well-preserved areas convince us of high level the mastery of ancient painters, and the forgotten history and customs of those centuries appear before your eyes.

Ajanta's "calling card" is the image of the bodhisattva Padmapani!

Of course, a visit to the Ajanta cave temples will create one of the most interesting experiences in India, but it would not be complete without a visit to the Ellora complex, which is located nearby. Despite the fact that both complexes are similar in idea, they are completely different in execution.

Ellora

The cave temple complex of Ellora, located 30 km from Aurangabad, was cut down in the period 5-11 centuries, and has 34 caves, 12 of which are Buddhist (1-12), 17 Hindu (13-29) and 5 Jain (30-34) , cut down in chronological order.

If the Ajanta complex is famous for its frescoes, then in Ellora it is definitely sculpture. Ellora acquired its true dawn with the withering of Ajanta; apparently most of the monks and masters moved here starting from the 6th century AD. In Ellora, the viewer is shocked by the scale of the buildings, for example, some caves are three-story “viharas” - monasteries where up to several hundred monks could live. Of course, such a scale is amazing, especially considering that the construction dates date back to the 5th-7th centuries AD.

But the true gem of the complex is Kailasanath Temple (Lord of Kailasa) or cave number 16.

This 30 meter high temple was carved over 100 years during the 8th century. For its construction, 400,000 tons of basalt rock were extracted, and not a single part was brought into the temple from the outside, everything was cut out of the basalt rock from top to bottom, like on a modern 3D printer. Of course, I have never seen anything like it anywhere in India. This masterpiece of ancient architecture is on a par with the Angor Wat temples in Cambodia and Bagan in Burma, but the construction dates are almost a millennium earlier!

The temple is an allegory of the sacred Mount Kailash in Tibet, where, according to legend, Lord Shiva meditated. Previously, the entire temple was covered with white plaster to resemble the snow-capped peak of Kailash, all the sculptures were skillfully painted with colors, the details of which can still be seen, many galleries of the temple are decorated with detailed stone carvings. To understand the greatness of the Kailasanath Temple, you need to see it with your own eyes. Photos can hardly convey its grandeur and beauty!

Aurangabad

The Ajanta and Ellora temples attract many tourists from India and all over the world; on holidays it can be quite crowded, and to better understand the history in the stone, it is recommended to tour with a guide.

It is better to choose the city of Aurangabad as a base for visiting the temples; there are many hotels for every taste and budget; you can get here by train, plane or bus from Mumbai and Goa. Vacationers in Goa can combine a visit to cave temples with beach holiday.

In addition to the cave temples, the city itself contains many historical monuments, albeit from a much later period. In the 17th century, the great Mughal Sultan Aurangazeb ruled here. The most impressive monument of that time is the mausoleum of "Bibika Maqbara", which is often called the little Taj. This beautiful white marble mausoleum was built by Emperor Aurangzeb in memory of his wife Rabia Ud Daurani and bears great resemblance to the Taj Mahal in Agra, where Aurangzeb's mother is buried.

A visit to the cave temples of Ajanta and Ellora is certainly one of the most vivid and memorable impressions of India.

A trip to Aurangabad can easily be completed in 2 days; visiting the cave temples will be a great addition to your holiday on the beaches of Goa. Join our tours and discover the ancient treasures of India.