One of the mysteries of the ancient temple of Kailasa, India that has puzzled researchers for many years is: How the ancients could create such a masterpiece from mountain rocks with only rudimentary tools while people of the 21st century are still difficult to do?
Located in the Ellora cave area, the Kailasa temple in the Maharashtra region of western India has fascinated researchers and tourists for centuries.
Unbelievable Temple
The Kailasa Temple is, to be precise, a giant monolithic megalith that has been trimmed into a temple. It is one of India’s most impressive temples, primarily due to its incredible size, architectural and sculptural level.
Its exact dimensions are 33.2m wide, 50m long, 29.8m high.
The temple is modeled after the mythical Mount Kailash, home of Lord Shiva, one of the most important Hindu deities.
In addition, Kailasa Temple is just one of 34 monasteries and temples in an area that spans only 2 km. The temple has been excavated out of the surrounding rocks, literally.
Controversial chronology
According to M.K. Dhavalikar – famous Indian historian, archaeologist, author of the book “Ellora”, the Kailasa temple was not just “digged out” once, but was the result of a construction process through many stages difference.
(Photo: thewandercollection.wordpress.com)
At a window on a western wall, there are 8th-century Brahmi Sanskrit inscriptions. However, it is incomplete and much of it has been lost to weather erosion. The inscriptions refer to the genealogy of the Rashtrakuta dynasty around the middle of the 8th century (according to the book “Ellora”, p. 7).
Based on this inscription, some scientists believe that the temple was built in the 8th or 9th century.
Mainstream scientists believe that these ancient caves were built somewhere between the 5th and 10th centuries, and only with tools such as hammers, chisels and hoes.
(Photo: o-culturesandtales.blogspot.com)
But this is really hard to believe
For now, archaeologists can confirm that more than 400,000 tons of stone had to be removed during construction, which would have required centuries of manual labor, not a few years. And historians have found no record of such a monumental and enduring work.
Many researchers believe that the Kailasa temple builders used the vertical method of excavation – starting from the top of the rock, and working its way down, slowly forming one of the most interesting ancient temple complexes. best on the planet.
(Photo: gdeichmann.photoshelter.com)
Therefore, some other researchers believe that these works of art are much older. And the ancients must have possessed a higher skill than “hammer, chisel and pickaxe” – similar to how ancient civilizations around the world erected strange works that archaeologists still can’t explain today. carefulness.
Here are some other pictures of Kailasa temple, you can judge for yourself how the ancient people built it:
(Photo: mhallisey.wordpress.com)
