Jaina Rock Cut Caves In Western India Part 01

Author(s): Viraj Shah
Publisher: Agam Kala Prakashan

Page 77

Description and Chronology of Caves Date
Fergusson and Burgess have dated the caves at the site to the same age as the Badami caves, i. e. in the latter half of 6th century (1880: 417-424). Naik dates the caves to the period between 600 to 800 CE (1947: 367). These caves are not included by Soundara Rajan (1981).
It is difficult to date this cave, as it is very simple and featureless, both architecturally and iconographically. The cell on the right was definitely used as a shrine as the rock cut pedestal on the back wall suggests. Most probably the cell on the left was also used as a shrine as it is too small to be used for residential purpose. The same concept of the central space with peripheral chapels, as used in Ambejogai, is applied here also, though in a much different form. Another feature shared with Ambejogai is the existence of a rock-cut structure in the centre of the court. Here this structure is much higher. Perhaps the chaumukha was placed directly on this structure. No siylistic or iconographic analysis of the main icon is possible, though it was reported to be very crude and featureless (Burgess 1878: 12-13). The architectural similarities, whatever little, with the Ambejogai cave, indicate the same date as Ambejogai. However, this approximate dating can be further substantiated by determining the age of the Brahmanical caves of the site as it is logical to assume that the Jaina cave was excavated when the site was a flourishing Brahmanical centre, perhaps slightly later, but detinitely not earlier.
As mentioned above, Burgess has dated the Brahmanical caves to the second half of the 6th century CE. But their architecture and iconographic programme suggest a much later date. Most of the large caves are sāndhāra in layout. The sandhāra caves at Ellora such as Caves XIV, XXI, XXVI, XIX and XVII are dated to the period around 625 to 725 CE. Only Lankeshvara is dated to 775 CE. The Lakola's cave at Kharosa is very similar to Cave XIV at Ellora, which is dated to the period between 650 to 675 CE. The shrine in Mahadeva's cave is sarvatobhadra with large dvarapalas flanking each door, similar to those at Elephanta, Jogeshvari and Dhumaralena at Ellora. The main cave at Elephanta is dated to the period between 625 to 650 CE, Dhumaralena is dated to around 675 CE, while Jogeshvari cave is dated to around 700 CE (Soundara Rajan 1981: Fig. 3). The cave to the north of the Jaina cave has a monolithic pillar in front, as in Kailasa at Ellora and the Brahmanical cave at Ambejogai. Moreover, the iconographic programme of these caves consisting of the icons of saptamatrikās, tandava Siva, Visnu in Varaha. Vamana and Narasimha avatāras, scenes of Krisnalila has parallels in the Rashtrakuţa Caves XIV, XV and XVI at Ellora and also Brahmanical caves of Ambejogai. Thus, these caves can safely be dated to the period between late 7th to late 8th century. The span of the excavation activity may have lasted approximately for a century. Considering these evidences, it is safe to assume a date in the late 8th century for the Jaina cave at Kharosa.
ELLORA, AURANGABAD TALUKA, AURANGABAD DISTRICT
(20°00'N; 75°05'E) (Early Caves)
The famous site of Ellora is situated around 31 km northwest of the town of Aurangabad. There are thirty-four caves excavated almost in a line running north to south for around