Kailasa temple

The construction of the temple began during the rule of the Rashtrakuta king, Dantidurga (735-757 AD).

Major work on the temple was done by King Dantidurga’s successor, Krishna I (757-773 AD), although work continued under many successive kings for more than a century.

It is located in Ellora, Maharashtra.

There are 34 caves in Ellora, numbered according to their age.

Temples 1 to 12 in the Southern side are the 12 Buddhist caves.

Temples 13 to 29 are the 17 Hindu caves.

Temples 30 – 34 are the 5 Jain caves.

The Kailasanatha temple (Cave 16) is one of the 34 cave temples and monasteries known collectively as the Ellora Caves.

The carving of the temple started from the top of the mountain but a pit was later dug around the temple on the sloping side of the hill

Apart from the gopura , the main temple has a sabha griha ( hall), vestibules and a Nandi mandap which leads to the garba griha (sanctum) with the Shiv linga, all of which are profusely carved and with Dravidian shikharas (towers). A bridge connects the Nandi mandap to the gopuram .

The temple houses several intricately carved panels, depicting scenes from the Ramayana, the Mahabharata and the adventures of Krishna.

There are five detached shrines in the temple premises; three of these are dedicated to the river goddesses: Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati.