One Day at Ellora Caves…

After getting mesmerized by the beauty of paintings in Ajanta Caves a day before and blessed by Sai Baba at Shirdi in the next early morning, I returned to Aurangabad around 11 AM. I wanted to see the Ellora Caves now. I meet some people during my trip to Ajanta who said that Ellora site is more beautiful than Ajanta. Ellora is just 30 kms away from Aurangabad and frequent state operated buses are available on that route. I boarded the bus along-with 10 foreigners. Foreigners generally prefer to visit this leg by bus due to short distance economical travel.

On the way to Ellora is the Daulatabad Fort. I didn’t have the time to visit this mighty fort, but heard the story of this fort from a local fellow traveler. He told that this fort is an excellent example of internal defense system. If intruders managed to enter the fort anyhow, they got trapped in some tunnels and a bhulbhulaiya (the labyrinth) and guards would welcome them with hot oil and burning coals, grilling them alive.

We reached Ellora in 40-50 minutes.This UNESCO World Heritage Site is believed to be built by Rashtrakuta Rulers and localy known as Verul Leni. While Ajanta is famous for wall paintings, Ellora is famous for rock-cut architecture. It has 34 rock-sculpted temples created between the 4th and 9th centuries. There are 12 Buddhist, 17 Hindu and 5 Jain caves containing rock-cut temples and monasteries.

Out of all the 34 caves, the star attraction is Cave No.16, a single rock cut Kailashnath Temple. This is designed to recall Mount Kailash, the abode of Lord Shiva – looks like a freestanding, multi-storeyed temple complex, but it was carved out of one single rock. This temple is situated just in front of main entrance.

It took almost full day to visit all the caves on the foot and also the Sun rays and heat will make you tired while walking…but as soon as you enter from one cave to another, you forget everything in those non-living beauties of rocks.
So, finally i have narrated this tour in hurry and not able to give more details.But beauty of those caves do not need any word to mesmerize a person. Those caves are beyond the limits of words and a human imagination, but when you are at Ellora, you have to re-think about the power of being human. Those caves give you a clear thought that a human creature can do anything at any point of time in history and become an inspiration of its future generations.