Ellora Caves

Ellora caves- The Most beautiful caves in India

                  

The Ellora caves are very old caves that date back as far as 600-1000 C.E and comprise of different caves of Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain caves.

These caves also known as Verul Leni by the local people are situated in Aurangabad-Chalisgaon, 30 km from Aurangabad.

The temple even displays the mythologies, goddesses, and gods of the Hindu epics and the Shaktism and Vaishnavism religions cults. The conglomeration of the Ellora caves has a total of 100 caves, out of which only 34 caves are for the public.

Funds for the construction of the caves were provided by various rulers.

The incredible Kailasa Temple (also known as the Kailash Temple), which forms Cave 16 at Ellora, is undoubtedly the most famous attraction. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and his sacred abode at Mount Kailash. Its immense size covers twice the area of the Pantheon in Athens, and is one and a half times as high! The life-size elephant sculptures are a highlight.

The most incomprehensible thing about the Ellora caves is that they were crafted by hand, with only a hammer and chisel. There are various cave complexes in India, but these are definitely the most spectacular.

Location

Located in Northern Maharashtra, around 400 kilometers (250 miles) from Mumbai and its located near Aurangabad.

                                         

Getting There

The closest railway stations are in Aurangabad for the Ellora caves (45 minutes away).

Travel time from Mumbai to Aurangabad by Indian Railways train is 6-7 hours. Here are the options.

There’s also an airport in Aurangabad, so it's possible to fly from many cities in India.

Using Aurangabad as a base, it’s most convenient to hire a taxi and drive to Ellora caves.

There are many Tours and Travels agencies That provides car hire to  Ellora caves Depending on the type of car, rates start from 1,250 rupees for Ellora caves.

                                

Alternatively, Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation conducts inexpensive daily guided bus tours to the Ajanta and Ellora caves from Aurangabad. The buses are comfortable air-conditioned Volvo buses. The tours run separately -- one goes to Ajanta and the other to Ellora -- and can be booked in advance at the Central Bus Stand and CIDCO Bus Stand.

The Ellora bus tour departs from the Central Bus Stand at 8.30 a.m and arrives back at 5.30 p.m. It includes Daultabad Fort, Bibi Ka Maqbara and Panchakki. The cost is 215 rupees per person.

Or, if you'd prefer to travel independently, you can easily take a public Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation bus from the Central Bus Stand in Aurangabad to Ellora (D0825).It's worth considering, as you'll be able to get there before the tour buses do. The buses run frequently but they're not air-conditioned.

                                

When to Visit

The best time to visit the caves is from November to February when it's cooler and dry.

ENTRY FEE

The entry fee tickets are Rs.10 (per person) for citizens of India, BIMSTEC, and SAARC countries and it is Rs.250 (per person) for the foreigners.

                               

Opening Hours

The Ellora caves are open from sunrise until sunset (around 5.30 p.m.), daily except Tuesdays. The caves are open on national holidays. However, try to avoid visiting them then (as well as on weekends) as the crowds can be overwhelming and you won't have a peaceful experience.

Travel Tips

You can get an excellent view and perspective of inside the Kailasa Temple at Ellora by climbing up the hill around it.

                                 

When visiting Ellora, ask your driver to drop you at the viewpoint and meet you at the car park. Walk downhill from the viewpoint and enter at cave 8. From there, walk right to the end and start at cave 28. This will enable you to see nearly half the caves without the crowds.

Bring a torch with you to the caves as many of them are quite dark and lighting is poor.

Try to reach the caves before 10 a.m. to beat the crowds and tour buses.

THINGS TO DO IN AND AROUND

                   

Enroute to the Ellora Caves are the popular attractions as follows:

1.Daulatabad Fort: It is a beautiful rock fortress that is situated at a distance of 30 km from Aurangabad. It has innumerable secret, meandering passages.

2.Khuldabad: A serene hill station, 10 kms from the Dhaulatabad fort, flaunts a few meticulously carved Sufi’s tomb.

3.Bhadra maruti Mandir- A beautiful temple located a few kms to the east of the Sufi’s tomb.

Things To Do In Ellora Caves

• 1 Ellora Caves. 9.00AM to 17.30PM closed on Tuesday, Open on ALL National Holidays. The entry fees ₹30 for Indians, ₹500 for Foreigners. Free entry for children below 15 years. Still Photography: Free, Video Photography: ₹25.
• 2 Kailasanatha temple (Cave #16).
• 3 Cave 1 (The southernmost cave). Houses some of the best-preserved wall paintings here, which include two impressive Bodhisattvas, Padmapani and Avalokiteshvara. 
• Cave 6, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 21, 29, 30, 30A, 31, 32, 33, 34. Must to see. Inscriptions were found at Cave 15, 21, 31 
• 4 Chota Kailash (Cave 30) (Next to Jain Group). 
• 5 Dhumar Lena (Cave 29). 
• 6 Dashawatara (Cave 15). 
• 7 Jain Group of Ellora Caves (Cave 31-34) (North of Dhumar Lena). 
• 8 Waterfall (Next to Dhumar Lena). 

                                           

These murals and frescoes adorning the walls of these structures depict the story of Buddhism, spanning the period from 200 BC to 650 AD. Many of the caves have panels depicting stories from the Jatakas, a treasure trove of stories about the several incarnations of the Buddha. This makes the Ajanta caves a fascinating spiritual tourist attraction for Buddhists and scholars and researchers of Buddhism.

Caves 2, 16, and 17 also contain amazing paintings, while caves 1, 4, 17, 19, 24, and 26 boast of some of the most divine sculptures. The flying apsara painting in Cave 17, and the image of the Buddha preaching, also in cave 17, are two unforgettable works of art in Ajanta. The Ajanta caves and the treasures they house are a landmark in the overall development of Buddhism in India and in general.

The nobility, grace, and serenity inherent in Buddha are reflected in the sculptures of these caves. 

Caves 6 and 10 house images from the Buddhist and Hindu faith, under the same roof, the latter dedicated to Vishwakarma, the patron saint of Indian craftsmen.

 The Vishvakarma cave is both a Chaitya and a Vihara, with a seated Buddha placed in the stupa. Its two-storeyed structure sports a colorful pageant of dwarfs, dancing and making music.

The Kailasa temple in Cave 16 is architecture. The entire structure was an exquisite piece carved out of a monolith, the process taking over a century to finish. This mountain-abode of Lord Shiva is in all probability, the world's largest monolith, the gateway, pavilion, assembly hall, sanctum and tower, all hewn out of a single rock. The most striking feature about this structure is that unlike other temple structures that are built base onwards, the sculptures or architects of this majestic and fantastic sculptures started carving from the very top and the sides. The gigantic yet delicate and intricate piece of ancient work is the most amazing structure here.

 The Dumar Lena cave, dedicated to Lord Shiva, resembles the famous cave temple of Elephanta. The Jain caves are about a mile away from the Kailasa temple, amongst which Cave 32, houses a beautiful shrine adorned with fine carvings of a lotus flower on the roof, and a yakshi on a lion under a mango tree, while Caves 32 and 34 contain grand statues of Parasnath. The other Jain caves sport the images of Tirthankaras, and one of them, also, has a seated figure of Mahavira. These caves are a treasure of India which hold the wealth and display the rich Indian heritage.