Ellora Cave 29 – Dhumar Lena
#IndianRockCutTemples
1. Ellora Cave 29 – Dhumar Lena
#HinduCavesOfEllora
🛕 Among the grandest early Hindu caves at Ellora
💥 Massive scale, dramatic iconography, raw rock energy
🐘 Architectural twin of Elephanta
🎨 Iconographic style and carving techniques match the transitional post-Gupta to early Chalukya aesthetic.
🔨Likely built c. 575–625 CE, under Chalukya or early Kalachuri rule
📍 Stands at least a century before Kailasa Temple
🌊 Ganga graces one side — radiant, adorned in flowing drapery and ornate jewels
🏺More than a river — she embodies divine elegance and cultural memory
🎨 Gupta-era finesse woven into Deccan stone — a glimpse into the era’s aesthetics
🌊 Yamuna mirrors her on the other — equally resplendent, with elegant attire and refined jewelry
🛡️ Andhakasura Vadha – Cave 29, Ellora
⚔️ The demon Andhaka, born of blindness and arrogance, sought to conquer the universe — even daring to abduct Parvati, Shiva’s consort.
🕉️ Enraged, Shiva appears in a fearsome multi-armed form, impaling Andhaka on his trishula (trident) in a moment of divine fury.
🩸 But Andhaka’s spilled blood births more demons — so Shiva’s ganas and yoginis rush to drink every drop before it touches the ground.
💫 Parvati stands nearby — anxious and unsettled — while Shiva calms her with a raised hand, even as the cosmic battle unfolds.
🕉️ Rāvaṇānugraha Mūrti
Ravana, the 10-headed demon king and ardent devotee of Shiva, once attempted to lift Mount Kailasha, Shiva’s abode, to showcase his power.
Enraged, Shiva pressed the mountain down with his toe, trapping Ravana beneath it. Ravana, humbled yet unwavering in his devotion, played the Rudra Veena, using his own veins as strings, and sang hymns to please Shiva.
🌟 The Iconic Moment:
Moved by Ravana’s devotion, Shiva forgives him and grants his blessing — this is the “Anugraha” or boon-granting moment depicted in sculpture.
🕺 Nataraja – Cave 29, Ellora
Shiva dances in cosmic rhythm — 8-armed, dynamic, crowned, with flowing locks.
🔥 Holds damaru, agni, and gestures protection.
🦶 One leg raised in motion, surrounded by celestial watchers.
🎨 Carved boldly into stone, radiating Gupta-Chalukya grace adapted to Deccan form.
🧘 Symbol of creation, destruction, and divine balance — the universe in motion, frozen in stone.
🧘♂️ Lakulisha – Cave 29, Ellora
Seated in padmasana, holding a club (lakuta), flanked by four disciples.
🔱 Yogic form of Shiva and founder of the Pashupata sect.
🕉️ Embodies Shaiva philosophy, anchoring the cave’s mythic energy with meditative stillness.
📜 Reflects 6th–7th c. rise of esoteric Shaivism in Deccan art.
Founder of the Pāśupata Shaiva sect, Lakulisha’s lakuta identifies him as a spiritual teacher, not a warrior or king.
💍 Kalyanasundara Murti – The Divine Wedding
🕉️ Shiva & Parvati in the sacred act of Panigrahanam (hand-holding ritual)
👑 Brahma as priest, officiating the celestial marriage
🌸 Parvati modest, Shiva serene — union of Purusha (spirit) & Prakriti (nature)
👁️ Witnessed by Vishnu, Ganesha, sages, devas
🎨 Icon of love, dharma, and cosmic harmony — often carved in Ellora, Chidambaram, and Pattadakal temples.
🎨 Carved in stone across Ellora and beyond, this moment lives on, the eternal marriage of the divine masculine and feminine.
🎲🐂 Divine Play – Kailasa Temple, Ellora
🕉️ Shiva and Parvati sit in serene intimacy, locked in a game of chausar — a moment of love, strategy, and gentle teasing.
🕺 Around them, shivganas frolic — dancing, tumbling, full of joyous mischief.
🐂 Even Nandi, usually composed, joins in — playful, almost gleeful.
🌸 In the midst of cosmic grandeur, these carvings whisper of laughter, leisure, and divine affection — gods at ease, love in stone.
🚪 Garbhagriha & Dvarapalas – Kailasa, Ellora
🔱 The Garbhagriha, womb of the temple, houses the eternal Shivling — still, silent, boundless.
🌑 A space of darkness and depth — where form dissolves into formlessness.
🛡️ At its threshold stand the Dvarapalas — mighty, poised, and vigilant.
🛡️ Dvārapālas: Towering, muscular guardians flanking the garbhagriha.
– One hand on a mace, the other in abhaya mudra
– Fierce eyes, crowned, coiled with serpents — protectors of the sacred core
👑 Lady Attendants: Graceful, jewelled – symbols of beauty, devotion, and auspiciousness
🌄 Outer View
The exterior is equally stunning, with the cave carved majestically into the cliff.
👁️ From this vantage, you can see Caves 28, 27, and 26 aligned along the rock face.
🪜 Ancient stone stairs once connected them — still visible, though temporarily blocked today.
🪨 A seamless blend of architecture and terrain, inviting exploration across time.
While much of the cave basks in sculpted grandeur, some inner chambers lie in pitch darkness —
🦇 Silent, still, and claimed by bats
Found this inscription in one corner
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decodingmyroots.com – नित्यकर्म सर्वोपरि
Jul 18
Kota Rani: The Last Light of Hindu Kashmir For over four thousand years, Kashmir had been shaped by Hindu dynasties — a legacy of philosophy, art, and resilience. That long civilizational arc reached its final, tragic turn with Kota Rani, the last sovereign of a vanishing order. A queen of unmatched intellect and iron will, her rise and fall marked the closing chapter of Hindu rule in the Valley. Born to Raja Ramchandra, the Commander-in-Chief of Kashmir, Kota Rani was groomed in the intricate workings of power. After the death of Suhadeva, and later Udayanadeva, she ascended to the throne not as a placeholder but as a ruler in her own right — sharp, shrewd, and steadfast. Her early reign was marked by remarkable success. She crushed rebellions, restored order, and held back invading forces. In a world growing increasingly hostile, she became the unyielding shield of her kingdom. But even the wisest can be betrayed from within. Shahmir, once a subordinate under Suhadeva, crept into her court with calculated patience. He flattered, served, and gained Kota Rani’s trust, until he controlled the army, the treasury, and the court itself. With loyalty as his mask, he built a parallel power base, steadily pushing the queen toward political isolation. Then came his boldest move: a proposal of marriage. Kota Rani, ever the protector of her people, eventually consented, hoping to secure peace for her son and the realm. But Shahmir sought no alliance – only dominion. When he demanded to share the throne, Kota Rani refused him with scorn, declaring that a weaver could never sit beside a royal of ancient lineage. Her defiance enraged Shahmir. He laid siege to her fortress at Andarkot. The woman who had safeguarded Kashmir from countless threats now faced betrayal from the man within her own gates. Her end remains cloaked in sorrow – either slain in the final assault or taking her own life in a last act of sovereign dignity. With her death, a flame that had burned for millennia was snuffed out. Hindu rule in Kashmir came to an end. Shahmir crowned himself Sultan Shams-ud-din, founding a new Islamic dynasty and altering Kashmir’s destiny forever. Kota Rani’s story is not just a tale of lost power it is the final sigh of a civilisation, a fierce reminder of courage, sacrifice, and the fragility of kingdoms in the face of calculated ambition.
Who were Suhadeva and Udayanadeva ?? 🟡 Suhadeva – Not born a king. – Likely a powerful noble or Kayastha bureaucrat – May have bought the throne after the political chaos – Ruled Kashmir (c. 1301–1320), then fled during a Turkic invasion 🟡 Udayanadeva – Suhadeva’s brother – Propped up as king by Commander Ramachandra – Real power? His wife, Kota Rani – Reigned till ~1338, then vanished from history Their weak rule paved the way for Shah Mir, who overthrew Kota Rani. 📉 With that, 4,000+ years of Hindu rule in Kashmir ended.
Who was Shah Mir ? He wasn’t born in Kashmir, but he became its first Muslim ruler and ended 4,000+ years of Hindu sovereignty. – Arrived in Kashmir during Suhadeva’s reign (~early 1300s) – Foreign origin: possibly Persian, Turkic, or Afghan – Joined the royal court as a noble/commander – Clever, ambitious, and patient – Eliminated rivals like Bhatta Bhikshana – Gained influence in court – Ultimately forced Kota Rani to marry him – Seized the throne in 1339 CE – Ruled till 1342 – Introduced Islamic governance and Persian culture – Set the stage for Kashmir’s gradual Islamisation He didn’t invade. He waited, plotted, and played politics — until the kingdom handed itself over. – Bhikshana was a pro-Hindu resistance – Shah Mir had him assassinated – Kota Rani had no strong allies left – Shah Mir marched toward the capital. – Kota Rani tried to negotiate – Some say she offered herself in marriage – Others say Shah Mir forced her to marry him – Soon after the marriage, Shah Mir seized full control. – Kota Rani was either imprisoned or committed suicide (sources vary) – In 1339 CE, Shah Mir declared himself Sultan of Kashmir
decodingmyroots.com – नित्यकर्म सर्वोपरि
Jul 16
#IndianRockCutTemples Ellora Cave 10 – Vishvakarma (Carpenter’s Cave) #BuddhistCavesOfEllora Cave 10 is famously called the Vishvakarma Cave – named after the divine architect. Why? Because the rock-cut ceiling mimics wooden rafters so precisely, it looks like a carpenter’s masterpiece. Hence: “Carpenter’s Cave”
Seated Buddha in pralambapāda (legs down), in Dharmachakra mudra – the cosmic teacher. But he’s not alone. He’s flanked by: 🪷 Pushpāṇi – lotus bearer, symbol of compassion & purity ⚡ Vajrapāṇi – vajra wielder, fierce protector of Dharma
🪚 The “wooden” beam ceiling in Ellora Cave 10 isn’t wood — it’s solid stone carved to look like it. Why? ✅ Tribute to earlier timber architecture – Buddhist chaityas once had wooden roofs ✅ Symbol of continuity – Rock-cut temples were a way to “immortalize” fragile wooden shrines ✅ Skeleton-like beams reflect spiritual structure – order, discipline, and the cosmic rhythm of Dharma ✅ Acoustics! The ribbed design enhances sound for chants & prayers
decodingmyroots.com – नित्यकर्म सर्वोपरि
Jul 16
#IndianRockCutTemples 1 Ellora – Cave 12 (Buddhist) #BuddhistCavesOfEllora 📍 Cave 12 – Teen Tal / Teen Taal This is the only 3-storey Buddhist monastery at Ellora. Each level was carved out of a single basalt rock, with pillared halls, monk cells, and sanctums. Not just a cave. This was a vertical university of Dharma.
🧘♂️ Main Deity At the heart: a massive seated Buddha in dhyana mudra (meditation pose). Celestial beings flank him, often interpreted as Avalokiteshvara (the embodiment of compassion) and Tārā (a saviour goddess). It marks the Mahayana and early Vajrayana influence.
🔆 Saptabuddhas – The Seven Buddhas of the Past One of the most iconic features of Cave 12: Sculptures of the seven past Buddhas before Gautama Buddha: → Vipassi → Sikhi → Vessabhu → Kakusandha → Konagamana → Kassapa → Gautama Here you see them in a preaching position.
decodingmyroots.com – नित्यकर्म सर्वोपरि
Jul 11
#Indianrockcuttemples 1. Ellora – Part 6 (Cave 30-34) #JainCavesOfEllora 🔍 Tucked away at the northern edge of Ellora lie its quietest wonders—the Jain Caves (30–34). Carved in the 9th–10th century by the Rashtrakutas, they blend spiritual austerity with jaw-dropping detail. Stillness meets stonework here.
While the caves are mostly Digambara, they include representations of female Jain devotees and hints of Ajivika presence, suggesting a more diverse spiritual landscape. What makes this wall truly fascinating is the depiction of Arikas—female ascetics—right beside the Digambara Tirthankara. Could it reflect Yapaniya’s influence, which allowed women’s liberation?
You’ll spot Mahavira, Parshvanatha (with his serpent hood), Neminatha, and Rishabhanatha (with Jata).
decodingmyroots.com – नित्यकर्म सर्वोपरि
Jun 7
#100templesofindia 65. Temple Ruins of Hampi – Karnataka 🛕 Hazara Rama Temple – The Royal Chronicle in Stone (Hampi) The Hazara Rama Temple is one of the most elegant and historically rich temples in Hampi — once the private temple of the Vijayanagara royals, and a visual epic of the Ramayana etched in stone.
🪨 Ramayana Carvings •The outer walls are a storyboard of the entire Ramayana, from Rama’s birth to his coronation. •Panels show: •Rama lifting Shiva’s bow •Sita’s swayamvara •Vanara army building the bridge •Battle with Ravana •Rama’s return to Ayodhya
🌸 Symbolism •Merges dharma (Rama) with rajadharma (royalty). •King = Rama was a political motif to legitimize divine rule.
decodingmyroots.com – नित्यकर्म सर्वोपरि
Jun 5
#100TemplesOfIndia 13. Brahmeswara Temple – The Flame of Bhubaneswar’s Golden Age 🔱 📍Location & Date Located in Ekamra Kshetra (Old Town Bhubaneswar) Built in 1058 CE during the Somavamsi dynasty, by Queen Kolavati Devi, mother of King Udyotakesari Dedicated to Lord Shiva, as Brahmeswara The temple’s inscription credits a queen for its commissioning — rare for the time.
The temple is built in the Pancha-Ratha Style of Architecture The temple’s structure follows the pancha-ratha (five chariot) style, characterized by five projections on each side of the temple’s base. This design contributes to the temple’s intricate and harmonious appearance.
Earliest Use of Iron Beams ⚒️ Brahmeswara Temple is among the earliest temples in Odisha to incorporate iron beams in its construction, particularly in the Jagamohana (assembly hall). This architectural innovation marked a significant advancement in temple engineering during the 11th century.
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