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Indian rock-cut architectureFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Oldest Rockcut cave of IndiaBarabar Caves

Entrance of Rockcut cave temple(Similar style as Barabar Caves) at Guntupalle,Andhra Pradesh

An early group of caves atKanheri Caves

Advanced beds in earlyviharasatKanheri Caves

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Rock cut stair leading to Kanheri

Guntupalle Rockcut Caves,Andhra Pradesh

Indian rock-cut architectureis more various and found in greater abundance than any other form of rock-

cut architecture around the world.[1]Rock-cut architectureis the practice of creating a structure by carving it

out of solid natural rock. Rock that is not part of the structure is removed until the only rock left are thearchitectural elements of the excavated interior. Indian rock-cut architecture is mostly religious in

nature.[2][3]

There are known more than 1,500 rock cut structures in India. Many of these structures contain artworks of

global importance, most are adorned with exquisite stone carvings. These ancient and medieval structures

are amazing achievements of structural engineering and craftmanship.[4]

In India, caves have long been regarded as places of sanctity. Caves that were enlarged or entirely man-

made were felt to hold the same sanctity as natural caves. In fact the sanctuary in all Indian religious

structures, even free standing ones, retain the same cave-like feeling of sacredness, being small and dark

without natural light.[5]

The Oldest rock-cut architecture is theBarabar caves,Biharbuilt around 3rd Century BC, other early cave

temples are found in the westernDeccan,mostly Buddhist shrines and monasteries, dating between 100 BC

and 170 AD. They were probably preceded as well as accompanied bywoodenstructures which are

destroyed over time while stone endures. Throughout the history of rock-cut temples, the elements of

wooden construction have been retained. Skilled craftsmen learned to mimic timber texture, grain and

structure. The earliest cave temples include theBhaja Caves,theKarla Caves,theBedse Caves,theKanheri

Cavesand some of theAjanta Caves.Relics found in these caves suggest an important connection between

the religious and the commercial, as Buddhist missionaries often accompanied traders on the busy

international trading routes through India. Some of the more sumptuous cave temples, commissioned by

wealthy traders, included pillars, arches, and elaborate facades during the time maritime trade boomed

between the Roman Empire and south-east Asia.[6]

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Although free standing structural temples were being built by the 5th century, rock-cut cave temples

continued to be built in parallel. Later rock-cut cave architecture became more sophisticated as in theEllora

Caves,culminating ultimately the monolithicKailash Temple.After this, rock-cut architecture became

almost totally structural in nature (although cave temples continued to be built until the 12th century), made

from rocks cut into bricks and built as free standing constructions. Kailash was the last spectacular rock-cut

excavated temple.[7]

Contents

1 Early caves

2 Cave temples

3 Monolithic rock-cut temples

4 Free-standing temples

5 Rock-cut monuments in India

6 See also

7 Notes

8 References 9 External links

Early caves

The earliest caves employed by humans were natural caves used by local inhabitant for a variety of purposes

such as shrines and shelters. The early caves included overhanging rock decorated withrock-cut artand the

use of natural caves during theMesolithicperiod (6000 BC). Their use has continued in some areas into

historic times.[8]TheRock Shelters of Bhimbetka,aWorld Heritage Site,are on the edge of theDeccan

Plateauwhere deep erosion has left hugesandstoneoutcrops. The many caves andgrottosfound there

contain primitivetoolsand decorative rock paintings that reflect the ancient tradition of human interaction

with their landscape, an interaction that continues to this day.[9]

Cave temples

Ajantacaves

WhenBuddhistmissionaries arrived they naturally gravitated to caves for use as cave temples and abodes,

in accord with their religious ideas of asceticism and the monastic life. TheWestern Ghatstopography with

its flat-toppedbasalthills, deepravinesand sharpcliffs,was suited to their natural inclinations. The earliest

of theKanheri Caveswere excavated in the 1st and 2nd centuries B.C. as were those atAjantawhich were

occupied continuously by Buddhist monks from 200 BCE to 650 AD.[10][11]The Buddhist ideology

encouraged identification with trade, monasteries became stopovers for inland traders and provided lodging

houses that were usually located neartrade routes.As their mercantile and royal endowments grew, cave

interiors became more elaborate with interior walls decorated with paintings and reliefs and intricate

carvings. Facades were added to the exteriors as the interiors became designated for specific uses as

monasteries (viharas)and worship halls (chaityas). Over the centuries simple caves began to resemble three-

dimensional buildings, needing to be formally designed and requiring highly skilled artisans and craftsmen

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to complete. Theses artisans had not forgotten their timber roots and imitated the nuances of a wooden

structure and thewood grainin working with stone.[12]

Worship hall (Chaitya)atAjantaCaves

Badami Cave Temples-Sanctum sanctoruminside Cave No.1

Early examples of rock cut architecture are the Buddhist andJaincavebasadi,temples andmonasteries,

many withchandrashalas.The ascetic nature of these religions inclined their followers to live in natural

caves and grottos in the hillsides, away from the cities, and these became enhanced and embellished over

time. Although many temples, monasteries and stupas had been destroyed, by contrast cave temples are very

well preserved as they are both less visible and therefore less vulnerable to vandalism as well as made of

more durable material than wood and masonry. There are around 1200 cave temples still in existence, most

of which are Buddhist. The residences of monks were calledViharasand the cave shrines, calledChaityas,

were for congregational worship.[12]The earliest rock-cutgarbhagriha,similar to free-standing ones later,had an inner circular chamber with pillars to create acircumambulatorypath (pradakshina)around

thestupaand an outer rectangular hall for the congregation of the devotees.

TheAjanta CavesinMaharashtra,a World Heritage Site, are 30 rock-cut caveBuddhisttemples carved into

the sheer vertical side of a gorge near a waterfall-fed pool located in the hills of theSahyadrimountains.

Like all the locations of Buddhist caves, this one is located near main trade routes and spans six centuries

beginning in the 2nd or 1st century B.C.[13]A period of intense building activity at this site occurred under

theVakatakaking Harisena between 460 and 478 A profuse variety of decorative sculpture, intricately

carvedcolumnsand carvedreliefsare found, including exquisitely carvedcornicesandpilaster.[14]Skilled

artisans crafted living rock to imitate timbered wood (such aslintels)in construction and grain and intricatedecorative carving, although such architectural elements were ornamental and not functional in the classical

sense.[12]

Later manyHindukings from southern India patronize many cave temples dedicated toHindugods and

goddesses. One such prominent example of cave temple architecture are theBadami Cave Templesat

Badami, the earlyChalukyacapital, carved out in the 6th century. There are four cave temples hewn from

the sides of cliffs, threeHinduand oneJain,that contain carved architectural elements such as decorative

pillars and brackets as well as finely carved sculpture and richly etched ceiling panels. Nearby are many

smallBuddhistcave shrines.[15]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wood_grainhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wood_grainhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wood_grainhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Indian_rock-cut_architecture&printable=yes#cite_note-indoart-12http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Indian_rock-cut_architecture&printable=yes#cite_note-indoart-12http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Indian_rock-cut_architecture&printable=yes#cite_note-indoart-12http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaityahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaityahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaityahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ajantahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ajantahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ajantahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Badami_Cave_Templeshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Badami_Cave_Templeshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanctum_sanctorumhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanctum_sanctorumhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanctum_sanctorumhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jainhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jainhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jainhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basadihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basadihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basadihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monasteryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monasteryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monasteryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chandrashalahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chandrashalahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chandrashalahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viharashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viharashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viharashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaityahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaityahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaityahttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Indian_rock-cut_architecture&printable=yes#cite_note-indoart-12http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Indian_rock-cut_architecture&printable=yes#cite_note-indoart-12http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Indian_rock-cut_architecture&printable=yes#cite_note-indoart-12http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garbhagrihahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garbhagrihahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garbhagrihahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circumambulationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circumambulationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circumambulationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pradakshinahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pradakshinahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pradakshinahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stupahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stupahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stupahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ajanta_Caveshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ajanta_Caveshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ajanta_Caveshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maharashtrahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maharashtrahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maharashtrahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhisthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhisthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhisthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sahyadrihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sahyadrihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sahyadrihttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Indian_rock-cut_architecture&printable=yes#cite_note-13http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Indian_rock-cut_architecture&printable=yes#cite_note-13http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Indian_rock-cut_architecture&printable=yes#cite_note-13http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vakatakahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vakatakahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vakatakahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columnhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columnhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columnhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reliefhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reliefhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reliefhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornicehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornicehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornicehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilasterhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilasterhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Indian_rock-cut_architecture&printable=yes#cite_note-binda-14http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Indian_rock-cut_architecture&printable=yes#cite_note-binda-14http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Indian_rock-cut_architecture&printable=yes#cite_note-binda-14http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lintel_(architecture)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lintel_(architecture)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lintel_(architecture)http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Indian_rock-cut_architecture&printable=yes#cite_note-indoart-12http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Indian_rock-cut_architecture&printable=yes#cite_note-indoart-12http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Indian_rock-cut_architecture&printable=yes#cite_note-indoart-12http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Badami_Cave_Templeshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Badami_Cave_Templeshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Badami_Cave_Templeshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chalukyahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chalukyahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chalukyahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jainhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jainhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jainhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhisthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhisthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhisthttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Indian_rock-cut_architecture&printable=yes#cite_note-15http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Indian_rock-cut_architecture&printable=yes#cite_note-15http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Indian_rock-cut_architecture&printable=yes#cite_note-15http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Relief_in_Badami_cave_temple_no.1.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Indien_ajanta2.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Relief_in_Badami_cave_temple_no.1.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Indien_ajanta2.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Indian_rock-cut_architecture&printable=yes#cite_note-15http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhisthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jainhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chalukyahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Badami_Cave_Templeshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Indian_rock-cut_architecture&printable=yes#cite_note-indoart-12http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lintel_(architecture)http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Indian_rock-cut_architecture&printable=yes#cite_note-binda-14http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilasterhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornicehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reliefhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columnhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vakatakahttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Indian_rock-cut_architecture&printable=yes#cite_note-13http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sahyadrihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhisthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maharashtrahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ajanta_Caveshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stupahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pradakshinahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circumambulationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garbhagrihahttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Indian_rock-cut_architecture&printable=yes#cite_note-indoart-12http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaityahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viharashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chandrashalahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monasteryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basadihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jainhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanctum_sanctorumhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Badami_Cave_Templeshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ajantahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaityahttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Indian_rock-cut_architecture&printable=yes#cite_note-indoart-12http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wood_grain

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Free-standing temples

There is no time line that divides the creation of rock-cut temples and free-standing temples built with cut

stone as they developed in parallel. The building of free-standing structures began in 5th century, while rock

cut temples continued to be excavated until the 12th century.

Rock-cut monuments in India

Ellora caves. Cave 34. TheyakshiniAmbika,theyakshiniofNeminathat aJain CaveatEllora

Rock cut steps atRamatheertham,Andhra Pradesh

BojjannakondaRockcut Caves,Andhra Pradesh

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Rock cut Stupas,Bojjannakonda

Panoramic view of relief sculpture at Mahabalipuram, aWorld Heritage Site

Aiholehas oneJaina/

Badami Cave Temples

Bagh Caves

Ellora Caveshas twelveBuddhist,17Hinduand fiveJaintemples.[19]

Kanheri Caves

Mahabalipuram

Pancha Rathas

Pandavleni Caves

Shore Temple- structural

Undavalli caves,Andhra Pradesh

Varaha Cave TempleatMamallapuram

Masroor Temple at Kangra

BojjannakondaBuddhist Site,Andhra Pradesh

Guntupalle Buddhist Site,Andhra Pradesh

Ramatheertham,Andhra Pradesh

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