The temple is
dedicated to the deity Shiva in his avatar as the "Lord of Mount
Kailas" and is the biggest and most renowned of the rock-cut temples at
Ellora in Maharashtra.
The temple was built by rulers of the Rashtrakuta dynasty in
the late eighth century and finished during the reign of Krishna I.
An outside entrance, an assembly hall, and a central shrine
(garbhagrha) encircled by a procession route (pradakshina) to lesser shrines
are the principal aspects of the Kailasanatha temple, which is styled after
other contemporary temples.
It is built on a high platform foundation with a
96-foot-tall spire that represents Mount Kailas in the Himalayas and is adorned
with beautiful carving.
The whole construction of this temple is a sculpture—workers
cut it out of a single rock protrusion, beginning at the top and working their
way down.
It is thought that three million cubic feet of stone were
removed from the temple and the excavated courtyards around it during
construction.
Artificial caves may also be found here.
Discover more about Hindu Art, Architecture, and Iconography here.
You may also want to read more about Hinduism here.
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