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The cave temples and monasteries at Ellora, excavated out of the vertical face of an escarpment, are 26 km north of Aurangabad.

Ellora caves lay in the lap of the Chamadari hills extending over a mile and a quarter in the north-south direction and are situated 18 miles northwest of Aurangabad. 

Ellora represents some 300 years of great experiments carried out by different faiths with their very different iconography and structural compulsions. 

Ellora caves are finest specimens of cave temple architecture. They house elaborate facades and exquisitely adorned interiors. 

These structures representing the three faiths of Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism, were carved during 350 AD to 700 AD period. The cave monuments of Ellora were chiefly patronised by the Chalukya - Rashtrakuta rulers (7th - 10th century AD). 

These cave shrines are memorable for their invaluable contribution to the enormous wealth of Indian heritage. There are 34 caves in total. These can be divided into three groups belonging roughly to three periods: Buddhist, Hindu and Jain. 

Only 12 of the 34 caves are Buddhist, but even these caves incorporate the Hindu and Jain theme, demonstrating the gradual decline of Buddhism. 

It took over five centuries for the Hindu, Buddhist and Jain monks to chisel out these monasteries, temples, and chapels and decorate them with remarkable imagination and detail. 

Sixteen caves are the oldest in the group and were carved in the 5th century. As one enters these caves, one crosses graceful angles and steps in a high ceiling chamber where a 15 feet huge statue of Buddha is sitting in a preaching pose. 

In these caves the artist has tried an element of surprise by giving them an expression of wood. Most of these 16 caves are 'Viharas' but cave number 10 is a 'Chaitya'. The 10th cave has an impression of wooden beams on its ceiling and has a small decorated window, which illuminates the sitting Buddha.

These caves are rightly called the "Vishvakarma" caves. This cave is considered to be one of the finest caves in India. 

The Buddhists believe that Buddha returns after every five thousand years, thus the 12th cave has seven images of Buddha depicting his seven incarnations. 

The 16th cave in the group is one of the audacious feats in architecture ever achieved. The idea was to build Kailash from a single stone. Hence it got its name, Kailasnath temple. 

Mural paintings in Ellora are found in 5 caves, but only in the Kailasa temple are they somewhat preserved. 

The Vishvakarma (Cave 10) is the only chaitya griha amongst the Buddhist group of caves. 

It is locally known as Vishvakarma or Sutar ka jhopda "carpenter's hut". 

It follows the pattern of construction of Caves 19 and 26 of Ajanta. On stylistic grounds, the date of construction of this cave is assigned to 700 A.D. 

The chaitya once had a high screen wall, which is ruined at present. 

At the front is a rock-cut court, which is entered through a flight of steps. On either side are pillared porticos with chambers in their back walls.

5 th century to 7 th century AD

Caves 1 to 12 at the southern end 

hese caves were built during the 5th-7th century.

It was initially thought that the Buddhist caves were one of the earliest structures, created between the fifth and eighth centuries, with caves 1-5 in the first phase (400-600) and 6-12 in the later phase (mid 7th-mid 8th), but now it is clear to the modern scholars that some of the Hindu caves (27,29,21,28,19,26,20,17 and 14) precede these caves.

The earliest Buddhist cave is Cave 6, followed by 5,2,3,5 (right wing), 4,7,8,10 and 9.

Caves 11 and 12 were the last. All the Buddhist caves were constructed between 630-700.

8 th century to 10 th century AD

Caves 13 to 29 in the middle 

Hindu caves are the Rameshvara (Cave 21), which has figurines of river goddesses Ganga and Yamuna at the entrance and the Dhumar Lena (Cave 29) whose design is similar to the cave temple on Elephanta Island near Mumbai.

Two other caves, the Ravan ki Khai (Cave 14) and the Nilkantha (Cave 22) also have several sculptures. The rest of the Hindu caves, which include the Kumbharvada (Cave 25) and the Gopilena (Cave 27) have no significant sculptures

9 th century to 11 th century AD

Caves 30 to 34 at the northern end 

The five Jain caves at Ellora belong to the ninth and tenth centuries. They all belong to the Digambara sect.

Jain caves reveal specific dimensions of Jain philosophy and tradition. They reflect a strict sense of asceticism – they are not relatively large as compared to others, but they present exceptionally detailed art works.

The most remarkable Jain shrines are the Chhota Kailash (cave 30), the Indra Sabha (cave 32) and the Jagannath Sabha (cave 33).

Cave 31 is an unfinished four-pillared hall and a shrine. Cave 34 is a small cave, which can be approached through an opening on the left side of Cave 33