1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 16L 16T 16ab 16s 17 18 19 20a 20b 21 22 23 24 24a1 24a2 25 26 27 28 29 30 30a 31 32 32y 33 34 g1,2,3,4,5 g6,7 g8,9,10,11,12 g13,14,15,16 g17,18,19 j1,2 j3,4
Ellora Cave Temples

floor 1




floor 2






Facade Das Avatara cave

Cave 15, started toward the very end of late Buddhist phase of work at Ellora, was interrupted in mid-course by the Rastrakuta Dantidurga's conquest of the region in about 750 A.D or (more probably) just before. Also called the Das Avatara--referring to the ten manifestation of Vishnu, a few of which are indeed shown in the cave, is in fact a Saiva dedication, attested by the presence of lingam shrine. However, its vast pillared plan, so akin to those of the late Buddhist Caves 11 and 12, to say nothing of its placement close to them (separated only by the earlier Caves 13 and 14) recommend the theory that it was in fact started as a late Buddhist vihara. What seems to confirm this view is the presence of small images of seated Buddhas on the front pillar capitals of the upper floor, together with figures of seated female figures, presumably Taras, on the two pilaster capitals.

4606 (c15F1.jpg)










339 results in Cave 15: