At a distance of 28 km from Aurangabad, 98 km from Ajanta
Caves, 104 km from Shirdi, 176 km from Nashik, 253 km from Pune, and 344 km
from Mumbai, Ellora Caves are ancient historical caves locally known as 'Verul
Leni'. The caves are located near Verul on the Aurangabad-Chalisgaon road to
the northwest of Aurangabad in Maharashtra. The Ellora Caves were designated a
UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983. Ellora is the most visited ancient monument
and also one of the top Tourist places in Maharashtra. Ellora is also one of
the top tourist places to visit near Aurangabad.
The caves at Ellora were carved out of the vertical face
of the Charanandri hills between the 6th and 10th centuries AD. The carving
work began around 550 AD, about the same time the Ajanta Caves were abandoned.
The Ellora Caves were built at time when Buddhism was declining in India and
Hinduism was beginning to reassert itself. The Brahmanical movement was
especially powerful under the patronage of the Chalukyas and Rashtrakutas, who
oversaw most of the work at Ellora - including the magnificent Kailash Temple
built in 8th century. The last period of building activity took place in the
10th century, when the local rulers switched allegiance from Shaivism to
Digambara sect of Jainism.
The Ellora Caves are an impressive complex of Buddhist,
Hindu and Jain Cave temples. The caves have a slightly less dramatic setting
than those at Ajanta, but more exquisite sculptures. The cave complex comprises
of 34 caves that were hewn out of solid rocks of the Charanandri hills. The
Ellora complex includes 12 Buddhist, 17 Hindu and 5 Jain Caves. Caves 1 to 12
are Buddhist monasteries, chaityas and viharas, while caves 13 to 29 are the
Hindu temples. Dating back to the 9th and 10th century, Caves 30 to 34 are the
Jain shrines. The coexistence of structures from three different religions
serves as a splendid visual representation of the prevalent religious tolerance
of India.
The central attraction at Ellora is Kailash Temple
(Cave16), which is the most remarkable. Shaped by hand from a single massive
rock, it includes a gateway, exhibition area, square, hall, sanctorum and tower
which bear testimony to the excellence of Dravidian art. The Kailash Temple is
a stupendous piece of architecture, with interesting spatial effects and grand
sculptures. It is believed to have been started by the Rashtrakuta king Krishna
I (756-773).
Every year Ajanta-Ellora Festival is organised in
Aurangabad to pay tribute to the legendary caves of Ellora, Ajanta and other
historical monuments in the region. This grand ceremony is attended by the greatest
artists of Indian art and culture. The cultural events include performances in
classical and folk dancing, singing and instrumental music. Earlier the venue
for this festival was Kailasa Temple of Ellora Caves; however, it has now been
shifted to Soneri Mahal, which is a historical palace in Aurangabad.
Hotel Kailas which is located just opposite the Ellora
Caves is the only accommodation option nearby. It offers cottages and hostel
accommodation for the budget traveler. Most tourists prefer to stay in
Aurangabad and do a day trip to Ellora which is 28 km away.
The nearest airport is at Aurangabad, 35 km away from
Ellora Caves. Aurangabad Railway station is the nearest railhead to Ellora
Caves. There are public & private buses from Aurangabad to Ellora Caves.
Visitors can also hire a private car from Aurangabad city. Aurangabad is well
connected by bus with Pune, Mumbai, Shirdi, Nashik, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Goa,
and Nagpur.
The best time to visit Ellora Caves is during the months
of June to February while the peak season is from October to January. These are
the best time to visit Ellora Caves, as the weather is really pleasant during
these months.
Cave Timings: 6 AM to 6 PM on all days except Tuesdays.
Entrance Fee: Rs. 10 for Indians and Rs. 250 for
Foreigners.
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