1. Dr. Virag Sontakke
Kailasnatha
Temple ElloraCase no 16
Dr.Virag Sontakke
Assistant Professor
A.I.H.C. & Archaeology
Banaras Hindu University,Varanasi
B.A. III
Semester IV
3. Dr. Virag Sontakke
Introduction
• Kailasa temple of Ellora is the largest single monolithic structure and
one of the greatest man made wonders of the world.
• It is locally known as “Verul Leni”.
• It is located on the Aurangabad-Chalisgaon road at a distance of 30
km north-northwest of Aurangabad, in Maharashtra.
• The ancient name of Ellora was Elapura as mentioned in the
Chalukyan and Raştrakuta copper plate inscriptions.
• Caves are excavated from the Basalt cliffs in the Charanandri Hills.
• The 34 excavations on the vertical face of the Charanandri hills –
being Buddhist, Hindu and Jain cave temples and monasteries are
supposed to have been built between the 7th century and 10th
century.
1. The 12 Buddhist (caves 1-12),
2. 17 Hindu (caves 13-29) and
3. 5 Jain caves (caves 30-34),
4. built in vicinity of 16, demonstrate the religious harmony
prevalent during this period of Indian history.
8. Dr. Virag Sontakke
Kailasa Temple
• The most ambitious and impressive of these is Cave 16,
the Kailasa temple.
• The proud patronage which created the magnificent
Kailaśa has been ascribed to Raśtrakutas of Ellora.
• A chariot shaped monument dedicated to Shiva.
• It includes a Garbhgrha, Antrala, Mandap, Nandi shrine,
Gateway, surrounding cloisters, and subsidiary shrines.
• In its plan and general arrangements the Kailaśa bears a
certain resemblance to the Virupaksha temple at
Pattadakal,
9. Dr. Virag Sontakke
Who Made it?
• James Burgess dated the construction period of Kailash temple to the reign of
Dantidurga.
• Some of the temple reliefs feature the same style as the one used in the (Cave
15) Dashavatara Cave.
• Cave 15 has an inscription of Krishna's predecessor and nephew Dantidurg
(c. 735–756 CE).
• Based on this, Hermann Goetz the construction of the Kailasa temple began
during the reign of Dantidurga.
• Based on the Baroda copper plate, M.K. Dhavalikar argues that the second
Rashtrakuta monarch Krishna I (757–772 CE) was the patron of Kailash
temple.
• According to K.V. Soundararajan, upper parivara shrine scheme, together
with the main temple (up to the mukhamandapa) had been built in the period
of Krishna I and the other parts were added later.
• Numerous scholars also assume that after Krishna I, many Rashtrakuta kings
including Amogha Varsha and Govinda III may have added some parts.
10. Dr. Virag Sontakke
Theme of temple
• Architectural details seem to be inspired from the narratives
of Hindu mythology.
• The Kailashanath temple, inspired by Mount Kailasha, is
dedicated to Shiva.
• The temple has a Shivalinga in its sanctum sanctorum.
• The Vaishnava images were given prominent position and
complementary to that of Śaiva images.
• On the other hand Ramayan, Mahabharat and other
Brahmanical deities are also noticed.
11. Dr. Virag Sontakke
Plan
• The scheme of the
Kailasa resolves into six
main parts
1. Entrance gateway
2. Nandi shrine
3. Mandap
4. Antarala
5. Garbhgruha
6. Cloisters
surrounding the
courtyard
• On each side of the
courtyard supplementary
chambers have been
excavated.
• There are two free-
standing pillars, or
dhwaja-sthambhas, 51
feet high, one on each
side of the nandi shrine.
• Its 106 feet deep at its
innermost side, 160 ft
wide and 280 ft in
length.
• The temple stands in the
middle of this pit. Its
highest point is
the shikhar at 96 ft.
17. Dr. Virag Sontakke
Gateway
• One entrance gate
(two storied)
• Entry From West
• The entrance to the
temple courtyard
features a
low gopuram
showing Southern
influence
• Wall with Niches
and Pilasters
• Decorated with
sculptures
• Number of deities
with southern
influence
• Left : Saivite deities
• Right: Vaisnavite
deities
18. Dr. Virag Sontakke
Lower story
• Rectangular on plan
• The dimensions of the courtyard are 82 m x 46 m
• Huge plinth 25 feet
• Look like ground floor
• Influence of south Indian temples
• Gallery form three sides
• Life size elephants, lions carved
• Huge sculptural panel
• The base of the temple hall features scenes
from Mahabharata and Ramayana.
21. Dr. Virag Sontakke
Nandi Mandap
• Nandi sits on a porch in front of the main temple.
• The Nandi mandapa and main Shiva temple are each
about 7 metres high.
• It’s a two storied structure.
• The lower stories of the Nandi Mandapa are both solid
structures, decorated with elaborate illustrative carvings.
• A rock bridge connects the Nandi Mandapa to the porch of
the temple.
23. Dr. Virag Sontakke
Mandap
• Squarish on plan
• This mandap is a well-proportioned compartment measuring 70 feet by 62 feet .
• 16 square piers in groups of 4 in each quarter.
• Has Ardhmandapa (mukha chatushkis) on front and either side
• The placement of the mahamandapa and the mukha chatushkis is close
to the architectural lay out of the Virupaksha temple at Pattadakal.
• Flat roofed
• All the three parts were joined by flying bridge
• Durga, Mahishasuramardini, Gajalakshmi, Ardhanarishwar and Virbhadra, Ravana
shaking the Kailash parvat, and the Mahabharata and Ramayana panels.
• The base of the temple has been carved to suggest that elephants are holding the
structure aloft.
26. Dr. Virag Sontakke
Garbhgruha
• At the east
• Southern style vimana (Pyramidical superstructure)
• Situated on high plinth carved with life size Elephants and Lions
• Steps provided on either side to go up
• Small antarala is also attached to the Garbhgruha
• Huge Shivalinga at the Garbhgruha.
• Five subsidiary shrines around the main temple in the
circumambulatory path that runs along the side of the hill.
• The open circumambulatory path around the shrine with five sub
shrines is a new feature introduced at Ellora taking inspiration
from Pattadakkal and Kanchipuram.
• These shrines dedicated to river goddesses Ganga, Yamuna etc.
29. Dr. Virag Sontakke
Courtyard
• The dimensions of the courtyard are 82 m x 46 m.
• Courtyard is slightly on higher level
• The courtyard is edged by a columned arcade(Galley) three stories high.
• Displaying large number of sculptures of a variety of Brahmanical deities.
• Hanging bridges of stone connected these galleries to Main temple, but
these have fallen by course of time.
• Some of the most famous sculptures are Natraja, Ravnanugrah, Ganga-
Yamuna etc.
• Highly rich in decoration
• Carved with pilasters, niches, windows, and cornices
• Both Shaivite and Vaishnavite sculptures
• There are two Dwajasthambams (Victory Pillars) in the courtyard
measuring.
32. Dr. Virag Sontakke
Pillars
The victory pillars are placed symmetrically
flanking the Nandi mandapa visually enhancing
the verticality of the monument.
33. Dr. Virag Sontakke
Pillars
• Influence of Dravid Style is clearly visible on Pillars
and Pilasters
• Pillars of the temple are huge and square on plan
• Highly Decorated
• Dr. B.S. Upadhyaya: this temple is development of
Pallava Style, and its sculptures and decoration are
above than all south Indian temples.
34. Dr. Virag Sontakke
Galleries
• Gallery is surrounded
on three sides by
colonnaded Walkways,
• Its three stories high
with extensive
overhang.
• There are huge carved
with enormous
sculptures
of Brahmanical deities.
35. Dr. Virag Sontakke
Lankeshwar cave
• The Lankeshwar cave, carved in the northern
escarpment of Kailasa, is a unique edifice in many
respects.
• Stylistically it marks a further stage of development
the Rashtrakuta art.
• Mandapa supported by four sets of four pillars
each.
• Garbha-griha is rectangular.
• Pillars are massive and decorated than Kailasa
37. Dr. Virag Sontakke
Regional Influence
• The architecture and sculpture of Ellora Kailasa clearly
show the presence of craftsmen from Chalukyan region
working along with those of Pallava and Western Indian
regions.
• Carving technique employed is definitely from Pallava
region.
• Western Indian carvers who worked on the other caves at
Ellora too might have been employed to work on the
interior spaces at Kailasa.
• The temple, even if they are not structurally required, has
all the architectural details of a real, block-built temple
with bases, beams, columns, capitals, brackets, and
pilasters.
38. Dr. Virag Sontakke
Art
• Architectural elements such as cornices, pilasters, niches, and porticos have been
assembled systematically.
• Created the three-dimensionally formative statues assuming quite dynamic
postures.
• The walls of the temple tell the story of the epic Ramayana through intricate,
illustrative carvings.
• There are numerous sculptures depicting diverse gods, demons, and imaginary
animals,
• For example, Durga, on a lion’s back, is depicted on the south side of the entrance
to the temple, bravely confronting Mahisha, the demon king with a buffalo head.
• Besides that, there are depictions of Lakshmi,, Ganesha, Kama, with a bow and
arrows, and Ganga and Yamuna.
• Carvings depicting combat scenes and animals.
• Shiva: his aggressive forms like Tripurantakamurti and Gajantaka, benign forms
like Kalarimurti and Ravananugrahamurti, and Shiva as Mahayogi (the great yogi),
Lakulisha (the guru), Natesha and Ardhanrishvara.
42. Dr. Virag Sontakke
Samharamurti
Tripurantaka
Andhakasuravadha
Bhairava
Kalarimurti
Anugrahamurti Gangavataram
Ravananugraha
Kiratarjuna
Ravana offering his head
Teacher aspect Mahayogi
Lakulisha
Natesha
Other Ardhanarishvara
Harihara
Lingodbhava
Umamahesha
Somskanda
Shiva and Parvati playing chausar
Vrisabhantika
Shiva
Shiva as Lingin
Kalyansundaramurti
Shiva with Rama and Lakshmana
Brahma uprooting Shivalinga
Shiva testing the love of Parvati
Form of Shiva images
At Kailas
46. Dr. Virag Sontakke
Conclusion
• This monument represents the climax of the rock-cut phase
of Deccan architecture.
• Percy Brown has said "the Indian artist had an
extraordinarily developed plastic sense. No other people has
ever dreamed of sculpting such great temples out of the solid
rock as it was. Indeed, Indian architecture proceeds, not as
ours, according to the principles of construction; it is rather
conceived as an object cut out of solid material as any ivory
figure might be.”
• Shaivaite and Vaishnavite images, along Hindu, Jain and
Bhuddhist Caves were built close to one another and
illustrate the religious harmony that existed in ancient India.
• The site's location on an ancient South Asian trade route also
made it an important commercial centre in the Deccan
region.