Ellora Caves
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Hindu, Buddhist and Jain cave temples side by side, including the Kailasa temple carved from a single rock.
MonumentNear Chhatrapati SambhajinagarBest time to visit: October to MarchUNESCO heritage 1983
Highlights
- Kailasa temple (Cave 16), cut from top to bottom out of one basalt hill
- Buddhist caves, including the Vishvakarma chaitya hall
- Jain caves with fine carvings of the Tirthankaras
- The Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga temple is close by
Significance
Ellora shows three faiths living side by side. The Kailasa temple is generally dated to the reign of the Rashtrakuta king Krishna I in the 8th century. Ellora was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983.