Last Updated on: 27th October 2025, 11:02 am
Kailasa Temple is easily among the most stunning Hindu temples in India, and it arguably rivals Angkor Wat for the finest of them all. Like many temples, it features towers, multiple stories, and exquisite carvings. But in this case, the entire thing was carved from a single rock which left absolutely no room for error.
Kailasa Temple is just one of 34 caves you’ll encounter at the Ellora Caves site in the state of Maharashtra. It’s Cave 16 and is located right in the center. While we’ll be covering all of the other caves in a separate guide, Kailasa Temple is undoubtedly the highlight of Ellora and deserves its own special feature.
The Ellora Caves are divided into three main sections: the Buddhist caves, which are the oldest at the site, the Hindu caves, and then the Jain caves. But you’ll immediately approach Kailasa Temple upon entry. This is convenient, as it’s where you’ll want to dedicate most of your time.
It would be wise to arrive as early as possible (think sunrise) to beat the crowds, while it’s also worth a return visit before heading out to see it under different lighting.
For more information on reaching the Ellora Caves, info on ticket prices and opening hours, as well as where to stay in nearby Aurangabad, be sure to check the end of the article.
Exploring Kailasa Temple
Approaching Cave 16 from the Ellora Caves ticket gate, the first architectural feature you’ll encounter is the Gopura, or entrance gate. It’s adorned in carvings of numerous figures, with those on the left related to Shiva, and those on the right related to Vishnu.
It’s also at the gopura that you’ll observe the first evidence of vandalism here. In the 17th century, Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb visited the site and demanded that it be destroyed.
Aurangzeb was an Islamic fundamentalist who demolished numerous temples throughout India, and this magnificent temple happened to be located near the city bearing his name, Aurangabad.
But the basalt stone here was just too hard, and the emperor’s men couldn’t do much damage other than deface some statues. As with the Egyptian pyramids, Kailasa Temple was deemed too difficult to even destroy.
But that begs the question: If Kailasa Temple was too difficult to destroy in the 17th century, how did its original builders manage to create it?
The temple was created in the 8th century AD by the Rashtrakuta Dynasty, likely during the reign of King Krishna I (r. 756–773 AD). But some scholars believe that it was gradually built throughout the reigns of multiple kings.
Not only did the builders have to remove hundreds of thousands of tons of rock, but there was no room for error. As you walk around the temple complex, it’s astounding to consider how everything was meticulously planned and then carved precisely from the top down.
Some alternative researchers have theorized that the temple may be much older than commonly believed, and perhaps even built with some kind of lost technology.
First of all, some of the neighboring Buddhist caves are nearly as large. So local builders had surely developed methods of removing tons of rock by this point.
Furthermore, anyone familiar enough with Indian art and architecture will observe that the style here is indeed typical of the time period, and there’s no reason to believe that it predates the 8th century.
In fact, we can even pinpoint some of Kailasa Temple’s specific influences. Parts of it are reminiscent of Kailasanathar Temple in Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu built by the Pallavas.
Their rivals, the Chalukyas, then used that temple as their inspiration for the Virupaksha Temple at Pattadakal, Karnataka. And when the Rashtrakuta Dynasty defeated the Chalukyas, they would’ve absorbed both Chalukya and Pallava artists into their kingdom.
Accordingly, we can also see evidence of Chalukya and Pallava art styles in some of the carvings.
But of course, unlike those temples mentioned above, Kailasa Temple was carved from the top down. While Maharashtra alone is home to countless religious caves, there’s nothing else quite on this level.
The incredible engineering feat really starts to sink in when you walk up to the temple’s second story. There are even elevated walkways connecting the various structures!
Kailasa Temple is primarily dedicated to Shiva. It’s named after Mount Kailasa, the deity’s mythological abode. But it’s also a real mountain located in Tibet – a mountain that no human has ever scaled.
At typical Shiva temples, you’ll find a statue of Nandi the bull, Shiva’s animal mount, facing the main shrine. Sometimes Nandi might be exposed to the elements, but here he’s housed in his own structure called a mandapa.
After checking out the Nandi Mandapa, be sure to walk along the platforms on either side. These offer some of the very best views of Kailasa Temple.
On either side of the main structure, you’ll observe towering pillars known as Kirti Stambha which commemorate the victories of the Rashtrakuta Dynasty.
You’ll also observe two elephant statues which appear to have absorbed the brunt of Aurangzeb’s vandalism efforts.
Before returning to the ground floor, be sure to walk inside the Sabha Mandapa, a large hall featuring 16 square pillars, each of which is intricately carved in various figures and designs. The details of the dark hall can only be seen by shining a light directly on them.
Beyond this hall is the main shrine. As with many Shiva temples, the shrine houses not an idol, but a linga. Symbolically, lingas represent consciousness ascending upward.
Furthermore, lingas (also called lingams) are often placed in round bases called yonis which symbolize the feminine aspect of nature. As such, the two combined represent the dualistic nature of the universe, which in itself reminds the aspirant of the need to transcend duality to achieve spiritual bliss.
The linga is housed underneath the temple’s main tower, known as a Shikhara, which brings the structure’s height up to 32.6 m.
Walking outside, you can see the Shikhara from up close along with various small mandapas surrounding it.
According to a medieval legend, the local king was once suffering from a terrible disease when his queen prayed to Shiva for help. She promised to build a temple to the deity if her husband was cured, and she also promised to fast until she could see the top of the Shikhara.
The king did indeed recover, and he then had no choice but to construct the temple. But he was worried that his queen might not survive such a long fast, as it could be months before the tower was complete.
The head architect, Kokasa, then decided to speed up the process by building a rock-cut temple from the top down, allowing the queen to break her fast. According to the same medieval legend, the temple was originally known as Manikeshwar.
Interestingly, Kokasa was a popular mythological figure in his own right, and has appeared in legends since as early at the 5th century AD. According to ancient Jain texts, he was even able to create flying cars!
Centuries later, inscriptions throughout India would mention certain sculptors and artisans as being descendants of the legendary Kokasa.
Back on the ground level, notice the arcades surrounding the main structure. At some points they reach as high as three stories, though this section was off-limits at the time of my visit.
The main temple, meanwhile, appears to be held up with the support of countless elephants.
On the other side of the central structure, don’t miss the beautiful sets of carvings depicting scenes from India’s two great epics: the Ramayana and Mahabharata.
For those familiar with the stories, it can be fun to examine the details to see if you can recognize particular scenes.
Over on the southern side of the complex, you can also walk up to a small shrine dedicated to numerous other Hindu deities. And it’s also to the south that you can spot a carving of Ravana shaking Mount Kailasa.
It’s possibly after this carving that the temple got its current moniker.
According to the legend, while Shiva and Parvati were enjoying some privacy at Mount Kailasa, Ravana was passing through the area. But when he was told that he couldn’t proceed, he insulted Shiva and his entire crew.
Ravana was cursed for his disrespect, after which he got so angry that he lifted up the entire mountain, shaking it violently.
Shiva then squashed Ravana by simply putting down his big toe, and Ravana had to sing Shiva’s praises for 1,000 years before he could be released.
'Cave 16A'
If you’ve looked up pictures of Kailasa Temple online, you’ll notice that many of the shots were taken from above. To access this area, you’ll have to walk out of the temple and then proceed toward ‘Cave 16A.’
From the top, you’ll not only be greeted with panoramic views of the whole rock-cut temple complex, but you’ll get to see additional details that are impossible to observe from below. The roof of the Sabha Mandapa is especially impressive.
You’ll also get an excellent view of the Shikhara tower, which in this case is meant to symbolize Mount Kailasa itself.
Many popular images of the temple from above were taken from the opposite side, but there was no way to walk over there during my visit. Presumably, it’s accessed via ‘Cave 16B,’ but the staircase was closed during my trip.
Rather than merely a viewpoint, Cave 16A is indeed home to its own small cave temple. But as we’ll cover in our complete guide to the Ellora Caves, it doesn’t stand out much compared to the dozens of others at the complex.
After your visit to the Ellora Caves, you’ll likely be wondering why it’s the Taj Mahal, and not Kailasa Temple, that most people picture when they think of historical India. While the Taj Mahal is indeed worthy of awe, it was largely inspired by Persian architecture. Kailasa Temple, in contrast, is uniquely Indian.
On the other hand, perhaps it’s a good thing that Kailasa Temple stays under the radar for now. At least at the time of writing, it’s still possible to arrive early enough to beat the crowds (more below).
Additional Info
Tickets to the Ellora Caves cost Rs 600 for foreigners and just Rs 40 for Indians. You can either buy them at the site or in advance online. If you’re planning to arrive right around sunrise, you’ll definitely want to purchase your tickets online.
Note that there’s no need to print out online tickets, but you will want to save the image or file to your phone in advance.
The Ellora Caves are open daily except Tuesdays. (When planning your Aurangabad trip, also keep in mind that the Ajanta Caves are open daily except Mondays.)
While the official hours state 6:00-18:00, I arrived around 6:30 and was still told by the staff to wait another ten minutes or so.
After showing them my online ticket, I was allowed in and I happened to be the first guest there. Shortly before 7:00, the ticket gate still hadn’t opened yet, so the actual hours seem rather fluid.
The Ellora Caves are situated about 30 km northwest of Aurangabad, and there are two ways to reach the site.
One option is to take a bus from Aurangabad’s central bus stand. The first bus is said to depart around 8:30 am, with buses departing every 15-20 minutes or so after that.
But if you want to arrive earlier and beat the crowds, hiring a private driver will be the best option.
In my case, I arranged a tuk tuk driver with my hotel for Rs 1700 roundtrip, including wait time. He came to pick me up at 5:30, and I’d later end up spending six hours exploring the entire site.
Alternatively, you can also take a guided tour. Tours like this one combine both the Ellora and Ajanta Caves over two days. While some people try to squeeze in both cave sites on the same day, I’d highly recommend separating them. Not only are they far apart, but each site takes several hours to appreciate in full.
For those coming from Mumbai, several trains depart per day, with the ride lasting 6-7 hours. There are also several trains per day from Nashik, with the ride lasting 3-4 hours.
You can also get to Aurangabad directly from cities like New Delhi, Agra, Bhopal, Hyderabad and more.
If you’re doing a long trip through India, it’s best to create an account on the official Indian Railways (IRCTC) website. But that’s much easier said than done!
If you’re just doing a shorter trip, it’s best to book train tickets through 12GoAsia. You’ll pay a significantly higher fee, but it’s a much smoother experience.
The above link is an affiliate link, but I did use 12GoAsia a few times before I got my IRCTC account set up, and I had no issues.
Aurangabad also has its own airport, with direct flights from Mumbai and Delhi.
Despite being the base from which to visit the Ellora and Ajanta Caves – arguably India’s most stunning tourist attractions – Aurangabad isn’t nearly as touristy as many Indian cities further north. And there doesn’t seem to be a designated tourist or hotel district.
For those willing to splurge a bit, Gateway Aurangabad is one of the highest-rated hotels in the city. Hotel JP International, meanwhile, seems like a good mid-range (by Indian pricing standards) option.
Being a long-term budget traveler, I stayed at Galaxy Residency which was a bit far from the center, but it was clean and had all the basics for less than Rs 1000 per night.
They will set you up with a driver, which has both its pros and cons. On the one hand, he offered reasonable prices and always showed up on time.
But he was also very persistent, and if he didn’t have any customers on a particular day, he’d just sit outside the hotel waiting for me to see what I had planned! On one of our outings, he also kept encouraging me to buy stuff from his acquaintances which I had to keep refusing.