Located 100 kilometers southwest of the Ajanta caves , and about 30 of the city of Aurangabad, Ellora Caves are a complex of churches belonging to religious Buddhist, Hindu and Jain , excavated between VI and X century AD Found in near the ancient town of Ellora India, which got their name.
Although the location of these caves is less dramatic than that enjoyed by the temples of Ajanta, the wealth of art, especially sculptures of Ellora are much more prominent and, therefore, a good site that can include on any trip to India. So much so that the place earned him the distinction as part of a World Heritage Site by Unesco .
Currently, it is the most visited historical monument found state, Maharashtra . The building work began around the year 550 AD, exactly the same time they were abandoned caves of Ajanta.
To this date, Buddhism was a religion that began to lose force in India, while gaining presence Hinduism. That's why, unlike its neighbors, Ellora Caves temples not only have the worship of Buddha, but many of them were dedicated to Shiva, the Hindu deity.
During the tenth century, a local ruler began to cut ties with the latter tradition and leaning heavily toward the Jain religion, and so begins the last period of construction of the caves, which is characterized by clear references to the sect Digambara.
Is largely the coexistence of these three religions and their respective styles and visual languages makes the temples of Ellora so special and unique? Of the 34 caves, 12 belong to the Buddhist cult (located south), 17 to 5 to Hindu and Jain. Each of them owns the charm of the tradition that gave rise to them.
If you travel to India, look, do not forget, the fascinating Ellora Caves.