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Conclusion
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ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES OF THE CAVES
The Jaina caves, excavated between the period of 1st century BCE to the 14th-15th century CE, follow the contemporary regional architectural and stylistic trends. They form an integral part of the general pattern of the development of rock-cut architecture of the region exemplified by the caves of Brahmanical and Buddhist sects. Thus, the Dharashiva caves of early 6th century are like the contemporary Buddhist caves at Ajanta in terms of ground plan, pillar and doorway ornamentation, type of pillars as well as pilasters and the treatment of the main icon in the shrine, while the caves at Kharosa and Ambejogai reflect similarities with eastern Chalukyan architectural style. Some of the features, such as presence of two rock-cut elephants in the court at Ambejogai point to similarities with Kailasa at Ellora. Again, standing Jina figures, which flank the main shrine of Ambejogai cave, foresee similar popular trend at Ellora Jaina caves. The 9th century Jaina caves at Ellora share similarities of ground plan, pillar type, pillar ornamentation and façade treatment with other Brahmanical caves of the site, especially Kailasa and Lankesvara. The presence of an elephant and a pillar or manastambha in the court of Indra Sabha points to architectural relation with Kailasa, while Chhota Kailasa is a direct copy of Kailasa on much smaller scale. The 12th-13th century caves at Ankai-Tankai, Tringalwadi, Daulatabad and Vase share a number of features like type of pillars and doorways, treatment of fronts of benches in the caves with mouldings, more use of loose icons than carved icons, with contemporary Brahmanical caves at Panhale. Thus, there is nothing 'Jaina' about these caves except the icons.
In spite of forming an integral part of the general process of development of rockcut architecture, these caves display some unique features. The enclosed courtyard and peculiar gable-shaped roof of the front aisle of the verandah with a big hole or door leading to the passage, which opens at the water cistern in Cave II at Dharashiva are unparalleled. The rock-cut structure, possibly a base for a chaumukha or manastambha, in front of caves at Ambejogai and Kharosa and perhaps a stūpa in the court of Cave II at Dharashiva are also unusual features. Similarly, presence of lion heads on mattavarana and the addition of sikhara in the treatment of façade as vimana in the Jaina caves at Ellora, though not completely unknown, is a new feature at the site. A memorial pillar at Patne and Chandor, carved probably in the memory of some ascetic or the donor, is an unusual occurrence. The perforated screen and large lion figures at Ankai-Tankai II are also very unique as far as cave architecture is concerned. Large monolithic elephants at Ambejogai and Ellora caves, though not very unusual, are quite spectacular. The elephants with warriors and musicians at Ellora J30 are unique in this region, though a similar 12th century CE monolithic elephant is known from Banavasi.
The caves post-dating 10th century CE reveal a tendency to imitate contemporary temple architecture. The trend begins at Ellora where the frontage of the cave is given an appearance of vimāna from adhisthana to śikhara, a feature already noticed in a number of Pallava caves. The type of pillars, doorways with chandrašila and kaksāsanas with dwarf pillars speak of architectural relations with contemporary Chalukya and Rashtrakuta structural architecture. There must have been mutual exchange between both the modes of architecture. Still later, the 12th century caves at Ankai-Tankai and Tringalwadi follow contemporary temple architecture of the Yadava period in ditto. The
