Vishwakarma Cave, Ellora

In Ellora the cave numbered as 10 is the only chaitya griha amongst the Buddhist group of caves. This double-storied cave carved stylistically and paleographically dates back to 700 A.D. and has richly decorated facade that has semblance of masonry work.

The facade is decorated with a number of friezes of animals, couples and a beautifully carved window, which allows light in the cave.

The cave consists of large courtyard with a double storeyed apartments on both sides and an apsidal pillared hall on raised platform. The spacious hall apsidal on plan, has thirty pillars octagonal columns with plain bracket capitals arranged in an elongated apse. Above the piilars there are figures in bas-relief.

This cave temple is dedicated to Vishwakarma, the architect of the Gods and the patron saint of many Indian artisans. Hence the name Vishwakarma Cave.

The hall has a vaulted roof in which ribs have been carved in the rock imitating the wooden ones. Hence also the name Carpenters Cave. The ribbed vault gives an echo effect in the hall when a person standing at one end of the columns of the cave creates any sound.

In the apsidal end of the chaitya hall is a stupa on the face of which a colossal 3.30 m high seated Buddha in preaching posture is carved. The Buddha is flanked by two Bhodhisattvas and celestial couples all carved against the stupa which serves as ornamental background. The drum of the stupa is also decorated with panes of Buddha and Bhodhisatvas.