History of Eastern Architecture

ELLORA
Preamble

Ellora bears with it a glorious history regarding the development and ultimate culmination of rock cut cave
architecture that flourished in the Indian subcontinent somewhere between 400AD to 900 AD. Rock cut
movement had appeared as a separate mode of architectural expression in its own right while the stone
masonry structure was already in its developed stage.

The art of cave architecture evolved as far back as around 250 BC when Ashok, a Mauryan Emperor, while
propagating Buddhism also tried to establish Buddhist architecture in this subcontinent. It was then that he
ordered the secluded monastic sanctuaries to be built for Ajivikas, another Buddhist sect. Lomas Rishi, popular
among the seven caves of Ajivikas in the hills of Barabar ( north of modern Bhubaneswar in Orissa ) is the first
trace of cave architecture history could ever reveal.

It was probably because of the intuitive tendency of the monks and Sanghas to move away from the mundane
towns and villages so that they might conduct their observances undisturbed by the distractions of any human
environment that they tried to seek refuge in natural caves in eremitical hillsides. As a result the monastic
establishment went to desolate sites on the hills where rock cut chambers were made for worship and residence
of monks.

From the caves of Barabar hill the rock cut cave architecture went on through various stages of development
and change in different places. From Bhaja ( 150 BC ), Karle (100 BC ) and Kondane ( BC/AD ) when it
ultimately reached Ajanta the cave architecture had developed a lot. But it was at Ellora that it ultimately
gained its grandeur and [Link] architecture of Ellora was developed in three different periods each
rendering its own style to the Ellora caves.
Buddhist period ( 450AD - 650 AD )
Brahnmanical or Hindu period ( 650 AD - 800 AD )
Jain Period ( 800 AD - 900 AD )

BUDDHIST PERIOD (450 AD - 650 AD )

Buddhist first came to Ellora some time in early 5th century AD. By the time Buddhist architecture at Ellora
had begun, the Mahayana Phase of Buddhist had already taken over the earlier Hinayana Phase.

Buddhist practised their religion for some two centuries from 450 AD to 650 AD during which period the
group of twelve rock cut halls belonging to Buddhist creed were produced. These halls may be resolved into
two sub-groups viz. No. 1 to 5 ( Dhedwada group ) and another group consisting of No. 6 - 12. Each sub-
group comprises the same two types of institutions established by the earlier conventions viz. the prayer hall
(or the chaitya hall ) and the vihara or the monastery.

The basic elements of the chaitya hall were the nave, aisles, apse, stupa and vaulted roof issuing the spaces for
congregational worship and circumambulation. Viharas, on the other hand, had central hall with vault roofed
cells around. These were primarily meant for the residence of the monks.

In the first sub-group, the viharas were combined with large prayer hall unlike the conventional chaitya hall,
separately placed from viharas. The latter type was more usual with second sub-group. Almost all the viharas
in the first sub-group are single storeyed, entered through a verandah and with a large central hall for
worshipping. At the back is the transverse vestibule leading to square cella containing the seated figure of
Buddha with his attendants. We should mark that this was Mahayana Phase of Buddhism and the portrayal of
the Buddha images was permitted unlike the earlier Hinayana Phase.

Among the rock cut halls of second sub-group the two monasteries viz. Teen Thal ( No. 12 ) and Do Thal (
No. 11 ) and a chaitya hall No.10, commonly known as Visvakarma are notable.

Department of Architecture, IOE, Pulchowk Campus

Teen Thal is of special interest on account of its extent and size for it is spacious enough to house at least 40
monks. A rock cut gateway leads to a quadrangle 108' wide and 60' deep containing this three tiered monastery
at the far centre. Each tier is defined by a external verandah. The ground floor has pillared verandah and hall
with shrine chamber while the first floor comprises a large compartment, 112' across, 72' deep and 11 1/2'
high, with cella at the back. The top floor is cruciform in plan with nave driven axially into the rock.

The other three storeyed vihara was misnamed as Do Thal ( two storeys ) because until recently one storey was
hidden under the accumulated earth. Though it was planned in the similar manner, it is not so spacious as Teen
Thal as for the shallow nature of its halls. There are no cells for the monks so far.

The most notable production of the Buddhist excavations at Ellora is the chaitya hall No. 10, Visvakarma ( tr.
lord of arts ). It measures 85' by 44' with a height of 34'. The interiors are not so richly carved, however, the
central stupa had already developed a niche to house the image of Buddha. The entrance is defined by horse-
shoe arch above. A horizontal entablature divides the frontage into upper and lower part. The sun window is
located on the upper part. The frontage contains some features of Vedic origin like the conopies over the
niches at the extreme.

HINDU OR BRAHMANICAL PERIOD ( 650 AD - 800 AD )

By the early 7th century, with the decline of Mahayana Buddhism, the Buddhist excavation at Ellora had
virtually ceased. The Hindu period at Ellora, which started a little earlier overlapped with the later part of
Buddhist period. The Hindu adopted the earlier Buddhist cave design and plans, adapting them to their own
ritualistic needs.

The Hindu temple halls, 16 in no. ( No. 13 to 29 ), are all located on the west face of the hill. These halls are
basically of four types as described in the following lines.

The first and the most primitive type is just a pillared portico with a cell beyond, as for example Das Avatar (
No. 15 ). This temple has a pillared entrance leading to a courtyard with a detached shrine in the centre,
possibly for Nandi. Beyond that is the two storeyed temple with two rows of pillars one above the other. The
ground floor has a compartment 97' wide by 50' deep with 14 square pillars while that on upper floor is 105' by
95' with 44 pillars to support its flat roof. The side wall pilasters are richly carved with Saivite and Baisnavite
episodes and at the far end is a square garvagriha with a Siva-linga.

The second type is marked by a passage around the cella for circumambulation or else it is similar to first type.
Tow fine examples of this type are Ravana ka Khai ( No. 14 ) and the Rameswara ( No. 21 ).

Ravana ka Khai has a hall, 52' wide and 87' deep, two third of which is a pillared hall in the front and rest is
occupied by the shrine. The side aisle continue around the shrine to form the circumambulatory. At the far end
is a cubical cell to house the image of deity.

Rameswara has a front court with pedestal for bull. At the end of this court are four bulky columns below
which is a elaborately carved dwarf wall. The entrance is in this wall and leads into the hall 25' deep and 69'
wide. Like in the Ravana ka Khai it has a cella with passage around it at the back. But the remarkable feature
of Rameswara lies in its extensive external decoration rather than in its interior.

In the third type, the shrine is isolated and contained within the group of halls arranged on cruciform plan. This
type is illustrated by only one example, Dumar Lena ( No. 29 ). Another remarkable feature of this type is the
number and position of entrances owing to its cruciform plan which was probably the outcome of the
configuration of the hill in which the temple was excavated. The temple occupies an area of 150' square with
main hall 150' by 50'. Flanking the main hall and opening out of it are the transepts, 150' deep throughout. It
has three separate entrance doorways ( portals ), one at the front and one in each wing to admit the ample light
into the dark interior.

Department of Architecture, IOE, Pulchowk Campus

The final type of Hindu architecture is illustrated by only one temple, the great Kailash ( No. 16 ) at Ellora.
This type refers to the monolithic stone construction. Kailash temple, a huge sculptural effort of Rashtrakuta
Dynasty, boldly deviates from the earlier practices of underground halls. It might have been a rather
interminable process of cutting down the hill firstly to a huge rectangular block and chipping it out into a
shape the temple all the way down from top to bottom. Supposingly, about 50 million tonnes of rock was cut
out to make Kailash possible.

The overall scheme of the temple measures 300' by 175' with a height of 100' and took a period of some 100
years for its completion. The temple has unusual west entrance due to nature of the site. It is approached by a
double storeyed entrance gateway leading to the cloistered courtyard with Nandi Pavilion and which is
connected to the temple with bridge. The main temple, three storeys high, is carried by the frieze of huge
elephants and occupies a plan roughly 150' by 110' including both the mandapa and vimana. The vimana is
three tiered and rises to 95'. The central aisle is cruciform type with the central hall having the four columns in
each corner. Through a vestibule one approaches the garvagriha. Kailash manifests the breath-taking
imagination, engineering skill, labour and perseverance of those who brought it into being.

JAIN PERIOD ( 800 AD - 900 AD )

The excavation at Ellora was next taken over by Jains, probably starting from 800 AD. Of the five of the Jain
excavations ( No. 30 to 34 ) only three are of any importance viz. Chota Kailash (No. 30 ), Indra Sabha ( No.
32 ) and Jaganath Sabha ( No. 33 ).

Chota Kailash, as its name suggests, is rather a stunted replica of great Kailash ( No. 16 ) but only a quarter of
its original size, the hall being 36' as compared to Kailash's 55'. Inside are the images of Tirthankaras and of
Mahavira Jain on his lion throne.

Indra Sabha ( No. 32 ) is a monolithic shrine more in the form of miniature Dravidian temple, contained
within a square courtyard, with 50' side. The courtyard is approached through a rock cut doorway. What is
awful about this shrine is the excessive richness in the carving which in such a congested a place becomes
overpowering. Of the two storeys the upper one is finished and arranged more properly and completed with
central hall, vestibule and the cella beyond.

Jaganath Sabha ( No. 33 )is more or less similar to Indra Sabha in its general principles and the treatment of
major parts except for the regularity of the plan. This time the approach was more towards unsymmetry.

With the completion of the Jain excavation at Ellora, towards the early 10th century, the rock cut activities,
which had been continuing for well over three hundred years, in all its intents and purposes, terminated. Yet
the pinnacle of achievement had already been reached with the execution of Kailash. With Ellora the age of
rock cut architecture reached its climax and its end. But the achievement on that single piece of hillside are a
lasting tribute to the imagination and faith of those who made them.

* * *

Department of Architecture, IOE, Pulchowk Campus

Bibliography

• Indian Architecture (Buddhist & Hindu)

Department of Architecture, IOE, Pulchowk Campus

Bibliography

• Indian Architecture (Buddhist & Hindu)

Department of Architecture, IOE, Pulchowk Campus