85-757: The Chand Minar or the Tower of the Moon is a medieval tower in Daulatabad , India. The tower is located in the state of Maharashtra near the Daulatabad fort complex. It was erected in 1445 by a Bahmani slave and commemorated to sultan Alau'd-din Ahmad Shah of the Bahmani Sultanate to commemorate his victory against the Vijayanagara Empire in 1443. Chand Minar bears resemblance to
170-555: A Dravidian shikhara . An image of Shiva's mount Nandi (the sacred bull) stands on a porch in front of the temple. Two of the walls in the main temple house rows of carvings depicting the Mahabharata , along the north side, and the Ramayana , on the south side. The Kailasha temple is considered a highly notable example of temple construction from 1st millennium Indian history, and was called, by Carmel Berkson, "a wonder of
255-601: A Hindu monument that was later converted into a Jain temple. However, Owen suggests that the celebration-filled artwork in this temple is better understood as part of the Samavasarana doctrine in Jainism. The overlap between Jain and Hindu mythologies has caused confusion, given Book Three of the Hindu Mahabharata describes Indra's abode as one filled with a variety of heroes, courtesans, and artisans, within
340-585: A crown; Indra's arms are shown in various mudra reminiscent of the dancing Shiva artworks found in nearby Hindu caves. However, the iconography has several differences that indicate this cave shows a dancing Indra and not a dancing Shiva. The Indra panels at the entrance also feature other deities, celestials, musicians and dancers. Art historian Lisa Owen has raised questions concerning whether music and dance were part of 9th-century Jainism, given that Jain theology focuses on meditative asceticism . Rajan, for example, has proposed that Cave 30 May have originally been
425-632: A distance of 16 km northwest of Aurangabad, the district headquarters and midway to the Ellora Caves . The original widespread capital city is now mostly unoccupied and has been reduced to a village. Much of its survival depends on the tourists to the old city and the adjacent fort. The site had been occupied since at least 100 BC, and now has remains of Hindu and Jain temples similar to those at Ajanta and Ellora . A series of niches carved with Jain Tirthankara in cave 32. The city
510-680: A gateway, an assembly hall, a multi-storey main temple surrounded by numerous shrines laid out according to the square principle, an integrated space for circumambulation, a garbha-grihya (sanctum sanctorum) wherein resides the linga-yoni, and a spire-shaped like Mount Kailash – all carved from one rock. Other shrines carved from the same rock are dedicated to Ganga , Yamuna , Saraswati , the ten avatars of Vishnu , Vedic gods and goddesses including Indra, Agni, Vayu, Surya and Usha, as well as non-Vedic deities like Ganesha, Ardhanarishvara (half Shiva, half Parvati), Harihara (half Shiva, half Vishnu), Annapurna, Durga and others. The basement level of
595-568: A hill by Krishnaraja at Elapura, the edifice in the inscription being the Kailasa temple. In the Indian tradition, each cave is named and has a suffix Guha (Sanskrit), Lena or Leni (Marathi), meaning cave. It is also thought to be derived from Ilvalapuram, named after the asura Ilvala who ruled this region who was vanquished by Sage Agastya . The Ellora caves are situated in state of Maharashtra about 29 kilometres (18 miles) northwest of
680-546: A holy site. It is still in active worship and thus not protected by the ASI. Six hundred steps must be climbed to reach it. It is managed by a Jain Gurukul in the village. There have been several records written in the centuries following their completion indicating that these caves were visited regularly, particularly as it was within sight of a trade route; for example, Ellora was known to have been frequented by Buddhist monks in
765-576: A large display of the Sapta Matrika , the seven mother goddesses of the Shakti tradition of Hinduism, flanked on either side by Ganesha and Shiva. Inside the temple are other goddesses important to Shakti tradition, for example, the Durga . The entrance to Cave 21 is flanked by large sculptures of the goddesses Ganga and Yamuna representing the two major Himalayan rivers and their significance to
850-739: A later Hindu and Jain phase (~730 to 950 CE). The earliest caves may have been built during the Traikutakas and Vakataka dynasties, the latter being known for sponsoring the Ajanta caves. However, it is considered likely that some of the earliest caves, such as Cave 29 (Hindu), were built by the Shiva -inspired Kalachuri dynasty, while the Buddhist caves were built by the Chalukya dynasty. The later Hindu caves and early Jain caves were built by
935-506: A mutuality of power transference. Other notable Hindu caves are the Ravan ki Khai (Cave 14) and the Nilkantha (Cave 22), both of which house numerous sculptures, Cave 25 in particular features a carving of Surya in its ceiling. These caves are located on the southern side and were built either between 630 and 700 CE, or 600–730 CE. It was initially thought that the Buddhist caves were
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#17327654338581020-525: A paradise-like setting. This imagery is repeated throughout Cave 30, similar to the Hindu caves, setting the context of the temple. However, the symbolism closer to the centre of the temple is more aligned with the core ideas of Jainism; a greater prevalence of meditating images and Jinas – the place where the Jain devotee would perform his or her ritual abhisheka (worship). Cave 31, consisting of four pillars,
1105-551: A part of the Hyderabad Division Aurangabad is a major station near Daulatabad. The Devagiri Express regularly operates between Mumbai and Secunderabad , Hyderabad , via the city of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar . Ellora Caves The Ellora Caves are a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Aurangabad district, Maharashtra , India. It is one of the largest rock-cut Hindu temple cave complexes in
1190-404: A preaching pose. Cave 10 combines a vihara with a chapel-like worship hall that has eight subsidiary cells, four in the back wall and four in the right, as well as a portico in the front. It is the only dedicated chaitya griha amongst the Buddhist caves and is constructed along similar lines to Caves 19 and 26 of Ajanta . Cave 10 also features a gavaksha , or chandrashala, arched window and
1275-523: A prison. Beneath the northern flank of Balakot is a derelict palace building of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan , built after the Mughal capture of the fort in 1633. It consists of two large courts, an apartment building towards the west, and a hammam . Another pavilion of Shah Jahan is found beneath the summit of Balakot. Balakot also contains a ruined royal residence dating to the 15th century, built by
1360-461: A side connection to Cave 9 of Ellora. The main hall of the Visvakarma cave is apsidal in plan and is divided into a central nave and side aisles by 28 octagonal columns with plain bracket capitals. In the apsidal end of the chaitya hall is a stupa on the face of which a colossal high seated Buddha in vyakhyana mudra (teaching posture). A large Bodhi tree is carved at his back. The hall has
1445-458: A small shrine a number of carvings, was not completed. Carvings of Parshvanatha , guarded by yaksha Dharanendra with his 7 hoods, and Gommateshvara were made into the left and right walls of the hall, respectively, while within the shrine resides an idol of Vardhamana Mahavir Swami. The idol is seated in a padmasan position on a lion-throne and a chakra is seen in the middle panel of the throne. The figure of yaksha Matanga on an elephant
1530-527: A vaulted roof in which ribs (known as triforium) have been carved in the rock imitating the wooden ones . The friezes above the pillars are Naga queens, and the extensive relief artwork shows characters such as entertainers, dancers and musicians. The front of the prayer hall is a rock-cut court entered via a flight of steps. The entrance of the Cave has a carved facade decorated with numerous Indian motifs including apsaras and meditating monks. On either side of
1615-404: Is a place of extraordinary strength. The only means of access to the summit is by a narrow bridge, with the passage for not more than two people abreast, and a long gallery, excavated in the rock, which has, for the most part, a very gradual upward slope. About midway along this gallery, the access gallery has steep stairs, the top of which is covered by a grating destined in time of war to form
1700-625: Is another early excavation whose construction has been credited to the Kalachuri dynasty. The cave was completed prior to the ascension of Rashtrakuta dynasty which went on to expand the caves at Ellora. Although the cave features similar works to those in other Ellora caves, it also has a number of unique pieces, such as those depicting the story of goddess Parvati 's pursuit of Shiva . Carvings depicting Parvati and Shiva at leisure, Parvati's wedding to Shiva, Shiva dancing and Kartikeya (Skanda) have been found in other caves. The cave also features
1785-452: Is historically significant as it contains evidence, in the form of layered deposits and textual records, of active worship inside by the Jain community. In particular, rituals were known to have been held in the upper level, where the artwork may have played a central role. As with many caves in Ellora, numerous carvings adorn the temple, such as those of the lotus flower on the ceiling. On
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#17327654338581870-649: Is in the outskirts of Aurangabad , and is on the Aurangabad - Ellora road (National Highway 2003). Aurangabad is well connected by road and 20 km away from Devagiri. Daulatabad railway station is located on the Manmad-Purna section of South Central Railways and also on the Mudkhed-Manmad section of the Nanded Division of South Central Railway . Until reorganisation in 2005, it was
1955-473: Is on the left side of shrine while one of yakshi Siddhaiki , seated in savya- lalitasana on a lion with a child on her lap, is on the right. The Indra Sabha (Cave 32), excavated in the 9th century, is a two-storey cave with a monolithic shrine in its court. 19th-century historians confused the Jain Yaksas for alternate images of Indra that were found in Buddhist and Hindu artworks, thus leading to
2040-853: Is said to have been founded c. 1187 by Bhillama V , a Yadava prince who renounced his allegiance to the Chalukyas and established the power of the Yadava dynasty in the west. During the rule of the Yadava king Ramachandra , Alauddin Khalji of the Delhi Sultanate raided Devagiri in 1296, forcing the Yadavas to pay a hefty tribute. When the tribute payments stopped, Alauddin sent a second expedition to Devagiri in 1308, forcing Ramachandra to become his vassal. In 1328, Muhammad bin Tughluq of
2125-595: Is the large Jami mosque of Daulatabad , which dates to 1318. A short distance away is the Chand Minar . Located within a sector of the fort called Mahakot, it is an exceptionally tall tower built by Alauddin Bahmani in 1446 to commemorate his capture of Daulatabad. Its base is concealed by a small structure, which contains a mosque. Ambarkot is the outermost defense wall at the Daulatabad site, enclosing most of
2210-453: Is the second-largest Jain cave at Ellora and dates to the 9th century according to the inscriptions on the pillars. It is a two-storeyed cave with twelve massive pillars and elephant heads projecting towards a porch, all carved from a single rock. The hall has two heavy square pillars in front, four in the middle area, and a pillared interior square principal hall with fluted shafts, all intricately carved with capitals, ridges and brackets. Inside
2295-544: The Deccan Traps . The volcanic activity that formed the west-facing cliff that houses the Ellora caves occurred during the Cretaceous period. The resulting vertical face made access to many layers of rock formations easier, enabling architects to pick basalt with finer grains for more detailed sculpting. The construction at Ellora has been studied since British colonial rule. However, the overlapping styles between
2380-585: The Marathwada region of Maharashtra and a protected monument under the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). Ellora, also called Verul or Elura, is the short form of the ancient name Elloorpuram . The older form of the name has been found in ancient references such as the Baroda inscription of 812 AD which mentions "the greatness of this edifice" and that "this great edifice was built on
2465-538: The Qutb Minar of Delhi and was inspired from it. The Chand Minar is considered to be among the finest specimens of Indo-Islamic architecture in Southern India. It is 63 metres high and is divided into 4 storeys and 24 chambers. A small mosque or praying hall sits at the base of the tower, which is covered with Persian blue tiles. The tower also displays some indigenous Indian architectural features such as
2550-648: The Rashtrakuta dynasty, while the last Jain caves were built by the Yadava dynasty, which had also sponsored other Jain cave temples. The Hindu caves were constructed during the Kalachuri period, from the mid-6th century to the end of the 8th century in two phases. Nine cave temples were excavated early in the 6th century, followed by a further four caves (caves 17–29). Work first started , in order, on Caves 28, 27 and 19 then Caves 29 and 21, which were excavated concurrently with Caves 20 and 26. Caves 17 and 28 were
2635-413: The 8th century with the support of king Krishna I . Construction in the early Hindu caves commenced before any of the Buddhist or Jain caves. These early caves were generally dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva , although the iconography suggests that the artisans gave other gods and goddesses of Hinduism prominent and equal reverence. A common feature of these cave temples was a rock-cut linga-yoni within
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2720-537: The 9th and 10th centuries. It is mistakenly referred to by the 10th-century Baghdad resident Al-Mas‘udi as "Aladra", site of a great temple, a place of Indian pilgrimage and one with thousands of cells where devotees live; in 1352 CE, the records of Ala-ud-Din Bahman Shah mention him camping at the site. Other records were written by Firishta , Thevenot (1633–67), Niccolao Manucci (1653–1708), Charles Warre Malet (1794), and Seely (1824). Some accounts acknowledge
2805-557: The Bahmani dynasty during its early days. Kataka is a circular, intermediary fort at the Daulatabad site. It was built by Tughluq commanders as an expansion to Balakot, occupying its northern and eastern flanks, adjoining the base of the Devagiri hill. The defensive wall is a massive double rampart, featuring bastions and moats. Lying just outside the eastern entrance of the wall is a Mughal-era hammam . A notable structure within Kataka
2890-410: The Buddhist caves is Cave 10, a chaitya worship hall called the 'Vishvakarma cave', built around 650 CE. It is also known as the "Carpenter's Cave", because the rock has been given a finish that has the appearance of wooden beams. Beyond its multi-storeyed entry is a cathedral-like stupa hall also known as chaitya-griha (prayer house). At the heart of this cave is a 15-foot statue of Buddha seated in
2975-403: The Buddhist, Hindu and Jain caves has made it difficult to establish agreement concerning the chronology of their construction. The disputes generally concern: one, whether the Buddhist or Hindu caves were carved first and, two, the relative dating of caves within a particular tradition. The broad consensus that has emerged is based on comparing the carving styles at Ellora to other cave temples in
3060-522: The Deccan region that have been dated, textual records of various dynasties, and epigraphical evidence found at various archaeological sites near Ellora and elsewhere in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka. Geri Hockfield Malandra and other scholars have stated that the Ellora caves had three important building periods: an early Hindu period (~550 to 600 CE), a Buddhist phase (~600 to 730 CE) and
3145-472: The Delhi sultanate transferred the capital of his kingdom to Devagiri, and renamed it Daulatabad. The sultan made Daulatabad (Devagiri) his second capital in 1327. Some scholars argue that the idea behind transferring the capital was rational, because it lay more or less in the centre of the kingdom, and geographically secured the capital from the north-west frontier attacks. In the Daulatabad fort, Tughluq found
3230-490: The Indian culture. The cave is laid out symmetrically according to the mandapa square principle and has embedded geometric patterns repeated throughout the cave. The Shiva linga at the sanctum sanctorum of the temple is equidistant from the major statues of goddesses Ganga and Yamuna, with all three set in an equilateral triangle. According to Carmel Berkson, this layout likely symbolizes the Brahman – Prakriti relationship,
3315-401: The Jain caves at Ellora likely began in the late 8th century, with construction and excavation activity extending beyond the 10th century and into the 13th century before coming to a halt with the invasion of the region by the Delhi Sultanate. This is evidenced by votive inscriptions dated to 1235 CE, where the donor states to have "converted Charanadri into a holy tirtha " for Jains by gifting
3400-621: The Jain temples include carvings of gods and goddesses, yaksa (male nature deity), yaksi (female nature deity) and human devotees prevalent in Jain mythology of 1st millennium CE. According to Jose Pereira , the five caves were actually 23 distinct excavations, over different periods. A 13 of these are in Indra Sabha, 6 in Jagannatha Sabha and rest in the Chhota Kailash. Pareira used numerous sources to conclude that
3485-515: The Nizam Shahi dynasty. There is no evidence tying it to any specific builder; it likely originates from the early days of the dynasty, and takes its name from blue/white tiles set into its facade. The palace is in a crumbling state, and currently survives as a long hall, with an entrance on one side. The palace may have been larger in the past, but was destroyed by the Mughals and converted into
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3570-516: The Pala dynasty style found in eastern regions of India. Some southern Indian influences can also be found in various works in this cave. At the north end of Ellora are the five Jain caves belonging to the Digambara sect, which were excavated in the ninth and early tenth centuries. These caves are smaller than the Buddhist and Hindu caves but nonetheless feature highly detailed carvings. They, and
3655-668: The Qutb Minar of Delhi, of which he was a great fan. He employed Iranian architects to build the Minar, who used lapis lazuli and red ocher for coloring. Currently, the Minar is out of bounds for tourists, because of a suicide case. As we move further into the fort, we can see the Chini Mahal, a VIP prison built by Aurangzeb. In this prison, he kept Abul Hasan Qutb Shah of the Golconda Sultanate of Hyderabad. Most of
3740-540: The Vīśvakarmā Cave, is a major Buddhist prayer hall. Caves 11 and 12 are three-storied Mahayana monastery caves with idols, mandalas carved into the walls, and numerous goddesses, and Bodhisattva-related iconography, belonging to Vajrayana Buddhism. These are compelling evidence to suggest that Vajrayana and Tantra ideas of Buddhism were well established in South Asia by the 8th-century CE. Notable among
3825-558: The area arid and dry. His capital-shift strategy failed miserably. Hence he shifted back to Delhi and earned the moniker "Mad King". The next important event in the Daulatabad fort time-line was the construction of the Chand Minar by the Bahmani Sultan Hasan Gangu Bahmani, also known as Ala-ud-Din Bahman Shah (r. 3 August 1347 – 11 February 1358). Hasan Gangu built the Chand Minar as a replica of
3910-492: The back of the Jina's throne. As with many other Jain excavations, a large pair of yaksa -yaksi is also found in this cave near the Jina. In the back of the cave is a bearded figure with a bowl containing round sacrificial offerings, which have shapes reminiscent of pindas (rice balls) or laddus (sweetmeat). This suggests the scene may be related to Jain devotional worship, possibly a shraddha ceremony. The Parshvanatha in
3995-499: The brackets supporting its balconies. The tower's height makes it visible from every corner of the Daulatabad Fort. This article about an Indian building or structure is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Daulatabad, Maharashtra Daulatabad Fort , originally Deogiri Fort , is a historic fortified citadel located in Daulatabad village near Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar , Maharashtra , India. It
4080-410: The cave is paired with a standing Gommateshvara, and accompanied by other carvings showing musicians playing a variety of instruments such as horns, drums, conchs, trumpets, and cymbals. A particularly notable feature of the cave is a giant, open lotus carving on its ceiling and rooftop, which is found in only one other Jain excavation and one Hindu Cave 25 in all of Ellora. The placement of the lotus on
4165-469: The cave rather than a sculpture symbolizes that the temple is a divine place. On the hill to the northeast of the main complex of caves is a Jain temple containing a 16-foot (4.9 m) rock-carved image of Lord Parshvanath from the Rashtrakuta period with an inscription dated 1234 A.D. The well-preserved image is flanked by Dharaıendra and Padmavati. The inscription mentions the site as Charana Hill,
4250-465: The caves served as temples and a rest stop for pilgrims, the site's location on an ancient South Asian trade route also made it an important commercial centre in the Deccan region. It is 29 kilometres (18 miles) north-west of Aurangabad , and about 300 kilometres (190 miles) east-northeast of Mumbai . Today, the Ellora Caves, along with the nearby Ajanta Caves , are a major tourist attraction in
4335-528: The city of Aurangabad, 300 kilometres (190 miles) east-northeast of Mumbai , 235 kilometres (146 miles) from Pune and about 100 kilometres (62 miles) west of the Ajanta Caves , 2.3 kilometres (1.42 miles) from Grishneshwar Temple (India). Ellora occupies a relatively flat rocky region of the Western Ghats , where ancient volcanic activity had created multilayered basalt formations, known as
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#17327654338584420-474: The city was initially built around 1187 by the first Yadava monarch, Bhillama V . In 1308, the city was annexed by Alauddin Khalji of the Delhi Sultanate, which ruled over some parts of the northern India . In 1327, Muhammad bin Tughluq of the Delhi Sultanate renamed the city Daulatabad and shifted his imperial capital to the city from Delhi , ordering a mass migration of Delhi's population to
4505-731: The core of the shrine with each being surrounded by a space for circumambulation ( parikrama ). Cave 29, also called Dhumar Lena , is one of earliest excavations in Ellora and among the largest. Early Hindu temple building in the cave centred around the "Vale Ganga", a natural waterfall that was integrated into the monument. The waterfall is visible from a rock carved balcony to the south and has been described as "falling over great Shiva's brow", particularly during monsoon season. The carvings in this cave are larger than life size but, according to author Dhavalikar, they are "corpulent, stumpy with disproportionate limbs" compared to those found in other Ellora caves. Cave 21, also called Rameshwar Lena ,
4590-620: The death of Hiranyakashipu, where Vishnu in man-lion ( Narasimha ) form, emerges from a pillar to lay a fatal hand upon his shoulder. It is a Rastrakoot dynasty sculpture. Other reliefs in Cave 15 include the Gangadhara, marriage of Shiva and Parvati, Tripurantika of Shakti tradition, Markendeya, Garuda, aspects of life, Nandi in mandapa, dancing Shiva, Andhakasura, Govardhanadhari, Gajendravarada and others. The panels are arranged in dyads, which states Carmel Berkson, reinforce each other by displaying "cooperative but also antagonistic energy" with
4675-641: The earliest Samavasarana images among its devotional carvings. The Samavasarana is of particular importance to Jains being the hall where the Tirthankara preaches after attaining Kevala Jnana (liberating omniscience). Another interesting feature found in these caves is the pairing of sacred figures in Jainism, specifically Parsvanatha and Bahubali , which appear 19 times. Other artworks of significance include those of deities Sarasvati, Sri, Saudharmendra, Sarvanubhuti, Gomukha, Ambika, Cakresvari, Padmavati, Ksetrapala and Hanuman. The Chhota Kailasha, or
4760-487: The earliest structures that were created between the fifth and eighth centuries, with caves 1–5 in the first phase (400–600) and 6–12 in the later phase (650–750), but modern scholars now consider the construction of Hindu caves to have been before the Buddhist caves. The earliest Buddhist cave is Cave 6, then 5, 2, 3, 5 (right wing), 4, 7, 8, 10 and 9, with caves 11 and 12, also known as Do Thal and Tin Thal respectively, being
4845-591: The excavation of lordly Jinas. Particularly important Jain shrines are the Chhota Kailash (cave 30, 4 excavations), the Indra Sabha (cave 32, 13 excavations) and the Jagannath Sabha (cave 33, 4 excavations); cave 31 is an unfinished four-pillared hall, and shrine. Cave 34 is a small cave, which can be accessed through an opening in the left side of Cave 33. The Jain caves contain some of
4930-404: The hearth of a huge fire kept burning by the garrison above. At the summit, and at intervals on the slope, are specimens of massive old cannon facing out over the surrounding countryside. Also at the midway, there is a cave entrance meant to confuse the enemies. The fort had the following specialties which are listed along with their advantages : Daulatabad (19°57’N 75°15’E) is located at
5015-533: The historic city. Balakot is the name given to the rock fort upon the conical Deogiri hill, and was termed so by the Tughluqs. The Yadavas initiated this fortification by scarping the slopes of the hill until they were vertical, rising 50m above ground, and excavated a deep moat at the base of the hill. The Balakot site contains a number of palatial buildings. The most notable is the Chini Mahal , dating to
5100-546: The historic city. It is typically attributed to Malik Ambar , minister of the Nizam Shahis, but may have been built by the Tughluqs. It is elliptical in shape, and spans two kilometres north to south. Similar to Kataka, the Ambarkot rampart consists of two defense walls. Scholar Pushkar Sohoni notes that there are a number of historic structures around the Ambarkot walls that have not been investigated yet. Daulatabad
5185-455: The importance of Ellora but make inaccurate statements regarding its construction; for example, a description of the caves by Venetian traveller Niccolao Manucci, whose Mughal history was well received in France, wrote that the Ellora caves "...were executed by the ancient Chinese" based on his assessment of the workmanship and what he had been told. Ellora was a well-known site in Mughal times:
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#17327654338585270-425: The interdependence of the masculine and the feminine energies, that is central to Hindu theology . Cave 16, known as the Kailasa temple , is a particularly notable cave temple in India as a result of its size, architecture and having been entirely carved out of a single rock. The Kailasha temple, inspired by Mount Kailasha, is dedicated to Shiva . It is modeled along similar lines to other Hindu temples with
5355-401: The last ones to be started. The later caves, 14, 15 and 16, were constructed during the Rashtrakuta period, some being dated to between the 8th to 10th centuries. Work first began in Caves 14 and 15 with Cave 16, the "world's largest single monolith" , that is located in the Kailash temple in Madhya Pradesh,India, being the last of the three to be constructed. These caves were completed in
5440-406: The last. Eleven out of the twelve Buddhist caves consist of viharas , or monasteries with prayer halls: large, multi-storeyed buildings carved into the mountain face, including living quarters, sleeping quarters, kitchens, and other rooms. The monastery caves have shrines including carvings of Gautama Buddha , bodhisattvas and saints. In some of these caves, sculptors have endeavoured to give
5525-400: The later-era Hindu caves, were built at a similar time and both share architectural and devotional ideas such as a pillared veranda, symmetric mandapa and puja (worship). However, unlike the Hindu temples, emphasis is placed on the depiction of the twenty-four Jinas (spiritual conquerors who have gained liberation from the endless cycle of rebirths). In addition to these Jinas, the works at
5610-430: The little Kailasha, is so named due to the similarity of the carvings to those in the Kailasha temple. This temple was likely built in the early 9th century, concurrent with the construction of the lower level of the Indra Sabha, some decades after the completion of the Kailasha Temple. It features two larger-than-life size reliefs of dancing Indra, one with eight arms and another with twelve, both adorned with ornaments and
5695-507: The major idols are of Parshvanatha and Mahavira, the last two Tirthankaras in Jainism. Certain inscriptions in Cave 34, or J26 according to historian José Pereira , are not deciphered as yet but were likely to have been executed between 800 and 850 CE. Other inscriptions, such as the one by Sri Nagavarma, are thought to date from the 9th or 10th century. This cave features a large seated Parshvanatha Jina with four camara attendants, two of whom hold fly-whisks and seemingly emerge from
5780-404: The middle and a two-storeyed excavated temple at the rear. Large sculptural panels between the wall columns on the upper floor illustrate a wide range of themes, including the ten avatars of Vishnu. An inscription of Dantidurga , critical to establishing the age of the temple, is on the back wall of the front mandapa . According to Coomaraswamy, the finest relief of this cave is the one depicting
5865-449: The now Daulatabad. However, Muhammad bin Tughluq reversed his decision in 1334 and the capital of the Delhi Sultanate was shifted back to Delhi. In 1499, Daulatabad became part of the Ahmadnagar Sultanate, who used it as their secondary capital. In 1610, near Daulatabad Fort, the new city of Aurangabad, then named Khadki, was established to serve as the capital of the Ahmadnagar Sultanate by the Ethiopian military leader Malik Ambar , who
5950-415: The other way around. Furthermore, given that both the Hindu and Buddhist caves were predominantly anonymous, with no donative inscriptions having been discovered for the Buddhist Ellora caves other than those of Hindu dynasties that built them, the original intent and nature of these cave temples is speculative. The Hindu temple housed in Cave 15 has an open court with a free-standing monolithic mandapa at
6035-401: The present-day fortification was constructed under the Bahmanis and the Nizam Shahs of Ahmednagar Sultanate. The Mughal Governor of the Deccan under Shah Jahan , captured the fortress in 1632 and imprisoned the Nizam Shahi prince. It was captured by the Maratha Empire in 1760. In Hindu lore, Lord Shiva is believed to have stayed on the hills surrounding this region. Hence the fort
6120-404: The region. This overlap in disparate designs between Buddhist and Hindu caves may be due to the sites being worked on by the same architects and workers, or perhaps a planned Buddhist cave was adapted into a Hindu monument. According to Geri Malandra, all the Buddhist caves at Ellora were an intrusion in a place that was already an established Brahmanical Tirtha (Hindu pilgrimage site), and not
6205-408: The religious harmony that existed in ancient India. All of the Ellora monuments were built during the Rashtrakuta dynasty (r. 753-982 AD), which constructed part of the Hindu and Buddhist caves, and the Yadava dynasty (c. 1187–1317), which constructed a number of the Jain caves. Funding for the construction of the monuments was provided by royals, traders and the wealthy of the region. Although
6290-537: The stone the look of wood. Caves 5, 10, 11 and 12 are architecturally important Buddhist caves. Cave 5 is unique among the Ellora caves as it was designed as a hall with a pair of parallel refectory benches in the centre and a Buddha statue in the rear. This cave, and Cave 11 of the Kanheri Caves , are the only two Buddhist caves in India arranged in such a way. Caves 1 through 9 are all monasteries while Cave 10,
6375-481: The temple being given the misnomer "Indra Sabha". Indra is an important deity in all three major religions, but is of particular importance in Jainism as not only is he one of 64 deities who reign over the heavens, he is, specifically, the king of the first Jain heaven, Saudharmakalpa , and the chief architect of the celestial assembly hall according to the Adipurana , a Jain holy text. The Indra Sabha Jain temple
6460-552: The temple features numerous Shaiva, Vaishnava and Shakti works; a notable set of carvings include the twelve episodes from the childhood of Krishna , an important element of Vaishnavism. The structure is a freestanding, multi-level temple complex covering an area twice the size of the Parthenon in Athens . It is estimated that the artists removed three million cubic feet of stone, weighing approximately 200,000 tonnes, to excavate
6545-440: The temple. The construction of the temple has been attributed to the Rashtrakuta king Krishna I (r. 756–773 CE), but elements of Pallava architecture have also been noted. The dimensions of the courtyard are 82 meters by 46 meters at the base, and 30 meters high (280 × 160 × 106 feet). The entrance features a low gopuram . The central shrine housing the lingam features a flat-roofed mandapa supported by 16 pillars, and
6630-523: The two major Hindu epics . There are over 100 caves at the site, all excavated from the basalt cliffs in the Charanandri Hills, 34 of which are open to public. These consist of 17 Hindu (caves 13–29), 12 Buddhist (caves 1–12) and 5 Jain (caves 30–34) caves, each group representing deities and mythologies prevalent in the 1st millennium CE, as well as monasteries of each respective religion. They were built close to one another and illustrate
6715-474: The upper level are pillared porticos with small rooms in their back walls. The pillared verandah of the chaitya has a small shrine at either end and a single cell in the far end of the back wall. The corridor columns have massive squared shafts and ghata-pallava (vase and foliage) capitals. The various levels of Cave 10 also feature idols of male and female deities, such as Maitreya, Tara, Avalokitesvara (Vajradhamma), Manjusri, Bhrkuti, and Mahamayuri, carved in
6800-455: The upper level of the shrine, excavated at the rear of the court, is an image of Ambika , the yakshini of Neminath , seated on her lion under a mango tree, laden with fruit. The centre of the shrine presents Sarvatobhadra , where four Tirthankaras of Jainism – Rshibha (1st), Neminatha (22nd), Parsvanatha (23rd) and Mahavira (24th) are aligned to the cardinal directions, forming a place of worship for devotees. The Jagannatha Sabha (Cave 33)
6885-679: The world" among rock-cut monuments. The Dashavatara temple , or Cave 15, is another significant excavation that was completed sometime after Cave 14 (Ravan ki Khai, Hindu). Cave 15 has cells and a layout plan that are similar to Buddhist Caves 11 and 12, which suggests this cave was intended to be a Buddhist cave; however, the presence of non-Buddhist features, such as a Nrtya Mandapa (an Indian classical dance pavilion) at its entrance, indicated otherwise. According to James Harle, Hindu images have been found in Buddhist Cave 11, while many Hindu deities have been incorporated in Buddhist caves of
6970-577: The world, with artwork dating from the period 600–1000 AD, also including several Buddhist and Jain caves. The complex is a leading example of Indian rock-cut architecture , and several are not strictly "caves" in that they have no roof. Cave 16 features the largest single monolithic rock excavation in the world, the Kailash temple , a chariot-shaped monument dedicated to the god Shiva . The Kailash temple excavation also features sculptures depicting various Hindu deities as well as relief panels summarizing
7055-568: Was brought to India as a slave but rose to become a popular Prime Minister of the Ahmadnagar Sultanate. Most of the present-day fortifications at Daulatabad Fort were constructed under the Ahmadnagar Sultanate. The area of the city the hill-fortress of Devagiri (sometimes Latinised to Deogiri). It stands on a conical hill, about 200 meters high. Much of the lower slopes of the hill has been cut away by Yadava dynasty rulers to leave 50-meter vertical sides to improve defenses. The fort
7140-475: Was originally known as Devagiri, literally "hills of god". Daulatabad is a fortified city that is the cumulative result of 1000 years of building history, overseen by successive rulers of the Deccan . It can be divided into three distinct zones: Balakot, the innermost fortification atop the conical hill itself; Kataka, the intermediate fortification; and Ambarkot, the outermost defense wall which encloses most of
7225-544: Was the capital of the Yadavas (9th century – 14th century CE), for a brief time the capital of the Delhi Sultanate (1327–1334), and later a secondary capital of the Ahmadnagar Sultanate (1499–1636). Around the 6th century CE, Devagiri emerged as an important uplands town near present-day Aurangabad, along caravan routes going towards western and southern India. The historical triangular fortress in
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