Kailasa Shiva Temple|kailashnath temple |hindu temple | Ellora caves|Sahyadri hills | Aurangabad | Maharashtra

Kailasa Shiva Temple

Kailasa shiva temple history:

The Kailasa Temple (Kailasanatha) and also called as (Lord of Kailasa)  is an ancient Hindu temple located in the western Indian region of Maharashtra. This temple is part of the Ellora Caves, a religious complex consisting of 34 rock-cut monasteries and temples.

Kailasa  temple derives its name from Mount Kailasa, the Himalayan abode of the Hindu god Shiva. It is generally believed that this temple was constructed in the 8th century AD, during the reign of Krishna I, A ruler of the Rashtrakuta Empire. As the Kailasa Temple is supposed to represent the sacred mountain of Shiva, this temple was dedicated to this particular Hindu god. The construction of the Kailasa Temple is thought to have taken place between 757 and 783 AD. It has been  estimated that over this period of about two and a half decades, a total of 200,000 tons of rock were excavated out of a vertical basalt cliff in the Charanandri Hills to form the magnificent temple. It may be added that the temple was carved from top to bottom with only simple hammers and chisels.

The earliest cave, the Hindu Ramesvara  dates to the 6th century CE. As its name suggests (the name of Shiva's mythical dwelling in the Himalaya) the temple was dedicated to Shiva, and indeed, may have sought to replicate his palace on earth.  Cave 21 has carved river goddesses on the exterior, a Nandi sculpture at the entrance and inside are both a large dancing Shiva surrounded by musicians and Durga slaying here amoung the buffalo demon king. 

The architect's intention is supported by the carved scene of Ravana trapped beneath Shiva's mountain placed under the temple itself. An additional mountain effect is achieved by the whole temple being situated on a high platform which worshippers must climb via two monumental staircases.

The kailasa shiva  temple was built by digging out from the sloping basalt hill two massive tranches, each 90 m long and joined with a connecting trench 53 m in length. The  kailasa shiva temple was then carved from the remaining central portion. This resulted in a 32-metre of  high structure that seems to come out of the ground. There is also the a Nandi shrine with lordShiva's sacred bull calf staring in the direction of the inner sanctuary. The shiva temple, even if they are not structurally required.

Kailasa temple Located in the Sahyadri hills near Aurangabad, Ellora caves  is the most important second-wave site of ancient rock-cut architecture in India. In the western face of one hill, composed of volcanic Basalt rock,  there are 35 caves and rock-cut temples, largely produced during the reign of the Kalachuri dynasty in the 6th and 7th centuries

Kailasa shiva temple timings:

From 9:00 am to 5:00 pm