Kailasa Temple Ellora Outlier
Rashtrakuta c.756–773 CE·Rashtrakuta Hindu (Ellora)·🇮🇳 Maharashtra, India
About
About Kailasa Temple Ellora Outlier
Kailasa (756–773, Krishna I Rashtrakuta) – world's largest monolithic rock-cut temple, excavated top-down from 200,000 tonnes basalt: 33m shikhara, surrounding courtyard 98×48m, two-storey gopura, elephant base, Nandi mandapa linked by bridge, Dravidian vimana fused to Nagara. Ellora Cave 16; UNESCO 1983. Friezes of Ravana shaking Kailasa and Gangavatarana.
Why it mattersWorld's largest monolithic rock-cut temple excavated top-down from basalt
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Construction labor organization
- 02Chronology and phasing
Theories
- 01Ceremonial centre and cosmological alignment
- 02Territorial marker and ritual landscape
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c.756–773 CE under Krishna I
- Period
- Rashtrakuta c.756–773 CE
- Culture
- Rashtrakuta Hindu (Ellora)
- Builders
- Krishna I Rashtrakuta artisans
- Purpose
- Shiva Kailasa monolithic rock-cut temple chariot; Dadviputta lineage
- Excavation
- Excavated
c.756–773 CE under Krishna I
Initial construction
On the ground
Structures & features
20.0239° N · 75.1792° E · 575 m · 3 mapped features
33m Monolithic Shikhara
shikharaDravidian shikhara carved top-down from basalt 33m
20.0241° N · 75.1793° EGopura and Elephant Base
gatewayTwo-storey rock-cut gopura with elephant processional base
20.0237° N · 75.1794° ERavana Shaking Kailasa Relief
reliefMulti-armed Ravana lifting Kailasa panel (masterpiece)
20.0240° N · 75.1790° E