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OCT XO
I'v/sioQ
Sr:
tir>r^
1917
oC^ #12, 5^5
THE ROCK-CUK
V^
B
0CT?<>19
TEMPLES OF INDIA ILLUSTRATED BY SEVENTY-FOUR PHOTOGRAPHS TAKEN ON THE SPOT BY MAJOR GILL DESCRIBED BY JAMES FERGUSSON,
F.R.S.
M.R.A.S
ROCK-CUT FORTRESS OF DOWI-UTABAD.
LONDON: JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET. ^ 1864.
-*
.7
-J-
LONDON PRINTED BY
^
R.
CI AV,
_
:
SON,
AND TAYLOR.
*i*
PREFACE.
During to
a lengthened residence in India
be able to
visit
in
succession
it
the
all
princii)al
known
Rock-cut Temples which, were then
my good
was
groups of
exist
to
fortune
that
in
country.
In 1836 those of Cuttack were
first
examined.
In 1838 an
extended tour was made for the pnrpose of exploring those of
Western India, and
by a
The
visit to
in
the
1841
investigation
those of Mahavellipore, in the Madras Presidency
intervals
that
elapsed
between these several dates were
useful for correcting the vagueness of
enabling
me
architecture,
was completed
to
fill
up the gaps
in
first
impressions, and in
my knowledge
by examining cotemporary
of Indian
structural buildings,
and
studying other cognate sources of information.
The
results of these investigations
were embodied
which was read to the Royal Asiatic Society lished in the Eighth
Volume
of
its
paper
1843, and pub-
in
1845, accompanied
plates, in folio, illustrating the jirincipal
types of Rock-cut Architecture in India.
•i«-
a
Journal.
This paper was afterwards republished
by nineteen lithographic
in
in
Preface. In consequence of the interest which these pubhcations excited
among
those interested in the study of Indian Antiquities, a me-
morial was addressed to the Court of Directors of the East India
Company, praying them
and destruction of these venerable monuments of the
cration past,
the
to take steps to prevent further dese-
and above
all
to appoint
perishing Frescoes of
fast
some one
A junta,
make drawings
to
before
of
decay and the
recklessness of Tourists had entirely obliterated them.
One Major a
result of these Gill,
representations was, that Captain,
was appointed
to
task for which he proved
the
artistic
skill
copy the paintings
in
— now
Ajunta
;
himself thoroughly competent, by
displayed in
of
copies
the
these
paintings
which he has sent home, as well as by the truthfulness and fidelity
The
which pervade pictures sent
all
he has done.
home by Major
now
years of his residence at Ajunta are
Court of the Crystal Palace
at
Gill
during the
first
few
exhibited in the Indian
Sydenham, and convey a perfect
idea of the style of the paintings at Ajunta
;
but unfortunately
they have not been accompanied by any exj^lanation, or any indication of the localities in which they are found.
The
only
attempt to elucidate their history, which has yet been published, will
be found
in
Mrs, Spier's " Life
in
Ancient India," published
in 1856.
For many years past no further drawings have reached country, but instead,
)ear to Mr.
Major
Gill sent
home
this
in the spring of this
La\ard nearly two hundred stereoscopic views of
Indian subjects.
-* Preface. chase, of
About one-half these Were scenes of the and
life,
illustrations
of the
Mahometan
buildings and of the
Of
scenery in the neighbourhood of Ajunta. half,
many were
Indian
remaining
the
duplicates, but those forming the illustrations
of the present volume, have been selected as being
all
those in
the collection which could fairly be considered as representing
Rock-cut Architecture.
The
text
which accompanies them
complete and
is
scientific elucidation of
:
but
it is
hoped
of each Photograph necessary, clearly than
for
the
that
it
is
intelligible.
Photographs
Those who
the subject.
desire fuller information are referred
above
not intended to be a
to
the works mentioned
sufticient to
render the subject
This seems to be tell
their
own
all
that
story far
is
more
any form of words that could be devised, and even
without the text they form by far the most perfect and factory illustration of the ancient architecture
of
satis-
India which
has yet been presented to the Public.
JAMES FERGUSSON. -20,
Langham Place, October,
'
*"
1863.
')¥j^m^:€^i^€mm^im^m^:m^om?:^m^mt>M
CONTENTS.
CAVES OF AJUNTA. PAGE
BRIDGE AND
TOWN OK AJUNTA
I
—AJUNTA GENERAL VIEW OF CAVES. — AJUNTA CAVES NO. TO NO. —AJUNTA HEAD OF RAVINE.
2 '
.
3
.
I4.
I,
4
THE FIRST SEVEN CAVES AT AJUNTA
5
SOUTHERN END OF THE SERIES OF CAVES. THE OLDEST GROUP OF CAVES.
—AJUNTA ...
—AJUNTA
6 7
.
THE OLDEST CHAITYA CAVE AT AJUNTA
THE OLDEST
—AJUNTA VIHARA. — AJUNTA VIHARA. — AJUNTA
VIHARA NO.
IX,
CHAITYA CAVE NO.
THE OLDEST
lO.
8 '
.
.
.
AT AJUNTA
VERANDAH OF CAVE
NO.
II.
EXTERIOR OF VIHARA NO.
15.
VIHARA
16.
NO.
I4.
—AJUNTA —AJUNTA
VERANDAH OF CAVE
NO.
NO.
11
1
I4 15
16 1 1
EXTERIOR OF VIH.\RA NO.
VERANDAH OF CAVE
9 lO
12
— AJUNTA —AJUNTA
INTERIOR OF VERANDAH NO. I4.—AJUNTA
VIHARA NO.
.
6.
—AJUNTA —AJUNTA — AJUNTA
1 7.
I7.
vii
1
19
20
Contents.
AISLE IN
IIAI.I.
OF VIHARA NO.
PORCH OF CHAITYA NO.
I9.
GREAT WINDOW, CHAITYA
I7.
—AJUNTA
— .VfUNTA —.\JUNTA NO. 19.
.
.
.
,
It .
.
.
.
—AJUNTA
LOWER PART OF FACADE OF CHAITYA
NO.
19.
LOWER PART OF FACADE OF CHAITYA
NO.
I9.—AJUNTA
^5
.
26
INTERIOR OF CHAITYA NO.
ROOF OF CHAITYA NO.
1
9,
19.
—AJUNTA.
—AJUNTA — ,\JUNTA
TRIFORIUM OF CHAITYA NO.
.
.
19.
TRIFORIUM OF CHAITYA NO.
19.
TRIFORIUM OF CHAITYA NO.
I9.
— AJUNTA — AJUNTA
TRIFORIUM OF CHAITYA NO.
I9.
— .\JUNTA
HINDOO SCULPTURE. CAVE NO.
20.
CAVE NO.
20.
6.
.^i
.
I9.
— .AJUNTA
7.
5.
37
38 39
VERANDAH OF CAVE
EXTERIOR, CAVE NO.
—AJUNTA —.AJUNTA —AJUNTA
VERANDAH, CAVE NO.
2.
VERANDAH, CAVE NO.
2.
FACADE, CAVE NO.
I.
FACADE, CAVE NO.
I.
FACADE, CAVE NO.
I.
— AJUNTA —AJUNTA —AJUNTA
FACADE, CAVE NO. I.— AJUNTA
VERANDAH, CAVE NO.
DOORWAY, CAVE NO.
21.^
23.
23.
— AJUNTA
41
42
44
.
.
4.5
.
.
46
.
.
47
.
.
.
.
— AJUNTA .... —AJUNTA —AJUNTA CAVE NO.
22.
FACADE, CAVE NO.
4.
40
43
— AJI^NTA 21. — AJUNTA —,\JUNTA
I.
NO.
-AJUNTA
.
INTERIOR OF VERANDAH, CAVE NO.
DOORWAY, CAVE NO.
33
36
.
2.
32
35
.
4.
.SCULPTURE IN
VERANDAH,
.?o
.
34
INTERIOR OF VERANDAH, CAVE NO. 4
CAVE NO.
29
.
— AJUNTA .... — AJUNTA CAVE NO. — AJUNTA
FACADE, CAVE NO.
FACADE OF
I9.
28
.
—AJUNTA ... — AJUNTA ....
FACADE, CAVE NO.
CAVE NO.
CHAITYA NO.
27
.
—AJUNTA — .\JUNTA
CHOULTRIE ATTACHED TO CHAITYA NO.
24
48 I
AJU NTA
.
49 50 51
52
53 54 55
--:»-
r
^ Contents. PAGE
FACADE, NO.
24.
— AJUNTA
56
LOWER PART OF FACADE OF CHAITYA
— AJUNTA 26. — AJUNTA
NO. 26.
UrPER PART OF FACADE OF CHAITYA NO.
.
.
.
.
57
58
CAVES OF ELLORA.
—ELLORA VISWAKARMA. — ELLORA
EXTERIOR VISWAKARMA.
63
EXTERIOR
64
VIHARA
— ELLORA
65
— ELLORA DUS AVATARA. — ELLORA PUS AVATARA. — ELLORA RAVANA KA KAIE. — ELLORA
TEEN TAL.
PLAN OF KYLAS ELLORA
66 67
68
69 70
— ELLORA VIMANA, KYLAS. — ELLORA CLOISTER, KYLAS. — ELLORA BAS-RELIEF, KYLAS. — ELLORA BAS-RELIEF, KYLAS. — ELLORA SCULPTURE, KYLAS. — ELLORA SCULPTURE, KYLAS. — ELLORA INDRA SUBHA. — ELLORA KYLAS.
7
72 73 74 75
76 77
7S
gRT^»feTj»I»H
'^
IRODUCTION,
IN
''INHERE
are few
among
the
monuments
of antiquity regarding
whose history or uses so much uncertainty prevailed,
till
a very
recent period, as those
known
as the rock-cut temples of India.
When Europeans
became
acciuainted with them, they were
first
and the apparent eternity jumped at once to the conclusion that they must be among the most ancient monuments of the world, rivalling in this respect, as was then supposed, There was also a mystery hanging even those of Egypt. over their deserted condition, added to the fact that almost all of them were situated in remote and lonely valleys, or cut so struck
by
their monolithic grandeur,
of duration that resulted from
into
the bare mountain-side
conspired tainly
to
render
;
it,
that they
which, with other circumstances,
them the most
were the grandest,
attractive,
relics of the arts of the
as
they cer-
ancient
Hindoo
races.
In consequence of
all
this,
the wildest theories were adopted
with regard to their antiquity and the purposes for which they
These might have continued in vogue had not James Prinsep, between the years 1830 and 1840, opened a new era in our knowledge of Indian antiquities, and introduced new modes of investigation, which soon led to most important results. Among the first fruits of his labours was the decipherment of the Great Buddhist inscriptions, which exist all over Northern were originally intended. till
the present day
India,
from beyond the Indus
the Bay of Bengal at Cuttack.
at
Kapur
di Giri to the shores of
Introduction.
This discovery led to a thorough investigation of the Buddhist of Ceylon by the Hon. Mr. Turnour, and the con-
literature
Muni, the
sequent fixation of the date of the birth of Sakya founder of that
or about the year 623 B.C.,
faith, in
eighty years later, in 543.
It
and of
dhism did not become a prevalent,
still
less
a state religion,
till
300 years afterwards, in the reign of Asoka. As excavations belong to this faith, an initial date was thus obtained, beyond which it was impossible to carry back the antiquity of the earlier
all
.
his death
was also then ascertained that Bud-
any of the
known
rock-cut temples then
since brought to
or
Subsequent researches have more and more confirmed
light.
the conclusions then arrived at
;
and there seems no reason
for
doubting but that the whole series of Indian Rock-cut Temples
were excavated in the fourteen centuries which elapsed between the time "
when Uasaratha,
Milkmaid's Cave"
Subha by Indradyumna
of the Indra
pletion
the grandson of Asoka, excavated the
Behar, about 200 years B.C., and the com-
in
at
EUora,
in the
twelfth century after our era.
As might
naturally be expected from their locality, the oldest
group of these caves
that at
is
Raja Griha
in Behar,
being close
Buddhism, and where it first rose into They extend from 200 B.C. to the destruction of the
to the original seat of
importance.
Andhra dynasty Next to these
in the fifth century of is
our
era.
same Buddhism is concerned, but of much more modem date.
the Cuttack series, beginning about the
time, but ending earlier in so far as
continued through a Jaina series
These are the only two groups known
On
the western side of India, the
not only the oldest, but the finest
to exist in Bengal.
Cave
known
at
Karli
to exist.
is
apparently
It is situated
on what is now, and probably was then, the great highroad between the plains of the Deccan and the Harbour of Bombay, which we know to have been an important Buddhist locality, from the number of caves that still exist around it. But the most complete and interesting series known is that of Ajun,ta, which are fully
illustrated
in
this
volume.
century B.C. to the tenth
They extend
or eleventh
a. D.
variety of style of Buddhist art prevalent in
froin
the
first
and present every India during that
important period.
Next
^-
in
importance
to these
is
the well-known group at EUora,
Inlroduction. consisting of three series
:
—
First, a Buddliist
group, wliich
may
probably be as old as the seventh, but more probably belongs to After these comes a
the eighth, or ninth, century.
Hindoo
series,
two or three centuries, and closing with a Jaina group of the eleventh or twelfth. They form thus a singular contrast with those at Ajunta, where all belong to one religion though it may be a question whether the variety of the lasting through the next
;
one
series is not as interesting as the uniformity of the other.
Besides
there
this,
a very important and interesting series of
is
caves at Kennari in the island of Salsette, in
wholly Buddhist,
and
of
Hindoo cave of Elephanta, of In the Ghats above
ages
various
Bombay
Bombay Harbour
— and
the
well-known
the eighth or ninth century.
there
another important
is
series,
Juneer ; a Buddhist group at Bang, in Malwa and one partly Buddhist and partly Brahmanical at Dhumnar, and several others at
;
known, and which yet remain to be examined and described. Only one important group is known to exist in the Madras Presidency, that at Mahavellipore, on the coast, south of Madras. They are comparatively modern, and may be as late as the less
They present a curious mixture of Brahmanical and Buddhist forms of architecture, but cannot bear comparison either in extent or interest with those existing in the thirteenth century of our era.
Bengal or
Bombay
Altogether,
Presidencies.
has been calculated there
it
excavations of this class
may be
in India i,ooo
— nine-tenths of which are Buddhist, and
the remaining loo divided between the Brahmanical and Jaina religions.
They
most interesting before the
thus form not only the most numerous, but the
remains existing
series of architectural
Mahomedan
Conquest.
In
fact,
in India
they are the only ones
that serve to illustrate the Arts or History of the period to
The
which
monuments erected during the early centuries of our era are scarce and widely scattered over the whole area of the country, and few even of these are in the state they belong.
in
structural
which they were originally erected
whereas one of the great
;
remains unchanged and unchangeable durmg the whole period of its existence. merits of cave -^rrliitPCture
is
that
it
In order to understand what has just been said and a great deal of what
is
to follow,
it
is
necessary to bear xiii
in
mind
that thrte
Introduction. great phases of religious failh have succeeded one another in
The
India in historical times.
Aryans
—an elemental
fust
any human
tion or idolatr}^ as
faith well
only from the Vedas, and from of the ancient Persians
who has
prevalence
monument
its
can
We know
be.
it
analogy with the fire-worshij)
no stranger
for
;
left
or material
We
judged.
was that of the immigrating removed from supersti-
fire-worship, as far
visited India during
its
and no could be
us an account of what he saw,
records
remain by which
it
have every reason, however, to suppose that
continued pure and undefiled
till
the period
when
it
it
was superseded
by Buddhism, some three centuries before our era. We have only slight means of guessing what the religion of the aboriginal Indians may have been in early times, but it seems clear that Buddhism was little else than a raising up of the aboriginal casteless Hindoos to a temporary supremacy over the When Buddhism broke down in India, of aristocratic Aryans. which we have symptoms as early as the sixth century a. d., it was succeeded in some parts of ^Vestern India by the religion of Jaina
;
a form of faith that
may have
existed in obscurity con-
temporaneously with the other, but only came
to
light
on
its
extinction.
What
really replaced
it,
however, was the modern Brahmanical
worship of Siva and Vishnu.
This was apparently the religion of
some
of the original inhabitants of the country with
effete
remnant of the old Brahmanical Aryans overthrow the Buddhists.
in order to
but this most unholy alliance
whom
the
allied themselves,
In this they succeeded
has given birth
to
;
one of the
most monstrous superstitions the world now knows, but which generally prevails at the present day over the whole peninsula
of India.
So
we know,
far as
the Aryans built no permanent buildings
Their pure religion required no stately ceremonies,
in India.
and consequently no temples. palatial structures
pageantry
;
in the habit
and
it
The
climate
is
so temperate, that
were only necessary for the display of passing also
happens that where races of men are not
of building temples or tombs, their residences are
more remarkable for temporary convenience than they are permanent magnificence. Architectural magnificence was, on
for
the contrary, a necessity
IntroductiQn. with the Turanian natives
;
and one of the most interesting points
brought out by the study of the caves
is
the
fact, that
the earliest
mere petrifactions of wooden buildings. The mortices, the tenons, and every form of wooden construction, is repeated in
are
the rock in the earliest caves
remains as
still
;
and frequently even the woodwork
placed there to support the mountain, instead
if
of being merely intended to recall the structure
covered or boarded roof from which
The same are in like in
both instances
events,
how
repetitions in stone of it
appears that
all
metal
the earliest tombs
wooden
structures,
and
was the Greeks who taught
it
more permanent monuments we know in
to use the
the earliest
of the
was copied.
thing occurred in Lycia, where
manner
the natives
it
materials.
At
all
India, the lats of
Asoka, are adorned with Greek ornaments, evidently borrowed from the Bactrian Greeks of Central Asia, and in the earlier caves there every form with
wood
All the classes.
is
not one single form that suggests
is
essentially
;
itself.
Buddhist caves we
They
are
Chaitya caves
or
know
of belong to one of two
either Viharas or Monasteries, or
churches,
— the
former being,
expected, by far the most numerous.
The
of one cell only
fact, for
;
little
hermitages, in
Fig.
PLAN OF VIHAR.\ AT fDVAGIRI.
single ascetic.
as
they are
might be
oldest Viharas consist
the residence of a
1
SCALE
25
FEET TO
I
IXCH.
In the next class they were extended to a long
verandah, with one long cell behind
As
lithic architecture
wooden, and frequently interchanging
it,
as in the example. Fig.
i.
these had, however, several doors opening outwards, they pro-
bably were divided by partitions into cells internally.
Introduction. In the third, and by far the most numerous class, Fig.
expands into a
around
hall,
the
this
2,
the cell
generally with pillars in the centre
of the
cells
monks
are
;
and
arranged, the abbot
or prior generally occupying cells at either end of the verandah.
PLAN OF VIHARA NO.
2.
AT AJUNTA.
SCALE 50 FEET TO
I
INCH
In ancient times, no sculpture or images were introduced into but as early, certainly, as the first or second century
the Viharas of our era
;
we
find a chapel always facing the principal entrance,
an image of Buddha
afterwards side chapels were added, groups of caves which had no those in and with images find we a dagopa, or stone altar, them to attached cave Chaitya
and
in
it
of saints
:
;
occupying the chapel in the centre. Chaitya caves, on the contrary, are always exclusively devoted to ceremonial worship, and in every feature correspond with the a Romanesque or Basilican church, the climate apparently enabling them to dispense with the nave, or place of assembly for the laity. As mentioned above, the typical example
choir of
of this class
is
the great cave of Karli, of which
plan on woodcut Fig.
is
represented
in
3.
Externally there was always a porch or music gallery, more or within this, a feature corresponding with our less developed ;
rood-screen.
This
is
always covered with sculpture, and access xvi
^Introduction.
was obtained to the choir through one or three doors with which was pierced. Internally, over the entrance, is the part corre-
it
sponding with the rood-loft, and over chancel arch, through which light Fiff.
o
is
this is the great
window or
admitted to the building.
X.
QgaaaaaQiaaaaiaaaj
h)
u
J
p
u3
ai
o a
3 a
23
las*
>^' 20
10
30
PLAN OF THE CHAITYA CA\E AT KARLI.
The
end, opposite the entrance, always terminates in an apse,
the centre of which
is
occupied by the dagopa, or stone
altar, a
simulated tomb, containing, or supposed to contain, a relic of
Buddha, or of some of
his saints. Fii
/.M
SECTION
The whole
is
III
I
WE
1
AT
K'ARI.I.
always surrounded by an aisle or procession path,
separated from the choir by a range of pillars
;
over that
is
generally a triforium belt, not pierced, but ornamented either by
painting or sculpture.
roof
From
this
belt
springs the semicircular
In the oldest Chaityas, this Avas always ornamented with
wooden
ribs attached
to the rock,
and
at Karli.
woodcut
Fig. 4,
^
-^ Introduction. these
still
the rock
;
remain. At Kennari, the wooden tenons still stick in but in most cases they are replaced by stone ribs cut
out of the rock.
As the Brahmans excavated caves only their
in order to signalize
triumph over their enemies the Buddhists, and had no
real
purpose to guide them, their excavations are more varied in Generally speaking, character, and not so easily classified. however, they too
may be
divided into two classes
— Pseudo
Viharas and Temples.
The
first
caves with
of these resemble true monasteries at flat
roofs supported
by
pillars,
to Buddhist excavations in arrangement.
however, from these, by having no
first sight,
being
sometimes nearly similar
They
cells or
are distinguished,
any arrangements for
residence, the wall spaces between the pillars being invariably
occupied by sculpture or niches for the chapel, or dagopa, there
is
its
reception
Even without
a figure of Siva or Vishnu.
;
and instead of
generally either a small temple or sculpture, however,
there are peculiarities of plan in Brahmanical excavations which at once betray their origin to any one familiar with the archi-
arrangement of Buddhist Viharas. temples are still more unlike the Buddhist Brahmanical The examples, as these are invariably exteriors, and have consequently no meaning when cut in the rock. In almost every case they have
tectural
also the disadvantage of standing in a pit, the rock being
out
The
dug
round, leaving them in the midst of the excavation. one exception to this rule is the example of the Raths at
all
There the Brahmans found a group of granite boulders lying on the seashore, and have carved them into the Mahavellipore.
form of temples, having
all
the appearance of structural edifices
with the advantage of monolithic durability but the parts being all copied from edifices constructed with small stones, no apparent ;
grandeur of
effect results
from
this cause.
The Kylas
at Ellora
and the temple at Dhumnar are, on the contrary, hid from view externally, and when looked at from above lose half the effect due to their dimensions. When standing in the pit, however, and looking up at them, there is something in the seclusion, and an simple wall of rock enclosing the richlycarved temple, which goes far to redeem these faults, and renders effect of eternity in the
4*-
^ Introduction.
much more impressive than
them, on the whole,
structural temples
of even greatly increased dimensions.
The
Jaina temples are so few as hardly to require classification,
and have no
peculiarities by which they can be Their arrangements partake principally of that of
architectural
distinguished.
the Brahmanical caves
indeed,
;
it
is
only by their sculpture that
They
they can be distinguished from them. ever,
from the circumstance of
period of
Hindoo
art
and they were
;
how-
are interesting,
most
their belonging to the
also fortunate
florid
being
in
excavated at a tnne when even the Brahmans had become so familiar with monolithic architecture as to have
abandoned most
of the faults inherent in direct imitation of structural edifices.
vain
It is in
now
to speculate
on what may
first
have induced
the inhabitants of Behar to excavate temples in the hard granite
rocks of their country, or those of Cuttack in the coarse sandstone of Khandagiri. of Egypt, as
may have been
It
we know from
alliances with
a familiarity with those
Asoka had formed Ptolemy of Egypt, and Megas, probably of Cyrene ; his inscriptions, that
and to a people wholly without permanent monuments as the
Hindoos then were, the temptation ments of these countries was
to imitate the rock-cut
What, however,
great.
monu-
really led to
was the singularly favourable nature of
their ultimate extension
the rocks in Western India for the purpose.
From
Nerbudda
the valley of the
to that of the Kistnah, the
whole country consists of horizontally fectly
homogeneous
in
character.
intervene of harder texture steplike
character which
Whether harder or uniform
in
stratified trap
rocks per-
Occasionally, however, strata
than the
distinguishes
giving that curious
rest,
the
hill
forts of
India.
and cracks, and so character, that the architect feels the most perfect softer,
it is
free
from
faults
confidence in finding a suitable material, however deeply he
may
penetrate.
The Tapty
is
one of the few streams which have cut through
the upper crust of this formation,
and wide
valley through
side of this great valley
some miles
it,
and opened
for itself a
pursuing a western course.
On
deep either
numerous ravines or cracks extend
into the plateau.
for
>b'
Introduction.
one of these ravines, on the southern side of the valley
It is in
of the Tapty, about three miles from the outer edge or ghat, that the
Caves of Ajunta are
situated.
In order to render the following description of these caves intelligible,
how
it
necessary, before proceeding further, to explain
is
numbers by which
the
When
attached to them.
them had names, but such
they
known came
are
the caves in 1839,
I visited
be
to
some of
as neither indicated their age nor the
purposes for which they were excavated, and these were applied
same name
so loosely that the guides frequently gave the
one cave and then
to
numbered them
like
to
another.
houses in a
northern, or the cave furthest
To
all
first
difficulty,
I
beginning with the most
street,
down
avoid
the stream,
and proceeded
to
No. 27, the last accessible cave at the southern end. According to this arrangement, the oldest group consists of the 9th, loth, nth, and 12th, and the series becomes more and
more modern very nearly in the exact ratio on which it diverges on either hand from this central group. Thus the group from No. 13 to No. 19 comes next in age, and beyond these the northern Caves, Nos. i to 7 and the southern, Nos. 20 to 27, are probably cotemporary or nearly so. The earliest Viharas, Nos. 11 and 12, were probably excavated in the century which preceded the ;
Christian era
— they may be
older
;
while the excavation of No.
and No. 26 probably did not long precede the
first
i
Mahomedan
Conquest. It
may
also
be remarked, that Nos. 9, 10, 19, and 26 are Chaitya, the remaining twenty-three are Viharas. There
or Church caves are
;
no Brahmanical caves
at
Ajunta, but
some sculpture
that
and may have been excavated either after the caves were abandoned by their original occupants, or during some period of temporary approaches very nearly to that religion
in
character,
supremacy.
^
-^
THE
CAVES OF AJUNTA.
i-
*^1*
BRIDGE AND
A T
TOWN OF
AJUNTA.
the head of the ravine in which the Caves are situated stands Ajunta, a picturesque but thinly inhabited town, at one time well
annals in consequence of
The Bara Durree
on the right of the
At
this point the
also to
bridge.
dam back
A
little
in front of the
same time
being situated near the
was then used
or Palace
graves of the officers it,
its
who
fell
are
still
to
as
field
known
in
our
of battle of Assaye.
a field hospital,
and the
be seen on the plateau opposite
picture.
stream
is
crossed by a bridge of ten arches, which serves
the waters of the river so as to form a reservoir above the farther
down
a second obstruction forms an
Bara Durree, as shown
in the
artificial
lake
photograph, and adds at the
to tlie height of the first of a series of
falls,
by which the
river
descends to that part of the ravine where the Caves are situated.
*':*
HEAD OF RAVINE.— AjUNTA.
'
I
""HE town of Ajunta
situated on the level of the plains of the Deccan,
is
on the top of the Ghat.
down,
at
the
The Caves
are situated about 200 feet lower rocks.
Half way
haixler rock divides the height into
two nearly
bottom of a second stratum of the trap
between them a platform of
equal strata of 100 feet each.
After leaping over the two river descends
by numerous small
about two miles long.
which
it
falls
artificial
It
falls
obstructions tlirough the
shewn first
in the last view, the
stratum
iir
a course of
then reaches the edge of the lower platform, over
by seven short
leaps, in a
narrow space
just to the right of tlie
rocks shown in the view, which close the upper end of the lower ravine.
^.
>n
(;knekat, vif.w ov
T MMEDIATELY
below the rocks shown on the
makes a sudden bend Caves
cavks.— atunta.
to
the
on
left,
tlie
last
photograph, the river
outer sweep
of which
the
are situated.
This view of which
is
this
interesting as
country
plain of the Deccan.
is
The
The
caves are situated.
through lower down.
showing the two great platforms of trap-rock
The
composed,
hill forts
river
Tapty Hows over a
And above
of this
perfectly
lower, eipiilly horizontal,
all
these three
existing in detached liorizontal fragments,
celebrated
upper,
jiart
is
is
forms the
flat,
the one in which the
third,
which
it
also cuts
an upper stratum, but only
which give so peculiar a form
to the
of India.
-^
*h
CAVES
'nn'HIS view
Xo.
I
TO
No. 14.— AJUNTA.
represents the principal and oldest group of the Ajunta Caves.
The two Chaitya
Caves, with their great semicircular windows, seen in
the centre of the view, are Nos. 9 and 10.
and
1
2,
are those on
right nearly to
No.
i,
the
left
oldest Viharas, Nos. 11
of these two, and the view
which terminates the
The demarcation of
The two
extends on
the
series in this dn-ection.
the two strata of trap
is
very clearly shown in this
view, as also the nature of the scrub jungle, which covers the hills in every direction in this country, forming an
immense
forest,
but without a single tree
of anything like magnificent dimension.s.
-^
-^
1 "'
^^^iKiliii
.•
y^
THE FIRST SEVEN CAVES AT AJUNTA
'"T^HE
lower or northern group of Caves, extending from the two older
Chaitya caves seen
The
first
left
view to
of the picture
the two-storied cave numbered as
6.
lower storey, and on the level of
its
ficent
>^-
Cave on the
in the last
Viharas
known
as Nos.
i,
2,
and
is
the'
that
No. 4
commencement of
known is
as
No.
7.
the series.
Next
to
it is
seen on the same level as
its
upper storey are seen the three magni3.
END OF
SOL'TllERN
*
1
""HIS view
rilK
SERIES OF CAVES.— AJUXTA.
taken from the verandah of Cave No.
is
16,
looking south-
ward, and represents the opposite end of the series from that of
The Chaitya Cave seen
illustration.
next
it
on
its
centre of the view
As
will
in
the extreme
left
right are the unfinished Viharas Nos. 23 is
that
known
as
No.
is
No.
and 24
26.
;
and
tlie last
Those in
21.
be observed, the Caves here are very
much higher above
of the ravine than those towards the other end, especially those
in
the bottom the cenlie.
This arose apparently from their architects following the vein of rock, texture of wliich
seemed
the
innsl suitable for tlieir purpose.
^^smiKjM
llie
THE OLDEST GROUP OF CAVES.— A|UXTA.
A
LARGER
view of the oldest or central group, comprising
Chaitya Caves, Nos. 9 and
10,
and interesting
spot was chosen for the earliest excavation.
rock here its
is
As
is
smoothness down almost to the bottom of the ravine.
which was places.
It
pro'baiily is
onlv
broader
in
by getting
excavations are reached.
the
To
else,
and
carries
the right and
left
and the Caves are situated on a ledge,
former times, but 011
two
seen from the picture, the
smoother and more perpendicular than anywhei-e
the platform of rock rises considerably,
tiie
as explaining wliy this
is
now
hardly passable
terrace at this point
in
that the outer
Apparently, there never was any other ascent to any
of the Caves but at this spot.
*
^-
THE OLDEST CHAITYA CAVE AT AfUNTA.
""HE facade of (No.
*
I -*-
y),
the smaller of the two old Chaitya Caves, shows
tolerably clearly the imitation of
tecture, as
came
it
Within the great arch, on either
two principal
rafters rest.
Below,
right. cipals,
The
of archi-
five smaller are
two upright
on which the
posts,
of one of these
is
seen on the
placed horizontally, and between the two prin-
flat
ogee was probably originally painted, and represents a sort of
to
It
probably assumed
have a ridge to the roof to throw
this
form because
it
off the rain.
the face of the rib lining the interior of the arch niav be seen the incised
footings into
great arch. the
which a wooden framework was Its
left is
form
may
represents.
inserted,
partially closing the
be seen copied in the niches below.
some sculpture
of
much more modern
of the principal figure having been destroyed, it
in this style
seven are arranged perpendicularly. great
was necessary
To
side, are
The broken end
barge board terminating the gable.
On
wooden forms
into use before the Christian Era.
The dimensions
it is
date, !>ut
difficult to
of this Cave internally are 45 8
ft.
from the head
make
out
by 23
ft.
whom
^
CHAITVA CAVE
T NTERIOR
view of the Chaitya Cave No.
dimensions of the
There are twenty-nme
being 94
last,
pillars
On it.
the roof
which was
is still
ft.
6
also
in. in
chunam and
depth, by 41 all
ft.
3 in. in width.
plain octagons without
painted.
Above
these
is
the
painted, but very few traces of this remain.
Being actually of wood they have perished, but having been copied in still
The dagopa
remain there.
of the
wooden and
plaster decorations that once
square
relic casket,
on
its
and nothing remains
to tell of
its
it,
also
ornamented
summit, being cut in the rock,
form, but the umbrella which once crowned
was
more than twice the
seen the markings of the timber framing that once adorned
stone in the side aisles, they
still
it.
shows marks
The
retains
its
tee,
originally stepped.
or
original
being of wood, has perished,
existence here but the mortice into which
9
*
lo, rather
surrounding the nave,
bases or capitals, but covered with triforium belt,
No. lo.— AJUNTA.
it
-Hh
THE OLDEST VIHARA.— AJUNTA,
'T^HIS
and the following view, represent the
oldest Vihara or
Monastery
at Ajunta,
similar excavations bearing inscriptions, to the Christian Era, It consists
though
or internal supports.
and four it
cells
how
of a square hall, It
was excavated almost
long before 36
ft.
It is peculiar at
7
No.
the
12,
in.
cannot
it
each
certainly anterior
now be
determined.
way without any
pillars
has three cells on the right-hand side as you enter,
on each of the other two
has one doorway, with a
interior of
and from the analogy with other
faces.
window on each
Towards the
Ajunta, from having no central
and no image or object of worship of any
face of the rock
side.
sort.
cell
opposite the entrance,
In this respect
it
resembles
the old Cuttack and Behar Caves, none of which have any images in their interiors,
the
though the practice was apparently universal
acre at
which these
earliest caves
were excavated.
in the
West soon
after
^
THE OLDEST VIHARA.— AJUNTA.
*"
I
""HE only ornaments side
and
in this
front, four
Cave are seven horse-shoe arches on the left-hand
over the doorways of the
doorways or niches between.
On
cells,
and three over
residence of the abbot seems to have been, there are only three
much more used
little
employed niches.
richly ornamented,
The
rails
places is
string course also,
wooden
where
style.
windows and
it is
though
It is
may be
used on a larger
not at
this is
construction.
repeated in stone, as
also seen the
same
in the
cells,
Just as the
it
is
Romans
niches, so the Buddhists
facades of Chaityas as ornaments, either over their tloors or
reality of purely
and
though
frontons of temples, to adorn little
false
the right-hand side, however, where the
scale.
first
sight so obvious,
is
in
nothing more than wooden posts
seen at a glance at Sanchi, and other
On
same form of battlement which
this side of the hall, at the top is
so frequently represented in
the sculptures of Nineveh, but of which no ancient example exists (so far as is
^.
now known)
in
Hindostan.
VIHARA
"\
TEXT
No.
AT AIUNTA,
II,
in age to the last described
is
No.
ii,
interior arrangement, but rather smaller,
width only 28
feet
6 inches.
Notwithstanding
porting the roof, very clumsily introduced,
of
supports
afterwards
used,
though
introduction
became
being their
so
the rule, not the exception.
The good
external fa9ade taste,
consisting
very similar to the last in
its
this
length being 37 it
feet,
and probably the
first
example
^I
-
J
_
is plain, but in
of four
plain
octagonal piers with bracket capitals, r^-
standing in a plain panelled stylobate
approached by a
flight of
steps
;
the
whole design being very appropriate its
to ILAN' OF VIHARA NO. II. SCALE 50 FEET TO I INCH.
position,
12
>t-
its
has four pillars sup-
.
VERANDAH OF CAVE
T NTERNALLY
the
roof
of
No. ii.— AJUNTA.
verandah has
the
been
probably at an age subsequent to the excavation,
much
obliterated.
Its paintings,
painted,
and
is
however, possess no historical
though
now
very
interest,
as
they consist only of architectural patterns and borders, exhibiting what might
be called a mixture of Classic and Assyrian designs.
The doorway with two
On pillars
lions'
leading to the interior
simple,
and the steps are adorned
heads of good design, and well executed.
either side
is
a large square window, separated into three lights by two
standing on the
cills.
These are square
height, but change into octagons to the square form just
extent the
is
mode
and then
below the
capitals.
of decoration adopted for
in every part of India, so
for the greater jDart of their
into figures of sixteen sides, returning
This being to a greater or
all pillars,
less
not only at Ajunta, but
long as anything like a pure Hindoo style prevailed. 1.3
^
V
EXTERIOR OF VIHARA
"XT
UMBER
13
is
Under
it
left
either in its
and
unfinished,
which an opinion as
what age
to its
it
is
two
arrangements or
a large Vihara, No. 14, has been commenced, as
a lower storey, but at
been
No. 14.— AJUNTA.
a small cave situate high up the rock with only
and nothing worthy of remark tecture.
I
its
if
to
not very clear, as for some reason
possesses no
sculptures
The
age can be deduced.
cells,
archi-
form
it
has
and no paintings from details of
its
pillars are
no similar example known
to exist
elsewhere from which even an approximate date can be ascertained.
Their
peculiar, so
style,
much
however,
is
so,
indeed, that there
so pure
is
and good, and there
are of the age their position in the series oldest examples of
Cave
architecture.
14
no reason
is
would
indicate,
to
doubt that they
and rank among the
INTERIOR OF VERANDAH
'T'^HE form
No. 14.— AJUNTA.
of the pillars of the verandah are square, divided by three
bands forming compartments which are fluted exactly as
is
flat
seen at the
old Louvre or Tuileries, and other examples of Renaissance, but above this they slope inwai-ds in a liy
manner peculiar to Indian
This form was adopted
architecture.
the Hindoos in order that the abacus of the capital should not extend
beyond the diameter of the they obtained
In other words
shaft.
a pillar with a
well
marked
it
was a device by which
capital out of a straight lined
block of stone, with the least waste of material.
As
will
be seen
in the view,
the two pillars at the end of the verandah are prepared to be so adorned.
The liere,
inner wall
but
is
is
arranged
more than
unfinished, or from
its
in a similar
manner
usually plain, though
having
this
to that of all the Viharas
may
arise
from
its
being
been covered witli cluuiam, and painted, but
these adornments liave iicrished, as
is
the case in almost all
llie
venindaiis at
Ajunta.
*i<
-^
^
VIHARA
"\ T
UMBER recently
15
a small plain Cave, the interior of which was
is
filled
above, so as to render
be ascribed that the obliterated.
scription of
mentioned, sculpture of
up with mud, which had washed it
it
its
To
inaccessible.
pillars
This Cave has
its
No. 15.— ATUNTA.
of the
now
the
in
same cause
verandah have
fallen
till
very
from a torrent it"
may perhaps
down and been
apparently been cleaned out, but no de-
has reached this country;
and owing
to
the causes above-
external appearance presents nothing remarkable, except the
doorway, which appears
siderable care, and in a
good
to
have been executed with con-
style of art.
16
->t *h-
VIHARA
"IVT
UMBERS
No.
ft.
is
two most interesting Caves
pillars,
in painting
at Ajunta,
concerned, the most so in India. is
a square cave, 67
The centre
2 in. deep, exclusive of the sanctuaiy.
by twenty adorned
17 are the
painting
represented in the above view,
16,
and 65
and
i6
in so far as
No. i6.— AJUNTA.
generally of an octagonal
with something like a
form,
Roman
hall
ft.
is
6
in.
wide,
surrounded
the sides of which are scroll,
alternating with
wreaths of flowers. All the details of the architecture of this Cave are particularly good and elegant,
more
eighteen cells surrounding the great
with his
feet
interesting, liave
There are no side chapels, but
so than any other in this series.
down.
Some
hall.
The
figure
m
the sanctuary
is
seated
of the paintings are tolerably entire and extremely
though not so much so as those
been copied by Major
(iill
in
in the
facsimile,
next cave.
Most
of these
and these copies are udw
exhibited in the Indian Court of the Crystal Palace at Sydenham.
VERANDAH OF CAVE
'T^HE -*-
verandah of
this
Cave, No.
No. i6.— AJUNTA.
i6,
is
supported by plain octagonal
capitals, not unlike those of
columns with bracket
No.
1
1,
and
its
roof
is
ornamented with paintings of singularly elegant design, but which unfortunately have been very much destroyed by exposure to atmospheric influences.
There are no inscriptions us
to
fix
their date
with
in the
Caves Nos. i6 and
certainty,
17,
which would enable
but from such data as
exist,
and such
analogies as are available for comparison in other Caves, there can be
doubt but that they belong to the seventh or eighth centuries.
we
cannot be mistaken
between what
in
if
we
assert
Europe we should
that they call
At
all
little
events
were excavated and painted
the age of Justinian
Charlemagne, but probably nearer the age of the
first
than
and that of second-named
emperor.
The doorway
leading into the central hall
adorned with one pilaster similar
Cave No.
in
is
unusually plain, being merely
design to the pillar in the verandah of
11.
18
•i<-
,***W...
p:xteriur of VIHAKA No. ry.— ajunta.
"\T
UMBER
resembles the are 64
ft.
by 63
the other.
as
17, or,
ft.
It is
it
last
and
it
is
generally called, the Zodiac Cave, very
described in almost every respect.
has twenty
pillars
not, however, so lofty,
no means so graceful or well designed as adorn every part of the Vihara are
dimensions
disposed in the same manner as in
and the in
much more
the series, and though the colours in
Its
much
details of the pillars are
No.
16.
The
entire than in
some places are a good
by
paintings which
any other cave of deal faded, they
are preserved to such an extent at least that their subjects can generally be
made
out.
The
pdlars
of the verandah, like
most of those of the age, are plain
octagons with bracket capitals, but their bases than usual.
19
^-
in
this
Cave
are
more elegant
VERANDAH OF CAVE
A T
No. 17.— AJUNTA.
the end of the verandah in this view or so called zodiac, from
simile of
it
is
now
which
this
at the Crystal Palace,
terrestial scenes^ divided into
is
dimly seen the circular painting
Vihara derives
Sydenham.
compartments by the spokes of
always was a favourite emblem with Buddhists. also very beautifully
The
a wheel,
which
still
in
is
veiy perfect
Rome
in design,
of course inferior in execution.
Over the door are painted eight are
fac-
roof of the verandah
adorned with paintings, which are
preservation, not unlike those found in the baths of Titus at ])ut
A
name.
its
It evidently represents
black,
the
fifth
fairer,
figures sitting cross-legged.
the next
European, and wearing a crown.
It
still
more
so,
may be remarked
black people represented in this cave than in any other are generally
fair,
but the
men
the last
;
The as
first
that there are
the
four
fair as
an
more
women, however,
are of all shades, from jet black to an
European
complexion.
-^
AISLE IN HALL OF VIHARA No. 17.— AJUNTA.
VIEW
A ^
*
in the interior of
pillars internally
Vihara No.
17, .representing
the
first
row of
from the entrance.
The two immediately in front of the doorway are as elegant as any pillars at The corresponding pair facing them opposite the sanctuary are richer
Ajunta.
The remaining
but less graceful. capitals
and no bases, but
all
sixteen are
richly painted.
plain octagons with
The
do duty as transverse brackets supportmg the beams of the to this Cave, though the wooden construction of the roof in all, it is
and
is
identical with that
now used throughout
bracket
figures of fat boys
India.
who
roof, are peculiar itself is
the
same
In this instance
of course repeated in the rock.
The part of
great interest of its
interior
;
tliis
Cave
is
centered in the frescoes which cover eveiy
those of the roof in geometrical patterns like those of the
verandah, and those of the walls representing legendary scenes from the Buddha and other celebrated IJuddhist worthies.
life
of
^
PORCH OF CHAITVA
'T^HIS
^
and the next eleven views are devoted
which
is
by
far the richest
perhaps the most so in India.
by 23
ft.
Xo. 19.— AJUNTA.
pillars
It is
;
Init
hand of
suffered at all from the
Chaitya Cave No.
19,
in this series,
not large, however, being only 46
4
ft.
in.
nave being surrounded
7 in. in width, the
by only seventeen
to the
and most complete of those
it
lias
scarcely
time, and all
its
ornaments being sculptured, they remain as distinct at tlie present
There this
is
Cave.
day as when
nothing to It
last described,
is
fix
first
executed.
with certainty the age of
certainly later than the Viharas
and cotemporary with some of those
which follow, while there are analogies and other circumstances which cannot be detailed here, which
render
it
probable that
it
was excavated about
the I'l.AN
eighth century of our era.
i*-
C11--
CHAITVA NO.
scale, 50 keet to
i
ig.
in-ch.
GREAT WINDOW OF CHAITYA
"D EPRESENTS
the upper part of the fa5ade, the lower or entrance part of
which was shown
ment
as the first
niches and that,
if
little
in the last view.
Cave described
;
It
but, as will
shows the same general arrangebe observed, the purely wooden
become considerably modified
decorations have
No. 19.— AJUNTA.
in
semicircular canopies have lost so
The
the course of time.
much
of their
wooden
origin
they could not be traced back, their derivation would hardly be suspected.
The wooden
forms, however,
still
remain the same on the inner face of the
great arch, and in the overhanging part of the rock which crowns the facade.
This sjiows the same beam and \"iliara described,
and
is,
rafter
arrangement as the verandah of the
last
indeed, universal througliout India.
-*
^•^
LOWER PART OF FACADE OF CHAITYA
npniS
view represents the sculpture on the right-hand side of the lower part
of the fa9ade of Chaitya
hand of ment he by the
in the
is
The
19.
Buddha
principal figure on the right
giving alms.
In the next compart-
standing in front of a daghopa, richly ornamented and surmounted
triple umbrella, standing is,
in fact,
on the
tee,
which
is
;
this also
is
in
is
Below
this
an inferior style of
he
art.
24
is
is
emblem
in
seen inside the Cave
picture, he
attitude, as preaching, his right
but the style of the sculpture
suspicion of a later date.
so universal an
merely a repetition of what
Above, on the upper right-hand corner of the most usual standing
his left raised
but
Cave No.
the entrance represents
these times, and itself
No. 19.— AJUNTA.
is
represented,
hand hanging down,
so far inferior as to lead to the
represented seated cross- legged,
-^i
LOWER PART OF FACADE OF CHAITVA
/^^N
the left of the entrance, as you look towards
is
seated cross-legged over a shrine,
in the front of
of himself standing under a very rich canopy. of the same two figures as
partments, and range
do on the other
side.
ment of the Hindoo
The two
pillars
same
Buddha
which
is
Beyond these
bounded the composition
this position they are apparently in the
much
it,
is
represented
In the next compartment
standing in the usual attitude of exposition.-
he
No. 19.— AJUNTA.
another figure are repetitions
in the last view,
but in
style of art as the central
com-
better with the architectural composition than they
Beyond, on the extreme
left,
shrine described further on as
No.
which support the porch, and the
these various sculptured groups, are
all
is
seen the
commence-
33.
pilasters
which separate
covered with the most elaborate orna-
mentation, as delicate in execution as any found at Ajunta, and generally
in
better preservation than such sculptures usually are in positions eqi'ally exposed.
-*
INTERIOR OF CHAITVA
"V
TIEW
taken from the entrance showing the arrangement of the interior
and light
Nu. 19.— AJUNTA.
illustrating also the effect of the
being introduced
mode
The whole
of lighting.
through one great opening
in
the
centre
of the
fa5ade throws a brilliant light on the altar— the principal object - and also in the triforium belt and the capitals of the pillars, being exactly where
most wanted
The
light
for artistic effect.
on the
parative gloom.
floor It
is
is
The
it
is
spectator himself stands in the shade.
subdued, and the roof and
perhaps the most
artistic
mode
aisles fade
into
com-
of lighting a building
of this class that has ever been invented, certainly superior to anything that
was done by the Romans, or during the middle the brilliant climate of India to admit of but, for a small
worsliippers
is
chapel or room,
its
ages.
It
might require
application to any large hall
;
the one great light behind and above the
the most perfect arrangement which has yet been attem])tcd. •26
*^'*
ROOF OF CHAITVA,
'V
TIEW
in
still
retains the
wooden forms of
ribs
The upper
part of the
three umbrellas, but these have departed
still
roof,
with a ridge piece, though
the rock they are probably stouter and thicker than they were
really executed in timber. its
t9.~AJUNTA,
taken from the upper gallery, showing the construction of the
which being cut
No.
daghopa
is
when
also seen, with
further from their
wooden
pro-
totypes, and are fast approaching those forms which gaveiise to the three, six,
and nine-storied towers of the day
in
China.
hemispherical lirst is
and which are
dome surmounted by
sight apparent
;
a
still
built at the present
the porcelain tower at Nankin, and a
wooden umbrella,
but there are few things more
is
certainly not
at
clear than that the one
the direct hneal descendant of the other, and every step of the change can
be pointed
*-
Jains,
The connexion between
out.
^
/
.
f.M.|^'.feJ*^1'->:^
''''^''''.fy^Zi-^'^~-ei^r'*,'^^
TRIFORTUM OF CHAITVA.
""
I
19.-AJUNTA.
""HIS and the three follownig views represent four different portions of
Cave No.
triforium belt of the
decoration as lie
No.
is
to
be found
purer and in better
in
19,
and form
any Buddhist cave
as rich a piece of sculptured
though many may
in India,
taste.
It is also interesting as illustrating the
process of change from
]-)lain
The Romanesque
in great Hat surfaces as in
trary, trusted
and
also in Greece.
very
little to
Cave No.
colour, but
jo.
depended
pamtmg
own
carving which took place in India as in the middle ages in our
and probably
tlie
architects left all their
The Gothic
artists,
to
country,
masonry
on the con-
chiefly on relief for their
shadow
effects.
.So
much
far as
can be
made
out, the subjects painted in
Cave No.
the same as those represented here, but have perished
the less durable materials
in
in
10
were very
consequence of
whicli they were executed. 2.S
^
TRIFORIUM OF CHAITYA,
S
will
A^ roclv
be seen
19.— AJUNTA.
No.
whole surface was covcied
in all those interior views, the
with a thin coating of
chunam
so as entirely to hide the surface of the
but the sculptors never seem to have thought that
;
them from using the same amount of elaboration were
to
way
for the
be
left plain.
Though
may be supposed
it
purpose of being painted,
it
this
could excuse
in their carving as
they
if
they were prepared in this
does not appear that any colour was
in this instance applied.
There
is
not
These
consist
sitting
ones
much
variety in the sculptures of the
of alternate
all
and standing
sitting
triforium belt
itself
of Buddha.
The
cross-legged, the only variety being in the position of the
hands, to which Buddhists attach
much importance.
a standing figure in the usual attitude of exposition, all is
figures
Between each of these and though the attitude
is
in
very nearly the same, no two figures are exactly alike, and the variations
have probably more meaning than
is
apparent to the casual observer. 29
^
TRIFORIUM OF CHAITVA
/^~^
REAT
richness of effect
tures of the capitals.
is
No. 19.— AJUNTA.
given to this interior by the elaborate sculp-
These
in every instance,
consist,
of a square
niche containing a seated figure of Buddha, only very slightly varied.
The
brackets on either side of the central block differ every one from the other,
and consist of figures of
men on
men and women
horseback, or elephants, of
griffins,
in the
most violent attitudes; of
and dragons
— in
short, a
whole
legendary history of Buddhism and of Buddhist symbolism, for there cannot
be a doubt but that each composition had a legend attached to
we can now only
we
can hardly
identify a very
feel certain that
few of these fragmentary groups.
we know
the subject of
circumstantial pictures painted on the walls of
30
tiie
all
it,
though Indeed,
the larger and
Viharas.
more
TRIFORIUM OF CHAITVA
'
I
No. 19.— AJUNTA.
"'HE spaces between the figure-sculptures are
filled in
triforium belt, of the usual patterns of the age.
they are
all different,
Human
tion.
with
scrolls, in the
a matter of course
and show a considerable amount of design and elabora-
masks, and dragons' heads, and other fantastic devices, are
frequently mixed with the foliage, too,
As
and add considerably
are evidently all copied from painted originals,
to the effect.
and have not
They, in
this
instance attained that architectural formality which they afterwards acquired,
and which
The
so essential to true architectural effect.
is
shafts
ornaments,
of the pillars of the nave are
the ornament on
and never it
also covered
with sculptured
but as these were essential constructive parts of the building,
them
is
of a
much
soberer and
more
architectural
form,
interferes with the outline or the constructive effect of the columjis
ornaments.
H
-^
-.«.'*:i^^^^#«(«4%**^^#^:
CHOULTRIE ATTACHED TO CHAITVA
/^\N ^"^^
the right-hand side, as
you
No.
ly.— AJUNTA.
enter,
is
a small porch, extending at right
This
is
not a Vihara, or residence, but a
angles to the main fa9ade.
Choultrie, or place of refuge or I'epose for pilgrims or attendants.
The
front consists of
composition It
])art
is
may be of
its
afterwards at If this
mode
at 11
is
pillars
same age
of the
its
capitals
so,
it
its
purposes.
but there
is
which would lead us
some more modern
not
of very graceful design, and the whole
as the C'haitya to
original arrangements,
sjulpture of
a
two
pleasing and appropriate to
may be
which
it
belongs, and form a
a certain character about the to suspect that
it
was added
date.
considered as one of the very earliest e.xamples of
of changing a circular form into a square one, by a leaf falling over
the angles.
It
ji\ersal in Indian
is
somewhat clumsily used
arcliilceturc.
here,
but afterwards became
->^i
lilXDOO SCULPTURE.
OPPOSITE
CIIAITYxV Nu. 19.— AJUNTA.
to the Choultrie last described
ably more
modern date than
is
an'alto-relievo of a consider-
the Chaitya to which
it is
attached, and
probably the only thing that can be ascribed to the Brahmans at Ajunta. It represents
a very
Vishnu
sitting
under the canopy of the seven-headed snake
common Brahmanical arrangement
—with
Sareswati by his side.
On
the other side stands an attendant with a chowrie in his hand.
Though more modem than group was carved
after the
the Chaitya,
it is
before the final expulsion of the Buddhists,
hand, and this piece of sculpture
Hindoo
sculpture, that
end of the In
it
not necessary to assume that this
Caves were deserted.
is
must be old
when
There were the
inten'als long
Brahmans had the upper
so free from the usual extravagance of
—older probably
than the Caves at either
series.
style, it
resembles very
much
the sculptures at Elephanta, and
some of
those at Ellora.
33
-^
CAVE
' I
""HE
last of
this
group
is
No. 20.— AJUNTA.
a small Vihara of somewhat singular plan.
Its
dimensions are twenty-eight feet two inches wide, by twenty- five feet six
deep.
inches
There
is
no
It
possesses
internal colonnade,
four
cells
sanctuai-y about seven feet into the hall
columns
There capitals.
for
but the roof
is
two on each
monks,
side.
supported by advancing the
and making
its
front consist of
two
in antis. is
also a
The
verandah
in front,
sculpture of these
capitals in the interior of
is
Cave No.
supported by two pillars with bracket bold and 19,
free,
resembling that of the
though somewhat better executed.
Unfortunately, like everything in this Cave, the fagade
from flaws and
is
a good deal rained
faults in the rock.
34
^
>i
CAVE
'T^HE
No. 20.— AJUNTA.
paintings that once adorned this
terated, except those
on the
roof.
Cave are now ahnost Those which
exist consist of frets
but do not possess any particular interest
and flowers,
the connexion of this
Cave with the Viharas 16 and
17,
entirely obli-
showing
beyond
whose paintings
are
identical in style.
This Cave has been used as a worl<shop and occasional residence by Major (iill
during the twenty years he has remained at Ajunta, and were of procuring
tlie difficulty
but that their
dr)a-iess
pleasant places to live
With V. ill
this
now be
Caves
sufficient light in the interior, there
and equable temperature would render these caves very in.
Cave the great
central group terminates in this direction
necessaiy to desci'ibe the third group, consisting of the
in the north,
not for
it
can be no doubt
;
first
and
it
seven
and then to take up the fourth, though probably cotem-
porary group, consisting of the
last six at
35
the southern end.
-^
FACADE CAVE
1\ T
UMBER some
It consists in
7
is
peculiar
among
No. 7.— AjUXTA.
the Caves of Ajunta, though not
at Ciittack.
merely of a large verandah 63
ft.
4
in. in
breadth, with the cells opening at the back of
verandah
is
unlike
length, by 13
The
it.
ft.
broken by the projection of two porches, of two
pillars each.
These are particularly interesting here, as they are extremely similar pillars at
Elephanta, and those in the
probably not
far distant in date.
Doomar Lena
There
is
7 in.
front line of the
at Ellora,
also a chapel with
to the
and therefore two
pillars at
each end of the verandah.
Though
it
cannot pretend to rival in magnificence some of the other
Viharas at Ajunta, as an architectural composition
any others
— externally at
it is
probably as pleasing as
least.
36
>t
^
CAVE
XT UMBER 6
is
the only two-storied
been excavated places.
Xo. 6.— AJUXTA
in
Cave
at Ajunta, but has unfortunately
a spot where the rock
is
not so sound as in other
In consequence of this the verandah of the upper storey has fallen
down, and the
interior has a
damp and
ruined aspect, not
common
in
Cave
architecture.
The
halls of
both
stories are of
upper having twelve
pillars.
the
same dimensions, 53
In the lower, four more
are
ft.
square, the
introduced in
the centre.
The
pillars in front of the
sanctuary are of the same Elephanta order as in
the last described Cave, with cushioi*! capitals, and fluted. It
will
be observed
in the
above view of the facade there M-as a figure
standing in the nook shaft on each side of the doorway, but its
absence giving an
awkward
it
has fallen away,
appearance to the design. 37
-*
^
FACADE CAVE
"IV
T
UMBER
5 is a small
unfinished, so that as the series of
On
Cave with no remarkable
it
is
it
may probably rank
careful examination,
however,
though of the same order as the next design that state
it
would
attempted
peculiarity about
impossible to be quite certain of
its
it,
and
age, but
Caves seem to have gradually extentled from the central groups
towards the extremities, described.
No. 5.— AJUNTA.
may
it
next in time to the last will
in succession,
be seen that
No.
4,
are so inferior in
probably be an insertion of a later date, and
also lead to
tlie
supposition that
it
its pillars,
its
may be among
unfinished
those
last
at this place.
.^8
^
FACADE OF CAVE
'T^HE
fourth
Cave from the end
is
No. 4.— AJUNTA.
situated higher
up
others at this end of the series, and as the path to it
when
its
existence
leaving
— too
till
late to return.
such intimate knowledge of as to
its
age or any of
both from looks as
its
if it
perceived
I
its
it
it,
that I
enal)le
This
me is
to speak confidently either
the
more
to
be regretted
dimensions as well as from the simple grandeur of
were one of the
finest
was not
have therefore no dimensions and no
I
arrangements.
as
than the
from the opposite side of the valley
would
it
cliff
has broken away,
was so completely hid from below by the ledge in front of
aware of
the
in it
Viharas of the
as,
its details,
it
series.
39
-*
INTERIOR OF VERANDAH, CAVE
nnHE verandah of this Cave
is
No.
4.— AJUNTA.
supported apparently by eight
pillars in front
simple octagons with bracket capitals, but without bases, or any inter-
mediate
member to break
the shaft, but the whole
Cave architecture
;
the abruptness of the clmnge between the capital and
is
more
massive and plain, and consequently appropriate to
so indeed than
many
of the
more elaborate designs
which are found
in this as well in all the other gi-oups of Caves,
among
modern
those so
as this
one evidently
more
especially
is.
-fo
*i*
-*
SCULPTURE
'"T^HE
wall
painted,
I\
at the
which
back of the verandah is
date of the excavation.
character
we
Its presence,
VERANDAH OE CAVE
is
No.
4.— AJUNTA.
sculptured instead of being
unusual at Ajunta, and an evidence for the modern
The
style
of the sculpture, too,
has more of the
are accustomed to associate with Jaina than with Buddhist art.
however, gives a richness of
effect to this
ing in the others, where the paintings have been
verandah which
washed
off,
is
want-
from the exposed
nature of the situation.
TT?TtllIlJI
41 >-:*
» >.^-
*''*
EXTERIOR, CAVE
nr'HE
second Cave from the north end
given a plan at page
on the
ings, particularly is
No. 2.— AJUNTA.
It is in
xviii.
pillars,
is
are tolerably perfect.
a statue, of course of Buddha, and there
end of the
position.
Though modern ])erfect
is
;
in
the south one,
they were meant
the dimensions of
its
in
two male
to represent
is
it
is
figures
by no means
hall are only 48
(ninth or tentli century probalily),
Vihara as any existing
is
In the sanctuary there
a chapel on each side of
In the one on the north are two most portly,
aisles.
a male and female
Who
a twelve-pillared Vihara, of which
very good preservation, and the paint-
ft.
at the
fat figures,
occupying a like clear.
square, and
as complete an
Ajunta or elsewliere.
it,
its
age very
example of a
#
VERANDAH, CAVE
npHE
verandah
is
supported by four
tolerably elegant design. this
pillars
The lower
work.
two principal
At
cells,
either
also a rich
it
life
These are covered with the
a smaller porch
of Buddha.
and elegant specimen of
4.^
of sixteen sides, above
be almost better suited
the difference in height being
representing scenes from the is
end of
as to
is
but their principal ornaments
which surround them.
most elegant ornaments, so delicate for stone
;
very massive form and
of
portion
they are adorned with thirty-two flutes
are arranged in the belts
hall
No. 2.— AJUNTA.
for
metal than
stands in front of the
made up by
The doorway
bassi-relievi
leading into the
its class.
^
'^
VERANDAH, CAVE
'Tn'HE
principal effect of
those on the ceiling.
tliis
Cave
is
No. 2.— AJUNTA.
derived from
its
paintings, especially
These are not of the same high
class of his-
torical paintings which adorn the Viharas 16 and 17, being generally only
decorative scrolls and patterns, but as architectural ornaments, they are
complete and elaborate than those found
in
the
more
and being
other Caves,
generally appropriate to the situation in which they are placed, they give a greater effect of finish to this gether,
there
is
Cave than
perhaps no Cave
at
is
usual at Ajunta.
this place
Taken
from which the
effect
alto-
and
arrangements of a complete Vihara can be better understood than they can from
this
example.
"^7
FACADE, CAVE
^pHE
first
Cave
the handsomest exterior of feet square,
richly carved,
The Its
-
ail
and with bold bracket
all
I.
AJUNTA.
the Viharas of Ajunta.
adorned with twenty pdlars, each
interior has
I
most highly ornamented, perhaps
been a good deal
paintings are tolerably entire, and
sculpture and
i.
1
that begins, or rather ends, "the series in the northerly
direction, possesses the
64
No.
^ 'WW
3
ft.
it
miglit be said,
Tlie hall of in
diameter,
its
all
interior
is
of them
capitals.
filled
with mud, but notwithstanding
some of them
this.
are interesting, but like the
the details of the architecture, they are small, and frittered
away, and possess nothing of that breadth of treatment which characterizes
some
of the older e.xcavations.
-)5
-
i^
*t
FACADE, CAVE
' I
^IIE verandah of as usual in a
with two pillars
Cave
this
cell at
in antis,
9S
ft.
in
length internally, and terminates
each end, but externally
it
has, besides, a chapel,
wliich adds considerably to the architectural effect
of the fa9ade, and in this respect
where these two
is
No. i.— AJUNTA.
is
pillars are internal,
preferable to the arrangement in No.
and consequently are hardly seen
2,
in con-
junction with the facade.
As
originally executed, there
advance of the
six
which are
was an outer porch of two
still
perfect.
These
latter,
su]ipnrt of the verandah, are of three different orders
the half columns
at either end.
The
pillars
standing
which form
— or rather four,
in
the real
counting
outer pillars are merely scpiare
piers,
but they increase in richness of decoration from the flanks to the centre, where they are richly decorated circular
shaft.s,
with bold bracket capitals.
46 i
^ ^tSf'^fKi
FACADE, CAVE
""
I
"*HE two central
pillars of the six
No. i.— AJUNTA.
which remain have circular
shafts,
with
perpendicular flutings in bands, sixteen-sidetl above and below, and thirty-two in the two middle compartments.
The two
next on either hand have diagonal flutings, and less ornament at
the top and bottom.
The two beyond
these are comparatively plain octagons,
with only slight
ornamental markings, and the half columns are square, with only a circular necking below the square block of the capital.
All these
pillars,
have bracket capitals of similar design, though the sculpture in each
The whole
effect
is
that of a well considered
however, is
varied.
and carefully elaborated design,
though, perhaps, hardly so appropriate to rock architecture as the design of
No.
4,
and some of the simpler Caves of the
series.
47
^
FACADE, CAVE
TT
not easy to
is
centre.
it
Taking as is
is
the design of the two advanced cohimns in the
we
remains
frieze of sculpture \\as carried
binding
to
i.~AJUXTA.
can see that they had not bracl^et
but were similar to those of the Cave last described (No.
capitals,
double
make out
From what
No.
it
altogether, this facade
be found in
is
perhaps as pleasing a specimen of design
this style of architecture.
composed are condemned, the whole system
for
variety
and there
which
same
si/.e
but the
toirether as a whole.
amount of jioses,
2),
round them as along the whole facade,
it
is
combined with
If the principles falls
;
but
it
on which
seems there
is
it
an
sufficient uniformity for architectural pur-
a richness of effect produced by the whole composition,
would not be easy
to
quote a
or pretensions.
4X
rival
in
any other building of the
-»;^
IXTERIOR OF VERANDAH, CAVE
T NTERNALLV
No. r.— AJUNTA.
the verandah does not present so pleasing an aspect at the
present day as the exterior, in consequence of effect principally
Owing
to the
its
having depended
on paintings, and these have perished.
shadows, the internal photograph shows better than those of
the exterior the system on which these pillars are designed. cubical base,
the same height for
shaft also uniform in height. at
each angle.
top and bottom.
but
all
In the centre
The
all.
On
this
pillars this
First, a scpiare
an octagonal frustruni of a
broken by a seated
transition being
figure
changes into a sixteen-sided figure at
In the next two only at the top, on the outside ones not at
have belts of tliirtytwo sides
observable not only throughout
Hindoo thought
for
in the centres,
their
— the
architecture,
but
all
;
same system being in
every phase of
or design.
49
—
DOORWAY, CAVE
^ I
""HE doorway
is
No. i.— AJUXTA.
hardly so rich as might be expected in so elalmrately
ornamented a Cave,
chunam, traces of which
Ijut
it is
still
time heightened by colour.
pleasing in design, and as
remain,
Besides
it is
probable that
this,
it
it
its
was covered with effect
must be remembered
only one feature in what once was a richly decorated wall, and correct architectural taste to in bold relief
tame and
Two
keep
would have tended
it
was
subdued.
A
that
if so, it
richly sculptured
to render the flat paintings
at
one it
is
showed design
on either hand,
insipid.
of the internal pillars can be seen dimly through the opening.
are similar in design to those of the exterior.
twenty of these, each three
feet in diameter.
As
They
before mentioned, there are
^
VERANDAH, CAVE
"D ETURNING to the southern end, -*-^
51
ft.
6
in.
by 52
ft,
6
No. 21.— AJUNTA.
the next Cave (No. 21)
is
but not quite finished, the
in.
a large
Vihara
pillar.s
of the
sanctuary being merely blocked out.
In style and detail
it
is
very similar to the Cave No.
2,
at the other end,
showing the same exuberance of ornament, but with the same weakness of design and detail. Besides the sanctuary, there are four chapels in this Cave, one on each side
and one in antis.
at each
end of the two
residential cells,
show only too
was becoming lost at the time
Two
aisles,
mode
Their frequency, and the
clearly
when
this
and
of these have
two
how
the original idea of the Vihara
one was excavated. still
above view, and though the
also remain, pillars
one of which
{<.
and showinrr the character of
its
details.
is
of the front of the
verandah are gone, the end pier on both sides remains, marking sions
pillars
which they have superseded the
chapels at the ends of the verandah
represented in the
all
in
its
dimen-
DOORWAY, CAVE
nn H E the
doorway same
that leads into the
littleness as
all
No.
Cave No.
1
has
tlie
same
elegance, but
its
modem
date.
and with a
It is still
al:)Out its
can be no doubt
being earlier than that epoch.
Internally left
after the tenth or eleventh century, that there
how-
Indian
so free from the extravagance that too generally prevailed in
architecture,
your
2
the other parts of this Vihara,
tendency towards Hindooism indicative of ever,
21.— AJUNTA.
its
hand
paintings are
as
you
enter,
now
nearly obliterated, except on the wall on
where there
still
exists a large figure of
Buddha,
of a black complexion, or at least very dark, but with led hair, and attended
by black
slaves.
There are several
ladies introduced into the composition, but
notwithstanding the blackness of their companions they are here, as in most other Caves, represented with complexions almost as fair as Europeans.
->i*
^
CAVE
'
I
"HE
Vihara No. 22
is
No. 22.— AlUNTA.
a small Cave,
only 17
ft.
square, without pillars
except two, which are merely rough hewn, in front of the sanctuary.
The whole Cave,
owing
which
It is
it
has the appearance of having been
to the fac^ade
having fallen
it
left
may once have
down from
unfinished
had,
is
now
the decay of the rock in
was sculptured.
now used
followers,
and
fact,
and whatever external decoration
internally, lost,
iii
whose
stations will
as a residence,
not by Major Gill himself, at least by his
Their various ranks
be easily recognised by any one familiar with an Indian
household, from the
mehtur boy, who
if
portraits are seen in the photograph.
is
fierce
sitting
jemadar,
who
is
attitudinizing
on the
with his back against the door-janih on
53
right, to the tiie left.
^
FACADE, CAVE
TV T
UMBER
23
to Nos. 2
is
No. 23.— AJUNTA.
anotlier Vihara of twelve pillars, very similar in all respects
and
21
;
has however been
it
left in
a very unfinished
without even an image either ni the sanctuary, or indeed anywhere there exists no trace of painting that could be detected in any part. sions are 51
The
ft.
by
5
1 ft.
8
It
to an extent
was probably intended
but they, like everything
and
dimen-
bold and suitable in design to rock-cut
architecture; but they are deficient in elegance of outline,
and shallow
else,
Its
in.
pillars of its external facade are
are small
state,
and
wholly unsuited to their position.
to flute the centre pillars like those
else,
are
their details
leit
unfinished.
54
on the flanks
;
VERANDAH, CAVE
'
I
^HE
No. 23.— AJUNTA.
unfinished interior of this Cave and the next one (No. 24) are interest-
ing as showing the whole process
by which 'these Caves were excavated.
In one place, what was to be a range of pillars out with a pick.
it is
is
a wall rock roughly blocked
pierced with what look like a series of rude
In some places the pillars are shaped, in others the carving
doorways. finished.
In another
On
the greatest
the whole,
appears that
it
amount of time and
material as amygdaloidal trap
labour. is
it
is
The blocking
a rock-cut structure
adopted were
it
is
out of a Cave in such a
probably not a more expensive process than
building such a structure on the plain might prove. bility of
such that
it
If this
might have been
be
far
so,
the dura-
more generally
not that the situation where they are necessarily placed
often inconvenient, and the
is
the last process that has taken
power of
lighting
them frequently
is
nisufficient.
55
*
FACADE,
TV T
UMBER
^
-'
No. 24.— AJUNTA.
24 was intended to have been a twenty-pillared Cave, and,
finished,
would have measured about 74
pillar in the interior is sculptured,
ft.
and one range
if
But only one
each way.
exists only as a wall,
with
slits in it.
The
pillars of the
verandah have been
finished, but not the friezes,
which no
doubt were intended to crown them, judging from the mass of plain rock that
is left
over them, as
From such
if
for that purpose.
details as exist,
we may
infer
that,
if
completed, this would
have been one of the most carefully finished Caves of the In the pillars of the verandah
we have
ornament which became so fashionable
and twelfth
centuries,
Though
at Delhi
and which occurs also
which may probably be of the same
series.
another instance of the falling-leaf
and elsewhere,
in the eleventh
in the Choultrie to
Cave No.
19,
age.
so rare at Ajunta, the falling-leaf
ornament
Ellora, as will be seen in the illustrations that follow
is
almost universal
at
*
W;
LOWER PART OF FACADE AT CHAITVA
nr^ HOUGH
some
there are
No. 26.— AJUNTA.
insignificant Caves- beyond, the preat Chaitya
No. 26 terminates the series as worthily at this end as the Vihara No.
I,
does at the other.
In general plan
it
is
very similar to No. 19, but
1
7
7 ins.
ft.
,
and the
total length
series
that at
;
if
;
is
66
ft.
indeed,
i
in.
more
dimensions exceed the 3 ins., that of the
nave
Its sculptures, too, are far
more
former very considerably, the whole width being 36
numerous and more elaborate
its
ft.
so than in any other
Cave of the
but they are very inferior both in design and in execution, so
much
so,
other proof were wanting, this alone would be sufficient to stamp this
once as one of the
latest, if
not actually the last executed Cave of Ajunta.
UPPER PART OF FACADE,
'T^HE
external architecture has nearly lost
No. 26.— AJUNTA.
all
trace of
its
wooden
origin,
except the rafters of the great opening, which were seldom lost sight of
but
now
they are beginning to be used as shelves for figures, and the lowest
cut through to
The whole fallen in,
which
is
make room
for
two seated Buddhas, larger than the
is
rest.
of the roof of the external porch or music gallery in front has
but so far as can be
made
out,
it
extended the whole way across,
unusual at Ajunta.
Internally the walls of the aisles, instead of being painted, are covered with sculptures,
a reclining figure of Buddha, 23
among them
tude in which Nirvana or beatitude
by
figures so comical
religion of
Sakya
is
and extravagant
Mum
attained.
in design, as
no longer existed
was undertaken. 5^
in its
But
ft.
this
long, in the attiis
accompanied
prove too clearly that the
original purity
when
the
Cave
^
^-
THE
CAVES OF ELLORA.
^* ij,
LI jj;i J jj-i-f T j..rTj"iX iA--ii.i..ijj4-.i'ij-..i T t j-.r»tj -
m. T3-£^iii[;r,bA .r.f.ri
t .t-t, ;
.
jj
nm
INTRODUCTION,
\ LTHOUGH
do not possess
the caves at Ellora
that unity
and completeness which characterises those of Ajunta, variety,
renders them perhaps even more
confessed they are in consequence
interesting
Cave
the other forms of
more
far
indeed, after having
It is only,
stand.
their
and the exceptional magnificence of some of them, but
:
must be
it
difficult to
become
under-
familiar with all
architecture, that their history
becomes
at all intelligible. It
is
not, therefore,
theories were
when they were
first
their complexity,
it
the
earliest
to
be wondered
announced with regard
made known
also
happened
of which
series
to
such strange
that
at
age
their
to
Europeans
;
that the Ellora
any trustworthy
and uses
for,
beside
Caves were
illustrations
were
published, and they consequently attracted attention at a time
when very few
materials
regarding their peculiarities.
existed
for
forming
a
judgment
Very correct views of them were
pubhshed by the Daniels, from drawings made by Wales, the
first
years of this
century
;
and the
Colonel Sykes, and Sir Charles Mallet, have
make them known were familiar
—
;
in
writings of Seely, of all
contributed to
but unfortunately none of these gentlemen
at the
time they wrote
— with
Cave
architecture,
them
correctly as to either age or style.
the other forms of
and they were consequently unable 6i
to classify
^ Introduction.
The
vvliole series consists
of about thirty excavations.
Of
these
ten were devoted to the rehgion of Buddha, fourteen were exca-
vated by the followers of the Brahmanical creeds, and six cannot
be
said
to
belong to either of these sects
;
nor can they
in
strictness be ascribed to the Jains, though their sculpture savours
more of the
tenets of their religion than those of the other two.
Architecturally the Ellora Caves differ from those of Ajunta in
consequence of hill,
and not
being excavated in the sloping sides of a
their
in a nearly
of the ground almost in
front of them.
an entrance through
perpendicular all
the caves
cliff.
at
From
this formation
Ellora have courtyards
Frequently also, an outer wall of rock with it
is
left
standing, so that the caves are not
generally seen from the outside at
all,
and a person might pass
along their front without being aware of their existence unless
warned of the
fact.
On
tecturally of the fore-court,
the other hand, the advantage archi-
and the protection
it
affords not only
from violence, but also from atmospheric influences, more than
compensate
for this defect.
^^^
62
EXTERIOR VISWAKARMA.— ELLORA.
OF
Karli or Salsette, being only 43
nor
Cave
the Buddhist group, the principal
only Chaitya Cave of the
is it
so rich in
its
details as the
Internally the design
of"
The two
and
simplicity.
rich
and handsome
;
ft.
the
It
series.
wide
two
Temple
pillars that
is
the so-called Viswakarma, the
is
neither so large as those of
internally,
later
is
and 83
ft.
i
in. in
length
Chaityas at Ajunta.
marked with considerable elegance
support the gallery over the entrance are
the twenty-eight others are simple octagons, changing for
a short portion of their height into a figure of sixteen sides.
In front of the daghopa
by
flying figures
is
Buddha
seated with his feet down, and surrounded
and Genii, savouring much more of Brahmanism than the
purer religion of the Ascetic, and throughout the whole of the interior the sculptures are
much more
alteration in style,
Buddha had
secular than
in fact,
is
m any other
Buddhist excavation.
The
so obvious, as to prove that the religion of
lost all its primitive force
and
originality before this
excavated, and was fast merging into these religions that superseded
63
Cave was it.
EXTERIOR VISWAKARMA.— ELLORA.
THE most On pillars of
novel and interesting feature in the Viswakarma
three sides
it
is
is
its
court.
surrounded by a colonnade of good design, the
which, instead of the bracket capital so universal elsewhere, have
Above
an exaggerated abacus peculiar to Ellora.
this runs
a
frieze, filled
with elephants and animals of the chase, singularly well executed, and above this
again a balustrade, each compartment of which contains a male and
female figm-e of very anti-Buddhistical design.
The
great peculiarity of this Cave, however,
simple semicircular
window over
into three compartments,
something
represents a form of architecture
is,
that instead of the great
the entrance, the opening like
what we
call
is
more removed from the wooden
modern
that
it
original than
The
canopies
seems impossible
to carry
any other example of a Chaitya Cave we are acquainted with. over the side windows also are so
here divided
a Venetian window, and
the date of their execution beyond the seventh or eighth century, while
be even more modern.
64
it
may
-^
^T,.-.
-v
VIHARA.— ELLORA.
*'
1
""HE principal Vihara attached to
Chaitya
this
one of the largest excavations of 70
ft.
its
in width, including the side recesses.
to have a
good
effect architecturally,
and
is
class,
that called
Unfortunately its
Dehr warra,
no
being
it is
ft.
deep by
much
too low
details are infinitely inferior to
those of Ajunta of the same age.
The
other Viharas are smaller
— about
the
Ajunta, and more similar to them in plan. tecture are almost all identical,
as
in
this
Viswakarma, and they seem so much alike
same average But the
size as
those
of
details of their archi-
illustration,
with
in style that all
those of the
were probably
executed within the limits of the same century as the Chaitya itself,— most
probably
all
within the limit of one thousand years from this date.
6.S
^
^i^-<^y»-
TEEN TAL.— ELLORA.
IMMEDIATELY
to the north of the
Buddhist group just described are
three Caves, which are singularly interesting as shoM'ing the steps
which a Buddhist Vihara was converted
The stories.
Do
called
first,
Most of
its
may be assumed Buddhistic in
or
Tal,
into a
Dookya Ghur,
is
a Buddhist Vihara of two
details are so similar to those
to
be,
all its details,
without doubt,
by
Brahmanical Chaori.
above described, that
of the same age.
It
is
it
strictly
and shows no more tendency towards Brahmanism It apparently was
than what was pointed out in speaking of the Viswakarma. intended to have three
The
next, or
Teen
very similar to the Buddhist,
stories,
Tal, as
last ni
but has been
it
almost to justify the Brahmans
The
pillars of the ;
indicates,
arrangement and
though deviating so
Ellora type
name far in
left
unfinished. is
detail.
three stories in height, and Its sculptures, too, are all
from the usual simplicity of that style as
appropriating them as they have done.
lower storey, shown
in the illustration, are of the usual
but though bold in outline, are frittered away in detail, as
too usual at their age.
66
is
only
'^-
DUS AVATARA.— ELLORA.
"HE
^
third of these caves
is
called the
Dus Avatara,
after the ten
Avatars
I
of Vishnu
a two-storied cave, very like the other two in archi-
is
;
tectural detail and arrangement, but essentially Hindoo in
The upper
storey
supported by 44
all
a splendid hall, measuring ico feet each
pillars
of a Vihara, there
hand,
is
is
sculptures.
its
spaced equally over the
flooi,
but in
a group of sculpture between each
the groups are to the honour of Siva and
sanctuary, in the centre of the inner wall,
the right
hand eveiything
—which
aftei-wards
is
became
is
his
way
;
the roof
lieu of the cells
pilaster.
Parvati
;
On
the
left
and
in
the
emblem, the Lingam.
On
Vishnave, a curious instance of these two religions so antagonistic
— occupying
one temple, as there
can be no doubt but that these sculptures formed part of the original decorations.
The whole
of
them
are in the very best style of
Hindoo
sculpture,
perhaps superior as a whole to anything else either here or elsewhere. 67
^
*h
DUS AVATARA.— ELLORA.
A
NOTHER is
This
is
circumstance that points out the Hindoo origin of this Cave
the Mantapa, or porch,
left
standing
occupied by a statue of the bull Nundi such
in
the centre of the court-yard.
an invariable accompaniment of Brahmanical temples, and generally
we probably must
This Porch
is
Sivite temples,
at
further interesting as being the in
the
rock
first
—a
known attempt
really
—and
had no use
for caves,
who
to repro-
by the
thing never done
All their Caves are interiors as they ought to be.
Brahmans, who
least
consider this to be.
duce the exterior of a temple Buddhists.
— in
is
first
set the
It
was the
example of
this
architectural absurdity. It
was evidently intended that the mass between the lower and upper
of this Cave should have been sculptured into a
frieze.
stories
This not having been
accomplished, the fa9ade has consequently a clumsy and heavy look, which
would have been relieved by the sculpture. 68
RAVANA KA KATE.— ELLORA.
T) ETWEEN
the
two Caves
or Ashes of Ravana.
mentioned
last
age from that which
Among
one called Ravana ka Kaie,
though more
It is similar in design,
much
those on either hand, but hardly so different
is
its
locality
so as to justify
would assign
to
the scenes portrayed in the sculptures of the
and Parvati playing
at choupers, a
its
florid
than
being placed in a
it.
Cave
is
game .somewhat resembling
one of
.Siva
draughts, an
engraving of which was published in the second volume of the "Transactions " of the
Below
there
Royal Asiatic Society, from a drawing by Captain Grindlay. is
a group
of
the
Gana
— dwarfs
attached to Siva's retinue
playing with, or rather tormenting the bull Nundi.
which seem
to
It is
one of those legends
have been peculiar favourites with the Hindoo sculptors, and
is
repeated several times in these Caves.
The
architecture of the
Cave
is
cushion capital and fluted shafts so
very
florid,
common 69
at
but
EUora.
all
the pillars have the
r*-
PLAN OF THE KYLAS TEMPLE AT ELLORA.
THE
ground-plan of the Kylas here given will serve to render the parts
illustrated
AA
is
by the following photographs more generally
the Gopura, or entrance gateway.
with an obelisk on each
on the
first-floor
side,
Vimana.
F
F,
r,,
is
E
E,
D, the cella
or porch,
all cut,
with the Lingam, over which
is
of the
&c. are smaller detached Temples surrounding the great
lateral
Temples, originally connected with the great one by
One
called Lanka.
70
^-
intelligible.
Mantapa
the inner porch or pronaos, solid below, but
bridges, which, however, have fallen. a stair at
the detached
joined to the porch and gateway by stone bridges,
course, out of the solid rock.
great Vimana.
c,
B,
of these,
now approached
only by
^
KVLAS.— ELLORA.
"V T
O
sooner had the Brahmans
them ficence as
Kylas
it
good an opportunity of displaying
next in situation
may
—and which
it is
not,
are found at Tanjore or Tritchinopoly for
turies, did
that
we know
we know
of
magni-
most remarkable,
this excavation.
who
is
—a
a purely southern temple, such as circumstance that aids in fixing a
that the southern Cholas, in the ninth
extend their dominions to
we owe
their architectural
however, in any style of architecture found in any
other instance north of the Kistnah, but
it,
afforded
proceeded to excavate the
certainly, the
is,
Rock
not be the most beautiful, of the rock-cut stractures of India.
Strange to say
date to
the discovery that the
did to their hated rivals, than they
it
—the
though
as
made
this quarter,
It certainly
is
and
it
is
and tenth cen-
to them, probably,
not the work of any other race
occupied this country either before or since.
VIMANA, KYLAS.-ELLORA.
'T^HE
Vimana
itself,
shown
in the
above view,
is
the most remarkable feature
of the whole design, and also the most purely southern. in
an octagonal dome, as
universally the case south of the Kistnah.
is
this each angle of each storey has a square dome, and,
The
oblong one.
It terminates
are
interstices
filled
in
Below
in the centre,
an
with sculpture, and sculptured
ornaments of various kinds, giving an extreme variety of light and shade to the whole composition.
The temple class as the
at
Kylas
Dhumnar ;
but
it
perhaps, more elegant in sions,
The
it is
far
is
is
the only other
design, and, as
of the
style,
though from
its
comparatively small dimen-
effect.
Temples which surround the great Vimana are
may be
same
as purely northern in design, and on the whole,
from having the same
five smaller
Hindoo temple
supposed, add very
much
similar in
to the effect of the whole.
CLOISTER, KYLAS.— ELLORA.
nr^HE
pit in
length,
which the Temple stands measures 150
and
illustrated in the
is
surromided on
annexed view.
all sides
by a
Like everything
ft.
in
cloister of
width by 270
in
which one bay
is
else in the Kylas,
it
has the
defect of being a literal copy from a structural fomi without any adaptation to its
position.
when
The consequence
is
that the pillars look painfully light or slender
considered as supporting the 80 or 100
ft.
of plain rock which towers
over them.
The back
of the cloister
is
covered with sculptured groups, exhibiting
the wild exuberance and strange fancies of the still
free
in its
all
Hindoo imagination, though
from the worst exaggerations of the modern
style.
It is
shade and looking upwards, towards the Vimana, that
when
standing
we become aware
of the grandeur of the composition, and feel that the whole fonns an architectural picture not often surpassed.
73
^
BAS-RELIEF, KYLAS.— ELLORA.
""HE amount of sculpture, both
'
historical
and
I
architectural, that covers
every part of the Kylas adds immensely to the impressive but mysterious effect
of the whole, and
There
are,
its
for instance,
Vimana, which are such
The one here part,
and
variety
two
is
as
remarkable as
bas-reliefs,
as could only
its
quantity.
one on each side of the great
be executed by the patient Hindoo.
On
given represents Ravana's conquest of Ceylon.
at the right-hand side, the giant
Ravana
is
seen defending his castle,
and throughout the picture the Monkey God, Hunuman, with monkeys, are seen lending their aid lowest
tier,
to their
bringing the rocks with which
the lower
human
allies
Adam's bridge
is
:
his
in
said to
army of
the second
have been
constructed in order to enable the invading army to pass from the continent to the island.
74
-»^-<
BAS-RELIEF, KYLAS.— ELLORA.
' I
""HE pendant
to the bas-relief last described, as representing the
Rama, from
of
characterises
Hindoos, and
is
taken with the impartiality that
age from the Mahabarata, the other great epic of the
this is
the Ramayana,
composed of episodes
in the lives of the
Pandavas
upper part apparently representing peaceful occupations, but ending as a matter of course,
whom
is
and closing with a group of
being strangled or having his head cut
had
finished his story before he
one
and then
life
and occupations, the subject of which, however,
filled
the
a battle
off.
Having
line blank,
in
;
prisoners, the principal of
left
make
campaigns
filled his tablet,
the sculptor has
up the remainder with scenes of domestic
out.
75
it
is
not always easy to
-<-
/fk.
SCULPTURE, KYLAS.— ELLORA.
'TT^HIS photograph
fairly represents the
Kylas are covered with ornament. is
inferior
to
members have none of
The group on
—
The figure
that elegance of detail
is cei^tainly
on the
and execution
rich
it
man
with the wings of a bird this
one instance
group represents Vishnu and
left
which
is
found at Ajunta, but
and picturesque.
emblem borrowed probably from
though only known in
central
in its design
the right represents Vishnu on his Vahana, or celestial bearer,
the man-bird, an
Pantheon, where a bination,
Both
which the walls of the
in
Northern sculptm'e of the same age, and the architectural
the effect of the whole
Garuda,
mode
in
a very
common com-
Indian mythology.
his consort, Sareswati, while the
seems merely to be an attendant.
76
is
the Assyrian
,-.x~
^
SCULPTURE, l^VLAS.-ELLORA.
T)ETRAYS
the same rudeness in
execution as the
last,
and the same
inelegance of detail, but possesses a wild picturesqueness and vigour
which charms
The
figure
in spite
of
on the right
Behind him a figure
in
its is
defects.
a giant Dwarpal, or porter, guarding the entrance.
a chariot, apparently Arjuna, with his
behind him again one of those figures to give the It is
name not,
wonderful so all
whom
;
And
that occurs most readily to their memories.
much
as their quantity
Temple
itself,
with
and variety its
;
for after
you have examined
porches, and those of the stone bridges
that connect one part with the other, there
pit,
bow
Brahmans on the spot
however, the art of these sculptures that makes the Kylas so
those of the
the beautiful
the
Temple of Lanka and others
is still
the cloister, and above
tiiis
cut in the rock on the sides of the
which make up together an exhibition of human labour and perseverance
seldom surpassed. 77
>1*-
^
^
INDRA SUBHA.— ELLORA.
TT
would be uninteresting group, as
among
to tlescribe the
there are no illustrations of them.
Doomar Lena
is
remaining Caves of the Mindno
the photographs that have been sent to this country
This
a finer and larger
is
to
be regretted, as
Cave than
among them
that of Elephanta,
the
which
it
resembles, and there are several others of great magnificence.
There
is
also, unfortunately,
the Indra Subha. attained in
only one illustration of so-called Jaina group,
It illustrates,
however, the perfection
Cave architecture when once they became
to
which the Hindoos
so familiar with the
rock as to enable them to dispense with structural forms, and adapt these
masses to the apparent weight they had to sustain.
In this respect some of
their later caves almost surpass those of the Buddhists, for being liound utilitarian exigencies, they
succeeded
in
by
ii<>
launched out into architectural magnificence, and
a manner rarely suriJassed.
^
DS420 .C3F3 The rock-cut temples of India
...
Princeton Theological Seminary-Speer Library
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