The Kailasa (Kailasanatha) temple is one of the largest rock-cut ancient Hindu temples and is one of the 34 cave (Cave 16) temples and monasteries collectively known as the Ellora Caves. The speciality of this 1300 year’s old architectural marvel is that it is built by carving a mountain from a single Rock, of the Charanandri hills at a village called Ellora, Maharashtra.
The ancient Indian name for Ellora was Verul Leni. Even now the local people refer to this place as verul. But Ellora was originally known as Elur or Elapura since it is located near the Elaganga river, which originates from the nearby hills. Between the 6th and 11th centuries, armies of planners, architects, sculptors, smiths and artists were engaged in cutting the basalt lava rock, which makes up the hills, into 34 temples and monasteries.
The largest monolithic sculpture in the world carved out of one single rock, Kailasanatha temple is considered as one of the most remarkable cave temples in India because of its size, architecture and sculptural treatment.
There are 3 main Gods in Hinduism. Brahma the God of creation, Vishnu the God of Protection, Shiva the God of destruction. And this temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva.
The stone carving in India is one of the richest tradition in the world. Guilds of masons and stone carvers have existed here since the 7th century B.C. The skills were handed down as family lore from father to son, a practice prevalent in some parts of the country even today.
The Kailasa Temple is notable for its vertical excavation, the work started at the top and progressed along the slope of the mountain, rolling down the large boulders split from the mountain using steel rod drills. The drill marks are still visible on the surrounding walls and the technique is used even today in the stone quarries of Rajasthan. It is important to give a thought to the technique as it would also suggest the chronology of sculptures. It is clearly visible in all the cave complexes that the scooping out of the rock is immediately followed by sculpting. The masons and sculptors work simultaneously.
The classical tradition of stone carving was closely linked with architecture. All major temples of India (Puri, Konark, Khajuraho, Kailash Temple, or the Shore Temple at Mahabalipuram) illustrate the rich tradition of Indian stone carvings.
Kailasa temple features the use of multiple distinct architectural and sculptural styles. The temple architecture shows the traces of Pallava and Chalukya construction styles. It has many resemblances in style and plan with the Kailasanatha temple at Kanchi and the Virupaksha temple at Pattadakal, but it is twice the size (, it is approximately 195 feet long, 145 feet wide and 90 feet tall) and sculpted out of the rock instead of being built with blocks.
T.S satyamurthi, former archaeologist, explained why the sculptors of kailasa took the kailaasanatha and virupaksha temples as their models. Since the kailasa temple was cut out of a rock, from the top to the bottom, the sculptors could not visualise how deep they could go in the rock formation. They also did not know whether it was a solid rock formation that continued deep down. So they used the measurements of the Kailasanatha and Virupaksha temples, as models and multiplied them for the rock cut at Ellora. When you construct a temple from the bottom to top you can make changes as you go up and make it more stable. But when you excavate a temple out of rock from the top to bottom, you cannot make changes or afford to make mistakes.
But the modern world doesn’t believe or accept that the ancient Indians could have risen to such heights of engineering and architectural perfection without the aid of modern instruments. So they created a theory that this was created by the beings from outer space (Aliens). And that is why this is the only temple in the whole complex which can be seen from the sky, but (as an Indian we must feel that) this statement is an insult to the great craftsmen of India. The people who say of our ancient Indians who have created such marvels of construction have no concept of the greatness, will put all our modern architects, along with their fantastic technology and equipment’s to shame.
It funny to hear people saying it’s a work of people from outer space, because what is the purpose of those beings from outer space to make a huge and similar temple like other temples by human beings, that too on Earth?
There are episodes from (epics) the Ramayana and the Mahabharata on respective panels of the temple, how can these be known to beings from outer space?(lol)
There are two inner courtyards flanking the entry passage. Each courtyard, in the north and the south, has a gigantic elephant carved out of a single rock. They also have victory pillars, each about 15m tall. Elephants were the favoured animal of the Rashtrakuta kings, who are known to have won several battles with their elephant brigade. Hence the two monolithic elephants signify Rashtrakutha supremacy, the two free standing pillars of victory further emphasise the great power of Rashtrakutas.
The roof of the Mahamantapa has four sculptures of lions, each with a raised paw, standing in a circle. Some people say these lions from the sky can be seen as a ‘X’ mark and a symbol for beings of outer space, but the unknown truth is these animated lions are believed to be the guardians of the temple complex(Four sculptures of lions guarding the four Sides of temple). And some people question that if the temple was excavated by humans, where was the rock removed from the mountain stored? But they don't know about the Bhuleshwar Temple located at Malshiras, Maharashtra which was also constructed by the same type of rock (Black Basalt).
Really, there isn't much mystery about how it was carved. Following the methods developed from over a thousand years of manmade caves, it was simply the product of a bunch of men and their chisels. Finding a nice spot, they began at the top (centre) of a mountain and worked their way down, every day chipping stones way. There was no rough forming of the entire temple then going back to give the details, full detail was carved as they went. Because he masons and sculptors work simultaneously. Between 400 to 500 men would have worked on it at one time or so modern estimates go, and it likely took over a hundred years. Just a bunch of men slowly chipping away. Simple, yes, but no less awesome, because this is the largest monolithic structure on earth.
The first and natural series of questions researchers and archaeologists ask when they discover such an astonishing structure is, when was it built, who built it and how was it built? They go back to books of history and come up with their own theories. In reality, if we look at the history from Vedic point of view, nothing will confuse us. For example, archaeologists go on arguing as to who built those gigantic and mystical structures around the world, but if they take into consideration that, according to Vedic scriptures, there have been highly advanced civilizations in the past, and the size and strength of human beings in previous ages have been enormous compared to today’s human beings.
But when we talk about Vedic scriptures or puranas, people call it as Mythology. But when we think better and broader there will be no word of Mythology. Even modern scientists are getting closer to accepting Vedic science as an authority so why not historians and archaeologists? Mythology is introduced by some foreigners who want to prove us and our ancient engineering and technology was false and part of myth. We have got our historical evidence from birth to wars and everything related to these places.
The Kailasa temple lacks a detailed inscription, but it is clear that it was commissioned by a Rashtrakuta ruler. Its construction is generally attributed to the Rashtrakuta king Krishna I (Krishnaraja), based on two epigraphs. The Baroda copper plate issued in 812-13 CE at a place called Siddhamshi in Gujarat by Karka Suvarnavarsha (Rashtrakuta King) mentions Krishnaraja as the patron of Kailasanatha temple (mentions a Shiva temple) at Elapura (Ellora). This copper plate and the Kadamba grant of Govinda Prabhutavarsha, another Rashtrakuta king, attribute the creation of this monolith to Krishnaraja I.
There is ancient Marathi legend which gives the reason for such a unique architectural approach. An architect named Kokasa who carved the Kailas temple in order to please the queen of the Rashtrakuta king of Ellora. The temple was named Manikeshwara after the queen. It has been proved that Kokasa was indeed the chief architect of the Kailasa temple as it later came to be called, some 11th-13th century inscriptions from central India mention architects born in the illustrious family of Kokasa.
There are many rock and cave temples dotted all over India which show the great knowledge of mathematics, geometry and engineering which our ancient Indians had. What the modern mind does not understand that these people were not mere craftsmen in the modern sense who worked only for the pay they would receive at the end of the day but each one of them must have been an inspired artist who worked for the sake of art and not for mere pecuniary remuneration. Above all they must have had complete devotion to God. Their whole mind and hands must have been dedicated to the service of their beloved Shiva. What is the doubt that they must have been divinely inspired and helped by Shiva himself? Both the architects who conceived such a wonder and the sculptors who executed it must have been ardent devotees of Shiva. When we look at some of the other fantastic Shiva temples in India we will be forced to conclude that this also must have been designed and executed by Indian artists and not by people who came from outer space.