# Kailasa Temple (DD-605)

> The Kailasa temple is Cave 16 of the Ellora Caves in Maharashtra, India, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983. UNESCO calls it the largest monolithic temple of the 34 caves, which were cut into a basalt cliff between about AD 600 and 1000. The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) calls it the largest single monolithic excavation and attributes it to the Rashtrakuta king Krishna I (c. 757–783), citing a copper-plate inscription of c. 812–813. The temple is dedicated to Shiva and named after Mount Kailash, which Hindu tradition holds to be Shiva's home. Rather than being built up from blocks, it was cut downward from the top of a sloping rock face into a free-standing shrine, with a gateway, a Nandi pavilion and a surrounding courtyard. Wikipedia, citing published estimates, puts the stone removed at about 85,000 m³, weighing about 200,000 tonnes, and the courtyard at about 82 by 46 m. Those figures are modern estimates, not records. The court elephants and an elephant-and-lion frieze around the base are among the parts the historian M. K. Dhavalikar attributes to Krishna I. Other parts, including the sculpture of Ravana shaking Mount Kailasa, appear to be later additions. The footage is aerial and close-up drone video of the temple and its carved walls.

- Department: Locations (also History)
- First published: 2025-06-28
- Last updated: 2025-06-28
- Permalink: https://detailenjoyer.com/case/kailasa-temple/
- Author: Marcus Easterling (DetailEnjoyer), The Detail Department

## On the timeline

- **1983**: UNESCO inscribes the Ellora Caves, including the Kailasa temple, as a World Heritage Site

Full timeline: https://detailenjoyer.com/timeline/?case=kailasa-temple

## Quick facts

- **DD-605-F01**: The Kailasa temple at Ellora was carved downward out of a single basalt cliff. _(Write-up · Exhibit B (Top down))_
- **DD-605-F02**: UNESCO calls the Kailasa temple the largest monolithic temple at Ellora. _(Write-up · Exhibit A (Cave 16))_

## Write-up

Carved from the top down. Ellora's Cave 16 was cut out of one basalt cliff, not built.

1. **Cave 16**: Kailasa is Cave 16 of Ellora's 34 caves, and UNESCO calls it the largest monolithic temple there.
2. **Top down**: It was cut downward from the top of a sloping basalt cliff, not built from blocks.
3. **Krishna I**: The ASI attributes it to the Rashtrakuta king Krishna I (c. 757–783), citing an inscription of c. 812–813.
4. **How much stone?**: About 200,000 tonnes removed is a modern estimate, not a recorded figure.
5. **Not all at once**: The court elephants date to Krishna I's reign, and some sculptures were added later.

## Related case files

- [Mount Kailash (DD-607)](https://detailenjoyer.com/case/mount-kailash/): The mountain the temple is named after
- [The White Temple (DD-042)](https://detailenjoyer.com/case/the-white-temple/): Another temple case
- [Zeus @ Olympia (DD-096)](https://detailenjoyer.com/case/zeus-at-olympia/): I paired it with another feat of ancient sculpture
- [Petra (DD-114)](https://detailenjoyer.com/case/petra/): I paired it with another rock-cut wonder
- [Chichen Itza (DD-120)](https://detailenjoyer.com/case/chichen-itza/): I paired it with another ancient monument built with precision
- [Taj Mahal (DD-123)](https://detailenjoyer.com/case/taj-mahal/): I paired it with another monument in India
- [Hallgrímskirkja (DD-567)](https://detailenjoyer.com/case/hallgrimskirkja/): Another religious building shaped by its stone
- [The Motherland Calls (DD-590)](https://detailenjoyer.com/case/the-motherland-calls/): I linked another monument built on a colossal scale
- [Ardabil (DD-620)](https://detailenjoyer.com/case/ardabil/): I paired it with another sacred complex on UNESCO's list

## Reel vs. record

- **Note**: 'In the 8th century': the main temple is attributed to Krishna I (reigned c. 757–783), but some parts appear to have been finished later, under his successors.
- **Note**: 'Removing over 200,000 tons of stone': the figure is a modern estimate, about 85,000 m³ weighing roughly 200,000 tonnes, not a recorded amount.
- **Note**: 'A 100-foot tall central tower': the main tower rises about 32.6 m (107 ft) above the courtyard.
- **Note**: 'Rastrakuta dynasty': the usual spelling is Rashtrakuta. Wikipedia also notes Chalukya and Pallava styles in the temple, likely the work of artists from those regions.
- **Missing**: Kailasa is Cave 16 of the Ellora Caves, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983 whose 34 caves include Buddhist, Hindu and Jain monuments.

## Video: Kailasa Temple: Carved From the Top Down

- Duration: 22.3 s · Published: 2025-06-28
- File: https://detailenjoyer.com/assets/videos/DLc0z2cxoeH.mp4

### Transcript

DID YOU KNOW? The Kailasa Temple at Ellora, India, is a marvel of ancient engineering carved from a single Basalt monolith in the 8th century. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, this rock-cut temple, part of the Ellora Caves, was excavated vertically from a hillside, removing over 200,000 tons of stone. Its intricate carvings including life-size elephants and a 100-foot tall central tower showcased Rastrakuta dynasty craftsmanship. NOW YOU KNOW!

## Questions & answers

**Q: Which cave number is the Kailasa temple at Ellora?**  
A: Of 34 caves at the site. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit B (Top down) · Wikipedia: Kailasa temple, Ellora; Wikipedia: Ellora Caves)_

**Q: In which direction was the temple carved?**  
A: Cut down into a sloping basalt cliff. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (Cave 16) · UNESCO World Heritage Centre: Ellora Caves; Archaeological Survey of India: World Heritage Ellora Caves)_

**Q: Which dynasty's king is the temple attributed to?**  
A: Krishna I, according to the ASI. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (Cave 16) · UNESCO World Heritage Centre: Ellora Caves; Archaeological Survey of India: World Heritage Ellora Caves)_

**Q: What rock is the temple carved from?**  
A: The Ellora cliff is Deccan Traps basalt. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (Cave 16) · UNESCO World Heritage Centre: Ellora Caves; Archaeological Survey of India: World Heritage Ellora Caves)_

**Q: When was Ellora inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site?**  
A: Along with nearby Ajanta. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit B (Top down) · Wikipedia: Kailasa temple, Ellora; Wikipedia: Ellora Caves)_

## Sources

- [UNESCO World Heritage Centre: Ellora Caves](https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/243/)
- [Archaeological Survey of India: World Heritage Ellora Caves](https://asi.nic.in/pages/WorldHeritageElloraCaves)
- [Wikipedia: Kailasa temple, Ellora](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kailasa_temple,_Ellora)
- [Wikipedia: Ellora Caves](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ellora_Caves)

## Cite this case file

Easterling, Marcus. "Kailasa Temple." The Detail Department (DetailEnjoyer), case file DD-605, last updated Jun 28, 2025. https://detailenjoyer.com/case/kailasa-temple/