Ellora Caves - World Cultural Heritage in India

These 34 monasteries and temples, spanning over 2 km, are dug side by side within the wall of a high basalt cliff, not far from Aurangabad, in Maharashtra. Ellora, with its unbroken chain of monuments dating from AD 600 to AD 1000, gives life to the civilization of ancient India. The Ellora complex is not only a unique artistic creation and exploitation of technology, but with sanctuaries devoted to Buddhism, Hinduism and Jainism, it also embodies India’s distinctive spirit of tolerance. Ancient degree.

Accreditation year: 1983
Maharashtra State, Aurangabad District, Khulatabad Taluk, Verul Village

Table of Contents

Outstanding global value

The priceless complex of 34 caves at Ellora on the Charanandri Hills in the western Indian state of Maharashtra embodies the spirit of coexistence and religious tolerance through outstanding architectural practices carried out by the faithful. followers of three prominent religions: Buddhism, Brahminism, and Jainism. Rock cutting was carried out in three stages from the 6th to 12th centuries. The earliest caves (caves 1–12), excavated from the 5th to 8th centuries, reflect The Mahayana philosophy of Buddhism then prevailed in this area. The group of Brahmin caves (cave 13–29), including the famous Kailasa temple (cave 16), was excavated between the 7th and 10th centuries. Late period, between the 9th and 12th centuries , witnessed the excavation of a group of caves (caves 30–34) reflecting Jain philosophy.

Among the caves of the Buddhist group, Cave 10 (Visvakarma or Sutar-ki-jhopari, Carpenter’s cave), Cave 11 and Cave 12 (Teen Tal, or three-story monastery, the largest in this category) are particularly special. important. These caves mark the development of the Vajrayana form of Buddhism and represent a variety of Buddhist deities. The prominent caves of the Brahmin group are Cave 15 (Dasavatara, or Cave of Ten incarnations), Cave 16 (Kailasa, the largest monolithic temple), Cave 21 (Ramesvara) and Cave 29 (Dumar Lena). ). Of these, Cave 16 is a superb example of structural innovation and marks the pinnacle of rock-cut architecture in India with its exquisite workmanship and impressive proportions. The temple is adorned with some of the finest and boldest sculptures found in India. The sculpture depicting Ravana attempting to lift Mount Kailasa, Siva’s residence, is particularly notable. Remains of fine paintings from different periods are kept on the ceiling of the front mandapa (pillar hall) of this temple. The Jaina group of caves (caves 30 – 34) are exquisitely carved with beautiful, delicate sculptures and include beautiful paintings dedicated to the Digambara sect. Through art and architecture, Ellora Caves serve as windows to ancient India, encompassing socio-cultural, material-cultural, political, and lifestyle phenomena. The Jaina group of caves (caves 30 – 34) are exquisitely carved with beautiful, delicate sculptures and include beautiful paintings dedicated to the Digambara sect. Through art and architecture, Ellora Caves serve as a window into ancient India, encompassing socio-cultural phenomena, material culture, politics, and way of life. The Jaina group of caves (caves 30 – 34) are intricately carved with beautiful, delicate sculptures and include beautiful paintings dedicated to the Digambara sect. Through art and architecture, Ellora Caves serve as a window into ancient India, encompassing socio-cultural phenomena, material culture, politics, and way of life.

Criterion (i): The Ellora ensemble is a unique artistic achievement, a masterpiece of human creative genius. If only the rock excavation work is considered, then a monument like Kailasa Temple is a technological exploit like no other. However, this temple, which converts models from “built” architecture, offers an exceptional treasure trove of very high resin quality paint and sculpture forms and a program of encyclopedias. encyclopedia.

Criterion (iii): Ellora revives the civilization of ancient India with an uninterrupted series of monuments from AD 600 to AD 1000.

Criterion (vi): The Ellora caves are not only the evidence of the three great religions of Buddhism, Brahminism and Jainism, they also illustrate the spirit of tolerance characteristic of ancient India, allowed these three religions to establish their sanctuaries and communities in ancient India. a single place, thus serving to reinforce its universal value.

Integrity

The Ellora Caves include all the elements needed to manifest its Outstanding Universal Value, including architectural and sculptural elements that bear witness to Buddhism, Brahminism, and Kyrgyz. Jainism in an unbroken chain of monuments from AD 600 to AD 1000. with its natural context, properly sized to ensure full representation of the properties and processes that convey the meaning of the asset, and not subject to the adverse effects of development and/or neglect . Potential threats identified to the integrity of the site include visitor and environmental management, seepage and cracking in caves, and the capacity of conservation staff to survive the site.

Authenticity

The authenticity of Ellora Caves is expressed through architectural forms and designs such as viharas (monasteries), chaityagriha (holy places) and monolithic temples of three different faiths. The materials, location and natural setting also play an important role in determining the authenticity of the property. The Ellora Caves are authentic in form and design, materials and materials, location and setting of the paintings, rock-cut architecture, sculptures and unfinished temples of the three different faiths, i.e. Buddhism, Brahminism and Jainism.

Protection and management requirements

The management of the Ellora Caves is carried out by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), while the buffer zones are jointly managed by ASI, the Department of Forestry and the Government of Maharashtra. Various laws, including the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Monuments Act (1958) and its Rules (1959), the Ancient Monuments and Monuments and Archaeological Sites Act (Amendment and Attestation) (2010), Forest Act (1927), Forest Conservation Act (1980), City Council, Nagar Panchayats and Industrial Towns Act, Maharashtra (1965), and Area Planning Act and Town, Maharashtra (1966), govern the overall management of the property and its buffer zones. A detailed condition survey of all caves has been carried out as part of the Comprehensive Conservation Management Plan and implementation is underway.

Maintaining the heritage’s Outstanding Universal Value over time will require the development and implementation of a framework to address issues such as visitor management as well as environmental management; long-term monitoring of seepage and cracking patterns in all caves; and building capacity for heritage conservation staff, with the goal of ensuring the long-term protection of properties that maintain Outstanding Universal Value, the integrity and authenticity of the site.