This is the only temple in the whole world where carvers started from the top of the rock and excavated downwards.
Kailash Temple is ancient, and incredible, where mystery, science, and myths meet.
There is a legend about how this temple was built. The local king was very ill, and his queen prayed to Lord Shiva to heal her husband. She promised that if her wish were fulfilled, she would ask her husband to build a Shiva temple and hold a fast until she could see the shikhara, the top of the temple.
Surprisingly, the king recovered and returned to good health. The queen told him about her promise to the deity and began her fast. The king took swift action, gathering many architects and artists to discuss building the temple as quickly as possible before the queen's health deteriorated due to her fasting. Most of them said it would not be possible to complete the temple in time; they feared the queen would become ill or die.
However, one architect named Kokasa, who was a clever sculptor, and craftsman, presented an innovative idea. He suggested that the construction of the temple should start from the top, allowing the queen to see the shikhara in just a few days so she could end her fast. The king agreed with his plan, and they began excavating the temple, working from the top downward creating large stone carvings out of the mountain. Later on, the temple was developed from time to time by different rulers.
Ellora Caves represent the climax of the rock-cut phase of Indian architecture and Kailash holds the distinction of being the largest single rock-cut Hindu temple in the world.
It is located in Ellora Caves no. 16 Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar previously known as Aurangabad in Maharashtra, India.
We had been planning to visit Ellora for a long time, but due to other commitments, we couldn't make it until now. Finally, we found time to explore this wonderful place. Traveling from South Maharashtra, our first stop was Mumbai, and from there, we took a train to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.
From the railway station, we took a bus to the village of Verul (also known as Ellora). There are now many overnight accommodations and hotels available to suit various preferences. We had already booked a hotel, so it was easy to find our place in Verul.
We arrived around 7 PM, feeling tired from our long journey, and decided to relax before exploring the Ellora Caves the next day. Although we were told the site opened at 6 AM, it actually opened around 8 AM after the cleaning and daily routine.
Upon entering, we found the place very clean and well-maintained.
The Ellora Caves consist of a remarkable collection of 34 cave temples that are renowned worldwide. Of these, 12 caves are Buddhist, 13 to 29 are Brahmanical/Hindu, and the last 5 are Jain. The Archaeological Survey of India protects these caves which have been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, making them one of the largest rock-hewn monastic temple complexes in the world.
Entrance to the caves requires a ticket. For Indian adults, the fee is Rs. 40, while children under 15 can enter for free. For foreigners, the entry fee is $10 or Rs. 600.
The caves were excavated in the Sahyadri mountain range of Maharashtra, located 2 kilometers from Charanandri hill.
The front of Kailash temple from a distance.
The entrance is where we go through a security check.
at the entrance, the elephant monolith has been destroyed by Mughal king Aurangzeb. Not only this but a lot of other nice sculptures have been destroyed by him as well.
The wonderful Arcades.
The temple consists of three stories. The bottom story features many small and large caves that appear to have been used as monasteries. All the walls are carved with beautiful images of Hindu gods and goddesses.
the temple has 5 shrines; the tallest one stands beside the main temple. which has beautiful carvings.
The plinth of the main temple is decorated with many elephants that look like they are holding the temple on their back. many are damaged by Aurangzeb.
These elephants are a symbol of strength, power, and calmness.
this panel is carved with the hindu mythology Ramayana in small figures but very clear and sharp. we can understand the meaning of those figures.
Nandi the Bull Shivas companion.
Shiva with Parvati is a scene of hindu mythology.
Within the temple complex, visitors can explore various shrines, halls, pillars, corridors, and a multitude of intricate sculptures and reliefs.
the Top or shikhara of temple.
From the top of the temple, we can see its multiple levels and the beautiful carvings that adorn them from top to bottom. As we look at the temple from the hill, we can hardly imagine how they accomplished such intricate work using only chisels and hammers. Did they have access to any special technology to build this temple? for this question I know no answer at present. However, researchers claim it is impossible to build this kind of advanced structure with today's technology and modern equipment.
the four lions on the top of the mandapa (a courtyard).
Shikhar of Indra Sabha, the Indra is the king of gods. Sabha is the meeting hall
We climbed the hill because we didn't have a drone. We took these photos from the hill.
The structure is a freestanding, multi-level temple complex. It is estimated that the artists removed millions of cubic feet of stone, weighing thousands of tonnes, to excavate the temple. The sheer volume of heavy rock removed from this site is remarkable, and it can not be found in the surrounding area or nearby locations. This is an amazing and mysterious achievement.
OM NAMO SHIVAY
traveling to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and visiting Ellora and especially Kailash Temple offers an experience of a symbolic journey that transitions from the material to the spiritual, from the earthly to the celestial, and from matter to mind.
Thank you very much for joining me on this travel.
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