COVER STORY FEB 1-7
Contributed by Shruti Mohanty
Ellora – Integration of Hindu, Buddhist and Jain cave temples
An early morning journey by road took us from Shirdi to Aurangabad. We were greeted by a morning chill, to be expected in January and February, one of the best times to visit the area. Upon reaching, we made a start for caves of Ellora, which are 28 km from Aurangabad. The road passes by the base of the Daulatabad fort. Ellora has a cluster of caves dedicated to three major religions: Buddhism, Jainism and Hinduism. Each has its own distinctive features and architectural style. What remains enmeshed in my memory of Ellora is, undoubtedly, the Kailasha Temple.
Cave 16 celebrated as the Kailasha, Shiva’s mountain abode, is by far the best of all Ellora excavations and it is one of India’s most famous monuments. Regarded as the greatest monolithic structure in the world, its conception and planning are brilliant. Hundred of architects and sculptures created this grandeur out of living rock in an inspired period of the country’s art history. We paid a silent tribute to all those artists who left behind such creation, a solace for the heart. We were completely awestruck by the mesmerising engravings.
The excavations on a sloping hill side are spread over an area, from north to south, of about two km. Caves 1 to 12, making the southern series, are Buddhist. The next 16 belong to Brahmanism; Caves 30 to 34 are in the line of the Jain group. The Buddhist caves are the earliest (500 -700 AD).
Cave 32 is known as Indra Sabha which belongs to the Jain excavations, Assembly Hall of Indra, king of the Gods. The entrance has a stone elephant and a column reminiscent of Kailasha and also a ‘Manav Stambh’ (Human Pillar) which was built to curb human ego, as when one stands in front of it, one realises how puny one is from all other-worldly creations. The overall memory of Ellora was enchanting.
The majestic caves
Our next destination was Ajanta. It is two-and-a-half hour’s drive from Aurangabad. Consisting of 30 rock-cut cave monuments, the Ajanta caves are an outstanding display of craftsmanship, testimony to the perseverance of the artists of the time. Ajanta has been excavated in a panoramic horse-shoe shaped bend of rock scarp and is a UNESCO world heritage site. Among the finest examples of early Buddhist architecture, cave-paintings and sculptures, these caves comprise Chaitya halls or shrines, and Viharas or monasteries. Some of the magnificent paintings, for which Ajanta is world-famous, can be seen in Caves 1,2,9,10,16 and 17. They depict episodes from the life of the Buddha, and scenes from the Jataka tales which relate to the Buddha’s previous incarnations as a Bodhisattva. The sculptures, on the facade of some of the caves and in the shrines contain superb images of the Buddha. More remarkable among these is the one depicting the Buddha’s Mahaparinirvana — his ultimate release from the cycle of rebirth, in Cave 26, evoking a sense of awe and reverence.
The door frame and pillars are beautifully carved. Every inch of the caves are painted; even the pillars and the sculptures bear immortal creations on them. The ceiling which is painted with geometrical, floral and faunal depictions, creates an impression of a decorative ‘shamiyana’ held above. The walls are painted mostly with the Jataka tales and scenes related to Lord Buddha’s life. The cave contains some of the masterpieces of the world of painting namely Padmapani and Vajrapani.
CAVE NO. 9 & 10
This is the oldest Chaityagriha belonging to the Hinayana sect of Buddhism datable to 1st century BC. The chaitya with its well-balanced facade is divided into a nave, an apse and aisles by a colonnade of twenty-three pillars and thirty–nine pillars respectively. The vaulted ceiling of the nave and apse were originally braced with superfluous wooden beams and rafters. At the centre of the apse stands a plain globular stupa on a high cylindrical base. The facade wall is decorated with a beautiful figure of Lord Buddha. Inside the chaitya are two layers of paintings, the earlier dating back to the second half of 1st century BC, and the latter to 5th-6th century AD. The pillars and the ceilings are decorated with paintings of Buddha and floral decorations while the walls are decorated with figures of Lord Buddha, groups of votaries, procession of devotees towards the stupa, etc.
Dating back to the 2nd century BC, the caves house some of the best paintings and sculptures of this age, considered to be masterpieces of Buddhist religious art. The frescoes on the walls of the caves are breathtakingly beautiful. Stripped of much of its grandeur with the passage of time and due to neglect, the remnants of colour on the frescoes on ceilings and walls live on as a silent witness of its heyday.
Bibi ka maqbara- Mini Taj Mahal
Our final destination for the day was Bibi ka Maqbara Built by Mughal Prince Azam Shah in the loving memory of his mother, Begum Rabia Durani, wife of Aurangzeb. This monument was intended to be a replica of the Taj Mahal. However, it is perceived as a poor imitation. The exterior lacks in symmetry. The structure is topped by marble domes but the walls are of plaster. An octagonal screen of perforated marble encloses the tomb. The interior decoration has nothing to compare with the great architectectural wonder at Agra. Yet, Bibi–ka-Maqbara has its own splendour and grace.
A high wall with bastions runs around the edifice. The recesses have little minarets. The entrance leads to an arch and from this point, a fine view of the structure ahead may be obtained. The pavements that lead to the mausoleum are flanked by oblong reservoirs.
The mesmerising craftsmanship that marked the architectural undertakings of Akbar and Shah Jahan was pitifully lost in the later years of the Mughal reign. Bibi-ka-Maqbara is an eloquent example.
Nevertheless, the monument is worth a visit, if only to understand this transition in Mughal architecture.
