Question

Ellora caves are located in ______________
A.Madhya Pradesh
B.Gujarat
C.Maharashtra
D.Kerala

Answer 1

Hint: Ellora caves are one of the largest cave systems that has multiple temples built into it. Situated near the city of Aurangabad, these cave complexes feature Hindu, Buddhist and Jain monuments, and artworks throughout a large area. The structures are believed to be built in the time period 600 CE to 1000 CE period. The largest monolithic rock in the world is present in one of the caves and the complex is one of UNESCO’s world heritage sites.

Complete answer:
 Ellora Caves is a cluster of 34 temples that are rock cut into the hills near the north- west part of Maharashtra in the village named Ellora. They are spread throughout a distance of 2 km. These temples were cut physically on the cliffs of the hill and had huge interior walls and chambers. The largest monolithic rock in temple number 16 has a Kailash temple inside, dedicated to Lord Shiva.
There are 12 Buddhist caves present on the southern side of the caves and it dates back from 200 BCE to 600 CE. 17 Hindu temples situated in the central region are from the time period 500 to 900 CE, and 5 Jain temples on the north side goes back to 800 to 1000 CE. The design is done in such a way that The Hindu caves have the most dramatic designs in contrast to the simple designs of the Buddhist caves.

Hence, the correct answer is option (C).

Note: The monuments at Ellora had a great amount of damage throughout these years. Especially the idols. The intricate carvings on the pillars, and of natural objects on the walls, remain intact. The desecration of the place began when the Muslim armies took over the region during 15th to 17th centuries. According to historians, such devastation by Muslims stemmed from the perceived offense caused by "the graphic, anthropomorphic imagery of Hindu and Buddhist shrines".