Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
With the resemblance to Mount Kailash, the puranic abode of Lord Shiva, Kailashnath Temple Ellora is believed that it was built by the Rashtrakuta King Krishna in between the years 756 and 773 AD.
This rock cave temple is believed to be the largest monolithic structure in the world. It is situated about 30km away from the city of Aurangabad in the Maharashtra state of the Indian subcontinent. Archaeologists also claim that there is a significant similarity of this temple with the Virupaksha Temple in Northern Karnataka. The Kailasa Temple is the 16th cave and is one of the 32 cave temples and monasteries of the awe-inspiring Ellora Caves.
Design-
The architecture of Kailasa Temple is remarkable, with its Gopuram: the monumental tower at the entrance leading to the horseshoe-shaped courtyard; Nandi Mandapa: the pavilion dedicated to Lord Shiva’s sacred bull Nandi; Gudh Mandapa: the closed sacred hall and Vimana containing the Garbhagriha: the shrine of Shiva. The main shrine of the Kailasa Temple stands on a podium that is divided into two parts: the upper part Adhisthana and the lower part Upapitha, which is surrounded by the line of large sculpted elephants. The access to the upper floor is through the staircases provided on either side of the porch. A rock bridge connects the Nandi Mandapa to the porch of the temple.
Ellora depict intricate stone-carved sculptures of various deities of the Hindu dieties and these sculptures also depict some of the episodes from the Purana, Ramayana, and Mahabharata. These marvelous sculptures and the outstanding engineering of the Kailasa Temple make it an incredible example of Indian art, architecture, and culture.
However, in addition to the architectural and spiritual elements, there is, of course, the human element as well—the unknown eloquent faces behind these works of art and design. It is just jaw-dropping to imagine artists, craftsmen, and even monks, chiseling the rocks for decades, softening its edges, giving it shape and form, and leaving an indelible impression for posterity to figure out the past.
CONSTRUCTION -
It is unbelievable that this 32-meter high monolithic structure has been carved out to T, from top to bottom. The number of labor involved in the construction of this majestic rock-carved temple is something that leaves one brooding about it.
The immense amount of cost and labor required to cut the ashlars from the quarry to build such a structure would have been unimaginable. The transportation of the ashlars to the site and then the site masons chiseling those to desired shapes and sizes is an ample amount of work during those days.
