INDIAN ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEYS. 353 



volume. All the important inscriptions found in the caves were 

 translated, and with a general chapter on Palaeography, were added 

 to the same work. 



Volume V. (1883) illustrated, in the same way as its predecessor, 

 the remaining rock temples of "Western India, the principal of 

 which are the well known and magnificent group at Elura, con- 

 sisting of splendid representatives of Buddhist, Brahmanica], 

 and Jaina cave temples, the Brahmanical and Jaina caves 

 at Badami, at Aihole, at Ankai-Tankai, and at Patna, and the 

 Brahmanical caves, chiefly at Jogeswari on Salsette Island, at Ele- 

 phanta, at Lonad, and at Harischandragad. Of the Elura temples, 

 M. Baudrillart observes, " At the sight of these astounding 

 " edifices, the development of the plastic arts and of public 

 " religious luxury among the Hindus receives the most striking 

 " attestation in the magnificence of these temples in the infinite 

 " diversity of their details and the minute variety of the 

 " carvings."* The only other Indian group that can rival it, is that 

 at Ajanta. There, however, the caves all belong to the Buddhist 

 religion, and carry on its history and architecture for nearly 

 ICC'0 years, while those at Elura, commencing when the excavations 

 at Ajanta ceased, acquire additional interest by the introduction of 

 Hindu temples of a novel form, and subsequently by other temples 

 of the Jaina faith, which afford a varied picture of the mythology 

 of India during its period of greatest vigour. The whole group 

 culminates worthily in the Kailasa, the most magnificent rock-cut 

 temple in India. 



The village of Elura is in the Nizam dominions about 13 miles 

 no:'th-west of Aurangabad, and the caves are about half a 

 mile east of the village. Cave X. of the Buddhist group is the 

 great Chaitya rock temple and is conspicuous with a fine facade 

 and large open court in front surrounded by a corridor. Here can 

 be traced an interesting architectural development. First, there was 

 in the earliest caves a great open front covered by an external 

 screen, which screen was originally of wood, as at Bhaja, and then 

 of stone, ornamented in wood, till at last it came to be constructed 

 entirely in stone, the opening shrunk in dimension till the screen 

 in front disappeared altogether, as in this instance, and the 

 characteristic external features became obscured. 



* Histoiie du Luxe Prive et Publique depui.- l'antiquite jusqu' a nos jours, 

 i Y 20321. Z 



