The Ellora Caves lie on the Ellora Caves Road near the village of Ellora, in the Aurangabad district of Maharashtra, India. They are a UNESCO World Heritage Site and are also known as Ellora Leni or the Ellora Cave Temples.
The complex is carved into rock and counts among the largest rock-cut monastery-temple cave complexes in the world. Rather than being built up from stone blocks, its halls and shrines were cut out of the hillside itself, so a visit is largely a walk through excavated rock, from one chamber to the next.
What you will see
The caves are notable for holding monuments of three faiths side by side:
- Hindu temples and shrines
- Buddhist monasteries and halls
- Jain monuments
Seeing these traditions in one place gives the site a distinctive character, and many visitors find it rewarding to move slowly and compare the carved interiors as they go.
Planning a visit
Ellora is within the Aurangabad district, so the city of Aurangabad is the natural base for travellers exploring the area. For up-to-date information on visiting, you can call the site on +91 2437 244 307. Allow time for walking between caves and wear comfortable shoes, as the paths and steps are part of the experience.
