The Ellora Caves complex is made up of 34 rock-cut caves, which are divided into three main groups: Buddhist, Hindu, and Jain. They include viharas, or monasteries, and chaityas, or prayer halls, that were used by Buddhist monks for meditation and worship.
The Ellora Caves were built between the 6th and 10th centuries CE, during the rule of the Kalachuri, Chalukya, and Rashtrakuta dynasties in ancient India. The caves were created by carving out the face of a basalt cliff, and then excavating temples and monasteries inside the caves.
The Buddhist caves were the first to be built, between the 5th and 7th centuries CE, during the rule of the Kalachuri dynasty. These caves include viharas, or monasteries, and chaityas, or prayer halls, that were used by Buddhist monks for meditation and worship.
The Hindu caves were built between the 6th and 8th centuries CE, during the rule of the Chalukya dynasty. These caves include temples dedicated to Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu, and other Hindu deities. The most famous of these is the Kailasa Temple, which is a massive monolithic structure that was carved out of a single rock.
The Jain caves were built between the 8th and 10th centuries CE, during the rule of the Rashtrakuta dynasty. They include shrines and temples that were used by Jain monks for worship and meditation.
All caves are richly decorated with intricate carvings and sculptures depicting scenes from Buddhist, Hindu and Jain texts. The caves are known for their architectural and sculptural beauty, and are considered to be one of the greatest examples of ancient Indian rock-cut architecture.
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