Ellora

The Ellora cave temples were carved by Buddhists, Hindus and Jains from the 5th to 10th centuries. Some are carved into the rock, others -- such as the magnificent Kailash Temple -- were carved out of the rock, leaving a free-standing structure which is really a sculpture carved out of the side of the hill.
Ellora The road from Aurangabad to Ellora passes by the hilltop Daulatabad Fortress. Ellora Daulatabad Fort on top of its 200m-high hill Ellora Colorful house Ellora Daulatabad fort and minar (tower) Ellora The ancient walls of Daulatabad date from the 14th century
Ellora Pink roadside flowers Ellora Entrance gate to the walled town of Khuldabad Ellora Tomb of Aurangzeb in Khuldabad Ellora Khuldabad mosque Ellora Gaudy colors on the mosaic decorations of the mosque
Ellora Inside Khuldabad mosque Ellora Another mosque Ellora Making puff pastry Ellora Fritters Ellora Approaching the magnificent Kailasa Temple at Ellora
Ellora Kailasa Temple Ellora Inside the Kailasa Temple, entirely carved out of the rock of the hillside Ellora Elephant sculpture and impressive temple buildings Ellora Shows the depth of the temple in the hillside Ellora All this was carved out of the hillside
Ellora Temple carvings Ellora Elephants Ellora More elephants around the corner Ellora Sculpture of Shiva asleep on his naga (serpent) bed Ellora Shiva steppin' out
Ellora Lion and elephant -- kissing? Ellora Remember, we are standing in a hole in the hillside. Ellora Inside the temple Ellora Tower and wall of carved-out hillside Ellora Mr Singh, Mr Singh and Mr Singh wanted John to take their picture; in return, they took his.
Ellora Facade sculptures Ellora Maybe Arjuna with his bow Ellora Inside the Kailasa Temple, entirely carved out of the rock of the hillside Ellora Elephant viewed from above Ellora Elephant court and turban
Ellora Ornately carved pillar Ellora Closeup of pillar Ellora It was once all richly painted; would we like it as much like that? Ellora Battle scenes, probably from the Mahabharata Ellora Ravanna, the demon, imprisoned in the cellar below Shiva and Parvati
Ellora School girls Ellora Goddess and elephants Ellora School kids outside the Kailasa Temple Ellora American tourist going up for a higher view Ellora Kailasa Temple viewed from above shows clearly how it is carved out of the hillside.
Ellora Porch of the upper temple Ellora The temple tower Ellora Wonderful sculpture in cave no. 15, which Siv visited alone (uphill) Ellora Sculpture in cave no. 15 Ellora Nataraja in cave no. 15
Ellora Dry-ground plants Ellora Siv coming down the (many) steps from cave no. 15 -- and there were many more steps inside the temple Ellora Another cave temple Ellora Cells Ellora Seated god ... or, maybe, Buddha
Ellora Two more temple entrances Ellora Path along the hillside, with many temples visible Ellora Entrance to a Buddhist monastery Ellora Chaityagriha, cave no. 10, with it's carved roof beam, giving it the name Viswakarma (Carpenter's Cave) Ellora Girls visiting
Ellora Young muslim girls playing on the grass Ellora Happy young men on the grass Ellora Young men Ellora Entrance to the Kailasa Temple Ellora Langurs have really long tails.
Ellora Baby langur Ellora Playing Ellora Monkies spend lots of time picking bugs off each other. Ellora Trottin' along Ellora Lovely banyan grove
Ellora Oleander (Nerium) Ellora Bougainvillea Ellora Last look back at the Kailasa Temple Ellora The view from farther off shows how the temple is carved out of the rock. Ellora The sun setting over Daulatabad Fortress
Ellora Our driver, Jagan, stopped to buy chikkus for his family and us.