KAILASA TEMPLE
AT
ELLORA
The Kailasa temple, one of
major tourist attraction in India located in Ellora, Marathwada region of
Maharashtra, India is one of the largest rock-cut ancient Hindu temple.
The temple is one of the 34
temples and monasteries known collectively as the Ellora Caves built in the 8th century
by the Rashtrakuta King Krishna I as
attested in Kannada inscriptions.
The Kailasa’s (cave 16)
Striking proportion, elaborate workmanship, architectural content, and
sculpture ornamentation of rock-cut architecture made under Dravidian
architecture, which is a remarkable example.
The temple covers the wide
area of 2 kms and were dug side by side in the wall of high basalt cliff in the
complex located at Ellora. It took a long time to complete the temple.
Accurate time and year was
unknown but it is said that it was commissioned and completed between 757-783
CE, when Krishna I ruled the Rashtrakuta dynasty. The temple is made of a large
stone that forms a prehistoric monument with unique sculpture, inscription on
it and designed to recall Mount Kailash, the home of Lord Shiva.
Kailasa Temple, the most
impressive of all the temples of Ellora and one of the wonders of India. During
the 8th and early 9th centuries, the greatest masters of rock sculpture
produced this cave which is known as the Kailasa, the mountain dwelling place of
Shiva.
It is probably the world’s biggest monolithic
structure, carved out of a single rock and its conception is simply
breathtaking.
Starting at the top of a
cliff, a horde of stone-cutters removed three million cubic feet of rock to
form a vast pit measuring 107 feet deep, 276 feet long and 154 feet wide,
leaving a block in the center which was to become a temple rising from the foot
of what had been a hill.
But, despite its colossal
proportions, this is all sculptured and its detail is worked as intricately as
if it had been an ivory miniature.
This replica of the home of Shiva stands in an open country yard as three separate structures. The main temple rests on a base 25 feet high which appears to be supported by friezes of elephants.
This replica of the home of Shiva stands in an open country yard as three separate structures. The main temple rests on a base 25 feet high which appears to be supported by friezes of elephants.
This temple measures 150 by
100 feet under a gabled front and a tower in three tiers beneath a cupola. An
over head bridge links the three buildings of Kailasa and its outer gateway.
By Air
Aurangabad airport is
located at about 15 kms from the Kailasa temple and it is the closest airport
to the Kailasa temple. Aurangabad airport is well connected to major cities of
Maharashtra and India. One may fly to Aurangabad and reach Kailasa temple by any
local transport.
By Train
Aurangabad is the nearest
railway station to reach Kailasa temple which is situated around 30 kms from
the temple. There are direct trains available from the major cities in
Maharashtra; like Mumbai, Pune, Ahmednagar, Nashik etc. to reach Aurangabad.
By Bus
Aurangabad is the nearest
city to Kailasa temple and it is well connected with them by road. From
Aurangabad bus and taxi services available to reach Kailasa temple. Aurangabad
is also well connected by state transport buses from major cities of
Maharashtra like Mumbai, Pune, Nashik, Satara, Kolhapur and Ahmednagar.
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