Latest revision as of 14:08, 18 October 2021

A statue of Buddha in an ancient cave in Ellora; Graphic courtesy: The Times of India, March 10, 2016

[edit] Ancient caves

[edit] Hemp shielding Ellora caves from decay for 1,500 years: Study

The Times of India, March 10, 2016

Syed Rizwanullah

Archaeology experts have claimed to have found the agent - a proper mix of hemp with clay and lime plaster - that has prevented the famous Ellora caves from degrading over the 1,500 years they have been in existence. "The use of hemp helped the caves and most of the paintings remain intact at the 6th century Unesco World Heritage site," stated a study conducted by Manager Rajdeo Singh, a former superintending archaeological chemist of the Archaeological Survey of India's science branch (western region), and M M Sardesai, who teaches botany at Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University. The study is to be published in the March 10 issue of leading inter-disciplinary science journal Current Science. "Cannabis sativa, popularly known as ganja or bhang, was found mixed in the clay and lime plaster at Ellora. This was confirmed by technologies such as scanning of the electron microscope, Fourier transform, infra-red spectroscopy and stereo-microscopic studies. Hemp samples were collected from areas in Jalna district near Aurangabad and also from the outskirts of Delhi. These specimens were matched with the samples found in cave number 12 of Ellora. There was no disparity. In the sample collected from the Ellora cave, we found 10% share of cannabis sativa in the mix of mud or clay plaster. This is the reason why no insect activity is found at Ellora," Singh said in his study.

The study indicates that many valuable properties of hemp were known to Indians in the 6th century. "Hemp was extensively used in Ellora as well as by the Yadavas, who built the Deogiri (Daulatabad) fort in the 12th century. Hemp was not used in the Ajanta caves, which are about 30 rock-cut Buddhist structures dating back to the 2nd century BC. Rampant insect activity has damaged at least 25% of the paintings at Ajanta," Singh told TOI. The archaeologist, who has been engaged in the chemical treatment and conservation of ancient paintings at Ajanta for about 11 years, said the outcome of the study was "a discovery in itself". "Studies conducted in Europe suggested that buildings constructed with the use of cannabis sativa could last for 600 to 800 years. Ellora has proved that only 10% of cannabis mixed with clay or lime in the plaster could last for over 1,500 years," he said.

The claim made by the experts might put the law enforcement agencies in a fix if cannabis sativa is used on a large scale for construction, as suggested in the study. Aurangabad commissioner of police Amitesh Kumar told TOI, "Marijuana is banned under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. It cannot be grown, transported, possessed or consumed. Anybody found with the substance will face action." Rajendra Mugdia, a special public prosecutor who had earlier in the capacity of additional public prosecutor tried over a dozen cases under the NDPS Act, 1985, said, "If hemp comes into use for construction work, it might lead to gross misuse. The government will have to make some amendments to the law introduced in 1985. A separate authority will have to be created for allotting permissions."

[edit] Kailasa Temple

Rana Safvi, In Cave 16: the Kailasa temple, August 5, 2018: The Hindu

Kailasa Temple in Cave 16, Ellora caves, Maharashtra
From: Rana Safvi, In Cave 16: the Kailasa temple, August 5, 2018: The Hindu

A journey through one of the largest rock-cut temples in the world

According to a legend cited in the 10th century book Katha Kalpa Taru, some time in the 8th century, the queen of the Rashtrakuta ruler Elu made a vow that she would not eat till a magnificent temple was built to Lord Shiva, and she saw its amlaka (finial). The king invited many architects, but none of them was able to fulfil this vow. Finally, an architect named Kokasa from Paithan completed the task in no time. This story is narrated by M.K. Dhavalikar in Ellora: Monumental Legacy.

Legend aside, the construction of the temple began during the rule of the Rashtrakuta king, Dantidurga (735-757 AD). A group of skilled artisans cut and carved the vertical face of the basalt rock of a hill in Elapura, known today as Ellora, near Aurangabad. Unlike the Buddhists who made carvings inside the rock to construct cave temples, this group cut the rock internally and externally, with exquisite precision, to build a monolithic rock temple. The result is the magnificent Kailasa temple, one of the largest rock-cut temples in the world. 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.

Inside the Kailasa temple

There are 32 caves in Ellora, numbered according to their age. Temples 1 to 12 in the southern side are the Buddhist caves. Temples 13 to 29 are the Hindu caves, and in the northern side are the Jain temples. I knew that if I started at cave 16, the Kailasa temple, I would never see the rest. So, keeping it as a treat for myself, I started at cave 32.

The first thing I saw when I finally reached cave 16 was a huge rock screen with carvings and a two-level doorway with eaves on top. A door on the lower level leads into the double-storey gopuram, which has exquisitely carved sculptures on the walls. Goddesses Ganga and Yamuna flank the entrance gateway.

The gopuram at the lower level leads to the portico. The full glory of this colossal monolith hits you when you leave the portico, on either side of which are the north and south courts with life-size elephants and a victory pillar framing the Kailasa. It is this iconic image that I had seen many times in photographs.

There are five subsidiary shrines around the main temple in the circumambulatory path that runs along the side of the hill. This includes a shrine dedicated to river goddesses Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati, and a yajna-shala (hall of sacrifice).

However, the main temple is the most impressive. The elephants and lions that form the high plinth of the main temple signify Rashtrakuta power and prosperity. Rock steps in the left court lead up to the top where Nandi and a 36-column mandap with a Shiv ling are located. There are many beautiful carvings: of Durga, Mahishasuramardini, Gajalakshmi seated in a lotus pool, Shiva as Ardhanari and Virbhadra, Ravana shaking the Kailash parvat, and the Mahabharata and Ramayana panels. After spending many hours looking at these perfections, I climbed up to the top of the mountain from which the temple is carved. You can see the whole complex from there.

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, about 106 feet deep at its innermost side, 160 ft wide and 280 ft in length. The temple stands in the middle of this pit. Its highest point is the shikhar at 96 ft.

Features of the main temple

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 stiff climb up the hill was made worthwhile by the loveliness of the lotus on the roof of the sanctum. The lotus is crowned by a finial with four mythical lions, each facing one cardinal direction. Looking at the magnificence of the temple, I wondered: Was all this made using just a hammer and a chisel or was there a divine force at work too?

[edit] YEAR-WISE DEVELOPMENTS

[edit] 2021:  Rain water damages painting

Prasad Joshi, Sep 22, 2021: The Times of India

This is the first ever incidence of rain water seeping into cave 32, considered the largest and finest of the Jain caves at the site
From: Prasad Joshi, Sep 22, 2021: The Times of India

The downpour during September has resulted in rain water seeping into cave number 32 at the world-renowned Ellora Caves in Aurangabad for the first time ever, causing some damage to a painting.

The science branch of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has stepped in to control the damage. Some damage due to rain water seepage has also been reported in cave number 33 and other places at the world heritage site in the past few days following incessant rains.

Known as ‘Indra Sabha’, cave 32 is a two-storey architectural marvel excavated in the ninth century. It is considered the largest and finest of the Jain caves at Ellora.

ASI superintendent archaeologist (Aurangabad circle) Milan Kumar Chauley on Monday said no incidence of rain water seepage had ever been recorded at cave 32 in the past. “Due to the heavy rains during the first half of September, there was profuse seepage in different caves at Ellora, causing damage to some of the paintings. At cave 32, our science branch has given support to the damaged and loose painting by using a special mechanical jack and waterproof foam sheet to remove the rain water,” he said.

Chauley said the seepage at cave 32 has been communicated to the ASI headquarters in New Delhi. “The ASI brass is expected to undertake a joint survey of the caves shortly with different experts.”

Khuldabad tehsil in Aurangabad district, where the Ellora Caves are located, has received an excess 240mm rain in September so far — 217% of the normal rainfall.

Dating back from the 6th to 10th century, the caves comprise 34 monasteries and temples excavated side by side in the wall of a high basalt cliff.