Ellora–Cave 33–Jagannatha Sabha and Cave 34.

Just beside the Indra Sabha is the Jagannatha Sabha. which is the second larges in the Jain group of caves. The court of the cave is much smaller than the Indra Sabha which had contained some sculptures which are DSC04786now completely destroyed. The hall has two heavy square pillars in front and four in the middle area. It carved with Parsvanatha on the left, Gomata on the right with Mahavira in the shrine. Indra occupies the left end of the verandah and Indrani on the right. There are inscriptions on the pillars of this cave, with the old Canarese character and probably dated around 800 A.D.

Right opposite this iDSC04790s a chapel with a pretty large cell inside which is carved with the usual figures. The approach to the upper floor has been very clumsily planned and probably inserted at a later stage of the carving. Upstairs, we find twelve massive pillars supporting the roof, arranged around an oblong central area. There are two more pillars in the front with a low low connecting parapet wall and corresponding pilasters, which form three openings in 38 feet to light the interiors. This arrangement with slight modifications is is followed in most of the Ellora caves render much light compared to other Buddha caveDSC04793s like Ajanta.

Outside the parapet is sculpted with a large elephant head at each end and in front of each pillar, with smaller figures of human beings in the central division and animals in the side division. And over them is a raiDSC04792l of small colonnades and flower-jars, the body of each of the latter being carved with human and other figures. The front of the dip above has been carved with 40 little gana and other sculptures, however much of it is weather-worn now.

Two more pillars on a low partition separate the verandah from the hall, which has two recesses one on the left side containing the standing figure of Parsvanatha and Gomata on the right. In the verandah Indra occupies the left end, and Ambika on the right end. The shrine is entered through an ante chamber with a fine torana over the entrance. It has a cross-legged Mahavira on the throne.

It is still not understood why this cave is called the Jagannatha Sabha, however this name has been spelt over generations.

DSC04801Cave 34, the last of the caves in Ellora, joins close onto the Jagannatha Sabha and has been broken into by the hall on the west side of the court of the latter. The verandah in front has been quite destroyed, except a small fragment on the left end. The back wall of it has two pilasters and is pierced by a door and two windows. The hall has 4 pillars and corresponding pilasters on the wall. All the spaces between the pilasters on the walls are covered with rich sculpture. The colossal figure of Parsvanatha on the other side of the ridge is described, where a translation of the inscription upon it, dated Feb 21st, 1235 will also be found. It records the dedication of this image by one Chakreswara of Vardhanapura.

We conclude the marvelous and wonderful trip to the Ellora. Our next destinations are rarely visited by tourists. We start with the Pitalkhora Caves, one of the earliest Buddhist sites of India dated the same as the Barabar Caves and Naneghat.