Miffed at having been duped royally we left Ajanta for Ellora. The awe of the caves had been replaced by the enormity of the swindle and we cribbed endlessly about it :( A quick lunch of "Sabudana Kichidi", again not like what my friend's mom makes :) at a hotel that was packing a three tier Cake and we raced towards Ellora our reason de etre for this trip :) We checked out pictures from each other's iPad and oohed and aahed :)
The car stopped and we looked eagerly at the carved rock face a yard away. Where was the temple? We picked up a Guide and entered the gates. So focussed were we in our search for the Kailash Temple we didn't stop to admire the facade. A quick picture and we walked in and stood transfixed. Nothing, no not even the tower that had enticed us had prepared us for the magnificence that lay before us. The temple was massive. We seemed to be looking up at the sky. Shading our eyes with a hand from the piercing Sun we craned our necks trying to take it all in. It is the largest rock cut temple in the world and hewn out of a single monolithic Basalt rock. It has been carved top to bottom and scooped from the outside to the inside. The temple was built over 200 years and did the guide say 10 generations worked on it ? Where are the sketches and designs ? How was knowledge and requirements transferred ? How was team interactions handled ? The temple is carried on the backs of those four animals on all sides the guide pointed. They seemed to be a group of elephants and lions. And they were found at different levels too.We peered at a huge panel illustrating the entire Mahabharath. The story was told in friezes from top to bottom. An entire frieze was empty :( On the other side of the temple was a similar panel narrating the Ramayana. The guide was adept at pointing out the episodes but we were not :) It would take practice to get all of them right I thought as I recognised a few. Lord Shiva sat serenely lording over all and sundry.
Doorway to Kailash temple | Lord Shiva |
The temple is in the midst of a huge courtyard and huge sculptures adorn the walls of the courtyard. Look at this, you know this well said the guide. It was Ravana, the ten headed king holding on to the Atma Linga. This episode in Ravana's life plays out in Gokarna (Karnataka). He had caught us conversing in Kannada :) Lord Vishnu emerging from a pillar to protect his devotee Prahlada is a rare sculpture. Haven't seen one till now. "Dance like a man" the sculptor said and Shiva danced the Tandava as Nataraja. Shiva loses the game of dice and a jubilant Parvati is ready to leave when Shiva holds her hand and asks for a second chance. This is how the drama between a husband and wife plays out in real life the guide pondered :) A standing Ugra Narasimha digging into the innards of Hiranyakashyapu in black Basalt adorned the wall . We had seen a standing Ugra Narasimha in yellow sandstone at Badami :) But digging into the innards of Hiranyakashyapu is rare. Shiva and Vishnu become one in "HariHara" signifying the unity of Shaivite and Vaishnava sects. And "Ardhanareshwara" is an embodiment of the union of the masculine and the feminine in a human being. Vishnu is resting as Sheshashayana in one panel and is being carried by Garuda in another. Though the temple is for Lord Shiva, Hindu mythology and Dashavatara are well represented here. We saw Varaha and Vamana avatars. Each panel told a story we had grown up with. The wall sculptures are more than ten feet tall and they were so many! Was that Shiva marrying Parvati ? Looked like it. And was that Rama in his chariot? That is "Brahma" the creator ? That was unusual I thought pausing in front of the frieze. Then I struggled to get the victory tower in one frame. It was so huge. Lakshmi sat happily on a Lotus amidst its leaves folding and unfolding all around ! How real the sculpture looked. We made another pit stop there :) Not until the guide pointed out the unsupported cantilever roof did the engineering skill of the sculptors become obvious to us ! The roof stretches ten feet in air ! Cells for the Monks were scooped out all around. A little ahead Shiva's favourite Nandi kept guard . Unlike Ajanta caves which Wikipedia says has incomplete works Ellora has been desecrated. We saw sculptures with no face, hands chopped, breasts scraped off and sometimes headless.
"The caves close at six" the guide said. Frantically we looked at our watch. It said five. "The caves close don't think so. Its ok it doesn't get dark that early we will continue to check them out" we replied. He smiled "just wait and watch". We hurried crossed the multi storeyed Vihara as we walked to the Chaitya. I looked wistfully at the stream falling from a height and people climbing into the Vihara wistfully. We had no time for them :( Should we stay overnight and check out Ellora again the next day? We had to postpone our journey to Pune, extend our stay in Aurangabad, cancel the hotel booking at Pune.... Too much of a hassle :( We walked into the massive high vaulted Chaitya with a serene Buddha seated against the Stupa. This cave exactly similar to cave 26 in Ajanta. The guide recited "Buddham saranam gacchami (I go to the Buddha for refuge). Dhammam saranam gacchami(I go to the Dhamma for refuge)" and it reverberated. Silence fell as the words engulfed the temple and we closed our eyes reflexively. Peace stole upon us as he inhaled and intoned "Om". We repeated after him and felt soothed. We just stood and soaked it in. Ellora boasts of Hindu, Buddhist and Jain places of worship. One way of looking at this confluence is all three religions coexisted harmoniously but it also indicates a battle for minds. Hinduism was consolidating and erasing differences amongst its various interpretations in an effort to win more people thereby slowly killing Buddhism and Jainism. The guide explained as we crossed Kailash Temple on our way to the Jain Basti. Shankaracharya had travelled the length and breadth of the country trying to consolidate Hinduism I had read. And royal patronage was shifting from Buddhism/Jainism to Hinduism says history. One instance is in the Hoysala King Bitti Deva becoming Vishnuvardhana (of Shantala fame) after he embraced Hinduism giving up Jainism. I think the massiveness of the Kailash temple when compared to the Chaitya or the Basti itself proclaims Hinduism was winning. Though Kailash means the abode of Shiva it hosts Gods/Goddesses from different sects perhaps indicating the consolidation of Hinduism. I am trying to recall the book in which K.N.Ganeshaiah writes about this battle for minds :) We walked into the dark Basti, the exquisitely carved pillars were barely visible. About two feet from the floor an ornate pot [kalash] seemed to be holding up the pillar. Beautiful. Mahavir Jain sat meditating in the dark sanctum. The guide lit him up with his torch. A Goddess sat on a lion under a Mango tree with Mangoes. Was she the equivalent of the Hindu God Durga? And how real the Mangoes were ! Goddess of prosperity sat tranquilly in a corner and unable to see anything more in the darkness we walked out just as the security slammed the door of the cave ! We crossed the victory tower and a Bee was all that was locked up inside and I imagined it having a free run of the temple the whole night as I hurried out.
We waited for the bus a little ahead morosely we had not got our fill of Ellora :( Would we see it again ? If we did we should give it a complete day and take it all in leisurely. The Kailash temple behind its facade was lost and was being shrouded in darkness. And it began to drizzle as we stepped off the bus. We ran to the Tea stall and waited for the Car. Medical College kids were sipping hot tea and discussing hospital duty roster.The car arrived and leaving Ellora caves behind we drove off.
We have seen Hampi, Badami, Pattadkal,Aihole, Bijapur and now Ajanta and Ellora.Slowly the parameters for becoming a UNESCO world heritage site are becoming clear I thought. Our house wouldn't be in the list :) Would any modern day structure join the club ? Wonder how the Greek and Egyptian sites looked. Definitely different but awesome and impressive."Do you want to check out Paithani saris here?" asked the driver breaking my reverie. We peered out. A line of shops were on our left. He definitely understood Kannada :) We got down. Why is a lamb bleating? we moaned as we entered. "Perhaps it will be cooked soon" a friend anguished. "I will take the red and green" a friend said caressing a sari, "so will I" another friend picked up another one. Somebody bought a black, somebody a blue and the lamb bleated in the background. I moved over to check out some artificial jewellery and the lamb became silent :( A little later it bleated again :) Phew it was alive :)
"Shall we wear Kala Chasma to your Son's wedding" I asked my friend and somebody chirped "Yes Kala Kala Chasma" and we giggled.It was dark and raining slightly as the car got in and out of puddles. Slowly the banter grew hilarious as we imagined the stunned looks of hubby dears, the would be in laws fleeing the marriage hall pulling along their daughter in shock. And the guests having heart attacks and fainting spells. With tears streaming and with a catch in our tummies we arrived at our hotel "The Leaf" for Dinner. Dinner done we crossed our :) temple and landed at our :) hotel .We took a picture of the Hotel at night just to see if it matched the one on the website and it did :) I called it a day while the others sat in the lawn under the moonlight perhaps giggling over Kala Kala Chasma :) I heard their voices floating up as I synched photos between the iPads in the room trying to digest Lime Soda :)
Prev: Ajanta, all things Buddha - gallery Next: Ellora and the battle for minds - gallery
Ravana with Atma Linga | Vishnu emerging from the Pillar |
The Tandava | Ugra Narasimha |
"The caves close at six" the guide said. Frantically we looked at our watch. It said five. "The caves close don't think so. Its ok it doesn't get dark that early we will continue to check them out" we replied. He smiled "just wait and watch". We hurried crossed the multi storeyed Vihara as we walked to the Chaitya. I looked wistfully at the stream falling from a height and people climbing into the Vihara wistfully. We had no time for them :( Should we stay overnight and check out Ellora again the next day? We had to postpone our journey to Pune, extend our stay in Aurangabad, cancel the hotel booking at Pune.... Too much of a hassle :( We walked into the massive high vaulted Chaitya with a serene Buddha seated against the Stupa. This cave exactly similar to cave 26 in Ajanta. The guide recited "Buddham saranam gacchami (I go to the Buddha for refuge). Dhammam saranam gacchami(I go to the Dhamma for refuge)" and it reverberated. Silence fell as the words engulfed the temple and we closed our eyes reflexively. Peace stole upon us as he inhaled and intoned "Om". We repeated after him and felt soothed. We just stood and soaked it in. Ellora boasts of Hindu, Buddhist and Jain places of worship. One way of looking at this confluence is all three religions coexisted harmoniously but it also indicates a battle for minds. Hinduism was consolidating and erasing differences amongst its various interpretations in an effort to win more people thereby slowly killing Buddhism and Jainism. The guide explained as we crossed Kailash Temple on our way to the Jain Basti. Shankaracharya had travelled the length and breadth of the country trying to consolidate Hinduism I had read. And royal patronage was shifting from Buddhism/Jainism to Hinduism says history. One instance is in the Hoysala King Bitti Deva becoming Vishnuvardhana (of Shantala fame) after he embraced Hinduism giving up Jainism. I think the massiveness of the Kailash temple when compared to the Chaitya or the Basti itself proclaims Hinduism was winning. Though Kailash means the abode of Shiva it hosts Gods/Goddesses from different sects perhaps indicating the consolidation of Hinduism. I am trying to recall the book in which K.N.Ganeshaiah writes about this battle for minds :) We walked into the dark Basti, the exquisitely carved pillars were barely visible. About two feet from the floor an ornate pot [kalash] seemed to be holding up the pillar. Beautiful. Mahavir Jain sat meditating in the dark sanctum. The guide lit him up with his torch. A Goddess sat on a lion under a Mango tree with Mangoes. Was she the equivalent of the Hindu God Durga? And how real the Mangoes were ! Goddess of prosperity sat tranquilly in a corner and unable to see anything more in the darkness we walked out just as the security slammed the door of the cave ! We crossed the victory tower and a Bee was all that was locked up inside and I imagined it having a free run of the temple the whole night as I hurried out.
Buddha with Stupa behind | Mahivira |
Pillar rising from an ornate pot | Goddess under a mango tree |
We waited for the bus a little ahead morosely we had not got our fill of Ellora :( Would we see it again ? If we did we should give it a complete day and take it all in leisurely. The Kailash temple behind its facade was lost and was being shrouded in darkness. And it began to drizzle as we stepped off the bus. We ran to the Tea stall and waited for the Car. Medical College kids were sipping hot tea and discussing hospital duty roster.The car arrived and leaving Ellora caves behind we drove off.
We have seen Hampi, Badami, Pattadkal,Aihole, Bijapur and now Ajanta and Ellora.Slowly the parameters for becoming a UNESCO world heritage site are becoming clear I thought. Our house wouldn't be in the list :) Would any modern day structure join the club ? Wonder how the Greek and Egyptian sites looked. Definitely different but awesome and impressive."Do you want to check out Paithani saris here?" asked the driver breaking my reverie. We peered out. A line of shops were on our left. He definitely understood Kannada :) We got down. Why is a lamb bleating? we moaned as we entered. "Perhaps it will be cooked soon" a friend anguished. "I will take the red and green" a friend said caressing a sari, "so will I" another friend picked up another one. Somebody bought a black, somebody a blue and the lamb bleated in the background. I moved over to check out some artificial jewellery and the lamb became silent :( A little later it bleated again :) Phew it was alive :)
"Shall we wear Kala Chasma to your Son's wedding" I asked my friend and somebody chirped "Yes Kala Kala Chasma" and we giggled.It was dark and raining slightly as the car got in and out of puddles. Slowly the banter grew hilarious as we imagined the stunned looks of hubby dears, the would be in laws fleeing the marriage hall pulling along their daughter in shock. And the guests having heart attacks and fainting spells. With tears streaming and with a catch in our tummies we arrived at our hotel "The Leaf" for Dinner. Dinner done we crossed our :) temple and landed at our :) hotel .We took a picture of the Hotel at night just to see if it matched the one on the website and it did :) I called it a day while the others sat in the lawn under the moonlight perhaps giggling over Kala Kala Chasma :) I heard their voices floating up as I synched photos between the iPads in the room trying to digest Lime Soda :)
Hotel Lemon Tree at night
Prev: Ajanta, all things Buddha - gallery Next: Ellora and the battle for minds - gallery
