Rashtrakuta Period Temples
Art & Culture › Architecture · Topic 1.22
Rashtrakuta temples of the Deccan, from the 8th to the 10th century CE, are known for the Kailasa Temple (Kailasanatha, Cave 16) at Ellora in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district, Maharashtra, a monolithic Shiva temple carved top down from one rock hill under Krishna I around 756 to 773 CE. The dynasty, founded by Dantidurga and ruling from Manyakheta (Malkhed, Karnataka), also patronised the Dashavatara cave and the Jain caves at Ellora and the Jain Narayana temple at Pattadakal. Ellora was inscribed by UNESCO in 1983. The Kailasa follows the Dravida plan and drew on the Virupaksha Temple at Pattadakal.
5 min read · UPSC Prelims · Art & Culture · Architecture
At a Glance
- Dynasty Rashtrakutas of Manyakheta
- Period 8th to 10th century CE
- Masterpiece Kailasa Temple, Cave 16, Ellora
- Builder Krishna I, c. 756 to 773 CE
- UNESCO Ellora Caves, 1983
- Exam link UPSC Prelims, Art and Culture: Architecture
Where Does It Fit?
This topic follows the southern dynasty temples and moves to the Deccan. It shows the rock-cut tradition ending in a temple that is cut as a whole structure out of a hill. Previous topic: Pandya Temples. Next topic: Hampi, Karnataka (also spelt Vijayanagar) Best-known patron Krishnadevaraya of the Tuluva dynasty…">Vijayanagara Period Temples.
What Did the Rashtrakutas Build in the Deccan?
| Monument | Place and state | Date | Key facts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kailasa Temple, Cave 16 | Ellora, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district, Maharashtra | Krishna I, c. 756 to 773 CE | Monolithic Shiva temple carved from the top down; has a gateway, Nandi mandapa, main shrine, pillared hall and courtyard |
| Dashavatara, Cave 15 | Ellora, Maharashtra | Begun under Dantidurga, 8th century | Two-storey Brahmanical cave with the ten avatars of Vishnu |
| Jain caves | Ellora, Maharashtra (Caves 30 to 34) | 9th to 10th century, Rashtrakuta period | Includes the Indra Sabha, with the Digambara tradition |
| Jain Narayana temple | Pattadakal, Karnataka | 9th century | A Rashtrakuta addition to the Chalukya site, a Jain shrine |
| Elephanta Caves | Elephanta Island, near Mumbai, Maharashtra | c. 5th to 8th century; builder debated | Shiva cave with the Trimurti Sadashiva. Patronage is debated, with Kalachuri most often proposed and Chalukya and Rashtrakuta also suggested; UNESCO 1987 |
What Makes the Kailasa Temple Special?
- Monolithic carving: the whole temple was cut from one basalt hillside by removing rock from the top down, and no joins are present
- Scale: the temple stands in a deep courtyard, with sculpted walls and a lower level of life-size elephants
- Plan: entrance gate, Nandi shrine, main shrine with a vimana, and a pillared hall on a high plinth
- Dravida form: the vimana is pyramidal with storeys, as in southern temples
- Sculpture: Ravana shaking Mount Kailasa is a famous panel, together with Shiva, Parvati and river goddess figures
- Models: thought to be inspired by the Virupaksha Temple at Pattadakal and the Pallava Kailasanatha Temple
- Paintings: traces of ceiling paintings survive in the porch
- Name: named after Mount Kailasa, the abode of Shiva
What Else Should You Remember?
- Alternate names: Ellora is also called Verul or Elura, the Kailasa Temple is called Kailasanatha or the Kailash temple, and the dynasty is spelt Rashtrakoota in older texts
- Founder: Dantidurga defeated the Pulakeshin II (609 to 642) Kalyani branch 973 to…">Chalukyas of Badami in about 753 CE and founded the Rashtrakuta line
- Capital: Manyakheta, now Malkhed in Karnataka
- Krishna I: uncle of Dantidurga and the patron of the Kailasa Temple, a point asked often
- Ellora: a site of Buddhist (Caves 1 to 12), Hindu (Caves 13 to 29) and Jain (Caves 30 to 34) caves, which show religious harmony
- UNESCO: Ellora was inscribed in 1983 together with Ajanta, Agra Fort and the Taj Mahal, the first Indian sites on the list
- Scholars and literature: Amoghavarsha wrote Kavirajamarga, the earliest Kannada work on poetics, and patronised Jain scholars
- Arab link: Arab travellers such as Sulaiman praised the Rashtrakutas as great kings
- Gurjara-Pratiharas, Palas, Rashtrakutas Period Mid-eighth to the tenth century…">Tripartite struggle: the Rashtrakutas fought the Pratiharas and Palas for Kannauj
- Elephanta: at Elephanta, the Mahesamurti Shiva stands about 6 metres tall, and the cave is under the ASI
- Comparison with other rock-cut work: the earlier work is described as in Buddhist Rock-cut & Stupa Architecture (Ajanta, Ellora, Elephanta Caves; Sanchi, Bharhut, Amaravati Stupas; Chaityas and Viharas)
- Comparison with Dravida: the structural versions are in Dravidian Style and Mahabalipuram monuments,…">Pallava Period Temples
- Conservation: Ellora faces weathering, tourist pressure and rain seepage, which the ASI tries to manage
- Material: Ellora lies in the Deccan Trap, a basalt formation, which is hard but suited to monolithic carving
- Pattadakal: Pattadakal in Karnataka was inscribed by UNESCO in 1987 and holds Chalukya temples with a Rashtrakuta Jain addition
- Kailasa influences: the stone elephants, lions and pillars of the courtyard follow earlier Pallava and Chalukya ideas
- Cave 32: Indra Sabha, the Jain cave, has fine ceiling paintings and a monolithic pillar in the court
- Language: the Rashtrakutas used Kannada, Sanskrit and Prakrit in their inscriptions and patronised Kannada literature
- Decline: Taila II of the Later Chalukyas overthrew the last Rashtrakuta king in 973 CE
Why Does It Matter for the Exam?
- Name match: Kailasa Temple with Krishna I
- Place: Ellora, Maharashtra, not Ajanta
- UNESCO: Ellora Caves inscribed in 1983
- Method: carved from top to bottom
- Common errors: giving Kailasa to the Chalukyas or to the Pallavas
As an analytical point, Ellora shows religious plurality in a single place, with Buddhist, Hindu and Jain monuments side by side. This makes the site a strong example for cultural diplomacy and tourism.
Why Is This Topic Important?
- Kailasa Most asked Deccan temple
- Ellora UNESCO and caves
- Dynasty Founder and capital
What Came Next?
The next topic covers the Vijayanagara temples, with Hampi at their centre. Next topic: Vijayanagara Period Temples.
Key People and Terms
- Krishna I Kailasa builder
- Dantidurga Dynasty founder
- Manyakheta Capital
- Monolith Carved from one rock
- Amoghavarsha Author of Kavirajamarga
- Nandi mandapa Hall of the bull
Exam Corner
Points to Remember
- Kailasa: Cave 16, Ellora.
- Builder: Krishna I.
- Founder: Dantidurga.
- UNESCO: 1983.
- Carved top down.
Do Not Confuse With
- Ellora and Ajanta Ellora has three religions, Ajanta is Buddhist with paintings
- Kailasa and Kailasanatha Rashtrakuta Ellora versus Pallava Kanchipuram
- Rashtrakuta and Chalukya Later dynasty versus the one it overthrew
Memory Hook
Krishna cut Kailasa from the top, Dantidurga began the line.
Mains Angle
Questions ask about religious harmony and conservation of cave sites. These points give a balanced frame.
- Pluralism Three religions at one site
- Technique Monolithic top-down carving
- Tourism Managing visitors
A Question You May Face
An original practice question, not a past paper question.
“The Kailasa Temple at Ellora is a unique achievement of Indian rock architecture. Discuss.”
How to Answer
- Intro Builder, date, place.
- Method Cut from the top down.
- Features Plan and sculptures.
- Heritage UNESCO, conservation.
GS Relevance
Frequently Asked Questions
Who built the Kailasa Temple at Ellora?
The Kailasa Temple at Ellora, also called Cave 16, was built by the Rashtrakuta king Krishna I in the second half of the 8th century CE. It is a monolithic Shiva temple carved from a single rock hill, and it is the largest monolithic structure of its kind in India.
How was the Kailasa Temple made?
The temple was cut out of a single basalt hillside by removing rock from the top downward, so that the finished structure has no joins. Workers carved the roof first and then the walls, pillars and sculptures. It has a gateway, Nandi shrine, main shrine and pillared hall in a deep courtyard.
Who founded the Rashtrakuta dynasty?
Dantidurga founded the Rashtrakuta dynasty in about 753 CE after defeating the Chalukyas of Badami. The capital was Manyakheta, now Malkhed in Karnataka. Krishna I, who built the Kailasa Temple, and Amoghavarsha, who wrote Kavirajamarga, were later kings of the dynasty.
When was Ellora inscribed by UNESCO?
Ellora Caves were inscribed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1983, together with Ajanta Caves, Agra Fort and the Taj Mahal, the first Indian sites on the list. Ellora has 34 caves of Buddhist, Hindu and Jain faiths, and the Kailasa Temple is the best-known among them.
Why are Rashtrakuta temples important for UPSC?
Prelims asks who built the Kailasa Temple, how it was carved, the founder and capital of the dynasty, and Ellora's UNESCO year. Mains uses Ellora for religious harmony among Buddhist, Hindu and Jain caves, for monolithic technique and for heritage tourism. The usual traps are giving Kailasa to the Chalukyas or Pallavas.
What is the difference between the Kailasa Temple and the Kailasanatha Temple?
The Kailasa Temple is a Rashtrakuta monolith carved from a hill at Ellora, Maharashtra, under Krishna I around 756 to 773 CE. The Kailasanatha Temple is a Pallava structural temple built of sandstone blocks by Rajasimha at Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu, in the early 8th century. Kailasa drew on the Pallava model.
What is the Dashavatara cave at Ellora?
The Dashavatara cave, numbered Cave 15 at Ellora, is a two-storey Brahmanical cave begun in the time of the Rashtrakuta king Dantidurga. It shows panels of the ten avatars of Vishnu, along with Shiva themes, and it is among the finest Hindu caves at the site.
PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis
1 The Kailasa Temple at Ellora was built by Krishna I.
A Rashtrakuta king of the 8th century.
2 Kailasa Temple was cut from the bottom upward.
It was carved from the top downward.
3 Ellora was inscribed by UNESCO in 1983.
It was among the first Indian sites.
4 Dantidurga founded the Rashtrakuta dynasty.
He overthrew the Chalukyas of Badami.
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