Ellora Cave 11

Ellora Cave 11 is one of the 12 Buddhist Caves in Ellora. It is right next to Cave 10. Because Ellora Cave 11 has two floors, people originally called it Dho Tal, which means "Two Floors.". Furthermore, in 1876 AD, explorers discovered a lower level, making it a three-story structure. 

After this, the name Do Tal remained in use. Part of this was dug up in 1877 AD, revealing a porch that was 102 feet long and 9 feet wide. It included two cells and a shrine where Buddha sits with Padmapani and Vajrapani by his side.

History and Background of Ellora Cave 11

Builders constructed the Buddhist caves between the years 500 and 700. At first, people thought the Buddhist caves were some of the oldest buildings. Constructors built them between the fifth and eighth centuries. They completed caves 1–5 in the first phase (400–600). They built caves 6–12 in the later phase (mid-7th–mid-8th).

However, modern scholars have discovered that builders constructed some Hindu caves (27–29, 21–28, 19–26, 20, 17–14) before these. The Buddhist caves, one of the places to visit in Ellora Caves, were all constructed between the years 630 and 700.

Distinctive Architectural Features

There is a staircase that leads to a similar verandah on the second floor. It has eight square pillars in front and five doors in the back wall. The first door opens into a small cell. The second path leads to a shrine. Inside, a giant Buddha sits with his left hand on his lap and his right hand on his knee.

A small woman holding a water jar stands in front of the chair while another woman sits on a reclining figure to the right. The other rooms also feature statues of Buddha and his helpers. This site is a must-visit for those exploring Ellora caves tour packages.

Buddhist Influence and Usage

On the north side, there is a set of steps that lead to the top floor. Along with Padmapani and Vajrapani, there is a picture of Buddha in the other two rooms. The fact that the 12 Buddhist caves (1–12), 17 Hindu caves (13–29), and 5 Jain caves (30–34) were all built close to each other shows that there was religious unity in India at this time.  Some of these monastery caves have shrines with images of saints, bodhisattvas, and Gautama Buddha. Artists have tried to make the stone in many of these holes look like wood.