What is the News?
The rainfall has resulted in rainwater seeping into cave number 32 at the world-renowned Ellora Caves, causing some damage to a painting.
About Cave number 32
Cave no 32 is also known as ‘Indra Sabha’ Cave. It is a two-storey architectural marvel excavated in the ninth century. It is considered as the largest and finest of the Jain caves at the Ellora site.
What are Ellora Caves?
Ellora Caves is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in the Aurangabad district of Maharashtra.
The cave consists of 34 monasteries and temples devoted to Buddhism, Hinduism and Jainism. This illustrates the spirit of tolerance that was characteristic of ancient India.
Among the 34 monasteries and temples, 17 belong to Hinduism, 12 to Buddhism and 5 to Jainism.
Caves related to Hinduism: The prominent caves of the Brahmanical group are Cave 15 (Dasavatara, or Cave of Ten Incarnations), Cave 16 (Kailasa, the largest monolithic temple), Cave 21 (Ramesvara), and Cave 29 (Dumar Lena).
Caves related to Buddhism: Amongst the caves of the Buddhist group, Cave 10 (Visvakarma or Sutar-ki-jhopdi, the Carpenter’s cave) and Cave 12 (Teen Tal, or three-storied monastery) are particularly important. These caves mark the development of the Vajrayana form of Buddhism and represent a host of Buddhist deities.
Caves related to Jainism: The Jaina group of caves (caves 30 – 34) is exquisitely carved with fine, delicate sculptures, and includes fine paintings dedicated to the Digambara sect.
Source: This post is based on the article “Maharashtra: Rain water mars painting in prominent cave at Ellora” published in TOI on 22nd September 2021.
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