It was marked by a renaissance of the arts throughout India. Architecture was at its zenith in that period.

There are two sects in Hinduism, namely Shaivism and Vaishnavism. The architects of Elephanta were mainly focused on Shaivism, here you can see popular stories from the life of Shiva and his consort Parvati, delightfully carved on the walls of these caves. To fully understand their meaning and cultural value, one must have knowledge of Hindu mythology and metaphysics, which are indispensable aspects of Indian culture and art.

Shiva Nataraj (Dancing Shiva). Rock Temples, Elephanta Island

Gangadhara Shiva (Descent of the Ganges)

The main figures represent Shiva and Parvati. Above Shiva's head are the main rivers of India: the Ganges, Yamuna and Saraswati.

Marriage of Shiva and Parvati. Rock temples, Elephanta island.

Ravana shaking Kailash. Rock temples, Elephanta island.

Rock temples, Elephanta Island © Kartzon Dream — author's travels to India, author's tours, travel photo

The main sanctuary is guarded by five-meter guards. Rock Temples, Elephanta Island

Basic Shivling at the Shiva Sanctuary

© Kartzon Dream — author's trips to India, author's tours, travel photo

Shiva. Rock temples, Elephanta Island © Kartzon Dream — author's travels to India

Shiva is resting. Rock temples, Elephanta island.

Rock temples © Kartzon Dream — author's travels to India, author's tours, travel photo

Rock temples. Elephanta Island © Kartzon Dream — author's travels to India

Ganesh. Rock temples © Kartzon Dream — author's travels to India, author's tours, travel photo

Trimurti (Mahesh Murti) of Shiva © Kartzon Dream — author's travels to India, author's tours, travel photo

5.43 meters high. The face on the left side represents Rudra, the destroyer. The face on the right is the god Vamdeo, a pacifist. The middle face is Tatpurush, aesthetic harmony. Rock temples. Elephanta Island.

Rock temples. Elephanta Island

Rock temples © Kartzon Dream — author's travels to India, author's tours, travel photo

Elephanta Island © Kartzon Dream — author's travels to India, author's tours

Temples of India © Kartzon Dream — author's travels to India, author's tours, travel photo

. Rock temples in India

Buddhist caves are located 105 kilometers northeast of Aurangabad. The dates of their construction vary from approximately 200 BC. before 650 AD, they are older than the caves in . As the construction continued permanently and the importance of Buddhism in India gradually decreased, the magnificent caves were forgotten and abandoned until 1819, when a British hunting party stumbled upon them. Thanks to such a long isolation, the caves are perfectly preserved.

The tourist infrastructure of Ajanta has undergone significant reconstruction. If earlier buses and auto rickshaws went directly to the caves, now you can only get there by a special electric bus, and all traders are sent from here to Fardapur, a city 4 km from the caves. All this is done to save unique frescoes on the walls of temples.

Buddhist caves of Ajanta

Buddhist caves of Ajanta

cave temples in india

Cave temples in India. Ajanta, Maharashtra, India, author's travels Kartazon Dream

Buddhist caves of Ajanta

Buddhist caves of Ajanta

Buddhist caves of Ajanta

Rock temples in India. Ajanta, Maharashtra, India

Rock temples. Ajanta, Maharashtra, India

Rock temples. Ajanta, Maharashtra, India

Rock temples. Ajanta, Maharashtra, India

Buddhist caves of Ajanta

Rock temples. Ajanta, Maharashtra, India

Buddhist caves of Ajanta

Rock temples. Ajanta, Maharashtra, India

Rock temples. Ajanta, Maharashtra, India

cave temples in india

cave temples in india

Rock temples. Ajanta, Maharashtra, India

Rock temples. Ajanta, Maharashtra, India

Buddhist caves of Ajanta

Buddhist caves of Ajanta

Rock temples. Ajanta, Maharashtra, India

Buddhist caves of Ajanta

rock temples

rock temples

Buddhist caves of Ajanta

rock temples

Rock temples. Ajanta, Maharashtra, India

rock temples

rock temples

rock temples

Rock temples. Ajanta, Maharashtra, India

rock temples

Buddhist caves of Ajanta

rock temples

Rock temples. Ajanta, Maharashtra, India, author's travels Kartazon Dream

Buddhist caves of Ajanta

Buddhist caves of Ajanta

Cave temples in India. Ajanta, Maharashtra, India

. cave temples in india

Listed as a World Heritage Site, the cave temples are the pinnacle of Deccan rock architecture. They are located 30 km from Aurangabad.

For more than five centuries, generations of monks (Buddhists, Hindus and Jains) have carved monasteries, chapels and temples into the 2km cliff and lavishly decorated them with amazingly detailed sculptures. Many of the caves have complex interior spaces and galleries.

Rock temples, Ellora, Maharashtra, India

There are 34 rock temples in the area: 12 Buddhist (600-800 AD), 17 Hindu (600-900 AD) and five Jain (800-1000 AD). The temples of Ellora represent the renaissance of Hinduism during the Chalukya and Rashtrakuta dynasties, its subsequent decline during the dawn of Buddhism, and the brief surge of Jainism that followed. The sculptures characterize the increasing influence of the Tantric teachings in the three major religions of India, and their peaceful coexistence on the same site indicates a long period of religious tolerance.

Ellora's masterpiece is an amazing Kailash temple dedicated to Shiva. It is the world's largest monolithic sculpture carved out of rock by 7,000 laborers over a period of 150 years.

Kailash Temple, Elora

« By the beginning of the 7th century AD. free-standing structures were already well received, but rock-cut Jain, Buddhist, and Hindu temples continued to be popular for three or more centuries thereafter. Not far from Ajanta, on a two-mile north-south hillside at Ellora, roofed colonnades began to be carved out of stone, revered by modern Hindus and Buddhists.

Rock temples, Elora, Maharashtra, India

The Rashtrakutas, who conquered one branch of the Chalukya dynasty, were the patrons of these cave temples and built such significant ones as Dashavatara, Rameshwara and Ravana-ki-khai, each of which should be visited and seen with your own eyes. 17 of the 34 cave temples of Ellora are Hindu.

Cave temples of India, Ellora, Maharashtra, India

Rock temples, Elora, Maharashtra, India

A monumental building on the hills of Ellora is the monolithic temple of the god Kailashnath, which is a mountain dwelling of the Destroyer and built of stone rock, not supported by any additional fortifications.

Kailashanath Temple (Kailasanatha). Rock temples, Ellora, Maharashtra, India

According to a common misconception, Kailashnath, dedicated to Shiva and carved between 700 and 800 AD, is considered to be a cave. In fact, this structure was completely cut out of the mountain and is a free-standing temple, all three sides of which are separated from the native rock. In accordance with well-known documentary sources on Indian architecture, this temple exceeds the area of ​​the Parthenon in Athens and one and a half times higher than it. If there was an eighth wonder of the world, then this temple could become it.

Kailashanath Temple (Kailasanatha). Rock temples, Ellora, Maharashtra, India

To create this marvel of engineering and art, with its complex plan, including various galleries and floors, with its unforgettable extensive carvings, a pit was dug in the ground, forming a courtyard 300 feet long and 175 feet wide, inside which a block of basalt was carved, measuring 250 by 150 feet and 100 feet high . It is all covered with intricate carvings from top to bottom, moreover, scaffolding was not used for this. Unlike neighboring caves, open to the sky and standing on a platform 25 feet high, Kailashnath is illuminated from within. Additional lighting is provided by specially located terraces, balconies and patios.

Kailashanath Temple (Kailasanatha). Rock temples, Ellora, Maharashtra, India

Although modern visitors admire the dark stone of the three-tiered, 95-foot-tall Rashtrakuta temple, it is very likely that it was painted in different colors immediately after construction: many temples were decorated at that time, which now look smooth and made of simple stone. The intricate, labyrinthine temple complex can be divided into four main segments - the main temple of Shiva; its entrance, facing west; a temple for the faithful cart of Shiva - the bull Nandi and a courtyard decorated with covered arcades.

Kailashanath Temple (Kailasanatha). Rock temples, Ellora, Maharashtra, India

The main places of worship are the usual square altar (sanctum) with a huge phallus (linga) of Shiva, the vestibule (antarala) and the sixteen-columned main hall (mahamandapa). The temple dedicated to Nandi is flanked by free-standing columns (dhvqja sthambha-s), each 51 feet high (these columns fill the entire space of the complex), somewhat lightening the massiveness of the huge stone temple.

Lingam. Cave temples, Ellora, Maharashtra, India

It will take hours to see the entire complex. A person can easily get lost here. Every detail of Kailashnath is desirable to consider - its huge carved statues of guardians (dwarapala-s), for example, which resemble the huge statues of kings in Thebes in Egypt; its huge columns, making the visitor feel like a dwarf, the creation of which took an extremely long time and skill; his huge wall sculptural panel depicting not only legendary episodes from the life of Shankara, but also scenes of his Everyday life as it was presented to local artists. He sits, surrounded by his family, as if in an ancient "group photograph", or spends his free time playing ancient chess)