Buddhist Group Of Caves, Ellora

Cave 1

This is the first cave ever to be carved out; it is a Buddhist monastery built towards the south. It only consists of four cells and has no sculptures of any kind.

Cave 2

Another shrine built in Lord Buddha’s memory, it is at the end of a long flight of stairs. It consists of a mandap that has Buddha’s unfinished images segregated into a gallery. The sculptures found here are grand and huge with many deities being depicted including—the God of Wealth, Panchika, and the Goddess of Prosperity, Hariti.

Cave 3

Nowhere close to the other caves’ historical charm, this cave has an incomplete image of Buddha in a seated position along with other small motifs and symbols that decorate the place.

Cave 4

Once as big as two storeys, Cave 4 is presently in ruins. This cave too has the image of a seated Buddha.

Cave 5

Spanning across a depth of an astonishing 117 feet and 59 feet in width, this cave is essentially a vihara (monastery) and goes by the name Maharvada. It houses 20 rooms for Buddhist monks alongside a beautiful shrine for Lord Buddha. There are two long and narrow benches that must not be missed while here.

Cave 6

This cave accommodates a hall in a rectangle shape. Images of Bodhisattva and goddesses Mahamayuri and Tara adorn this place.

Cave 7

This cave isn’t as significant as the other ones. It comprises of a plain hall with pillars.

Cave 8

A monastery once upon a time, this cave holds precious Buddha sculptures. One can go around the entire cave and explore the different features.

Cave 9

This cave houses a beautiful capture of Goddess Tara rescuing her worshippers from an elephant, a snake, a fire and a shipwreck. One can find an open terrace here alongside a shrine.

Cave 10

This cave is named after the famous architect, Vishwakarma. It also goes by the name of Sutar Ka Jhonpra—a carpenter’s hut. Carpenters visit this cave to pay homage to Vishwakarma. A chaityagriha—Lord Buddha’s chapel—can also be seen.

As you enter from the entrance door, be assured that the idol of Lord Buddha is sitting in a dharmachakra pravartana mudra—its height touching at least 11 feet.

This cave is extremely significant as an important juncture in the Chaitya dynasty in India.

Cave 11 (Do Thal)

Do Thal literally translates to two storeys; however, the cave actually has three storeys. The name was given as Do Thal and not Teen Thal as the ground floor has actually crumpled and given way. This cave, too, sees the Buddha in a seated, teaching position. Idols of Lord Ganesha and Goddess Durga can be seen here.

Cave 12 (Teen Thal)

This is the largest monastery in the entire state of Maharashtra. It is three storeys long. A wide entrance leads you to a huge courtyard. There are individual stairs that lead one to the respective storeys. This hall has numerous pillars and images and sculptures of a seated Buddha and other deities.