For those that don't know ..
The Ellora group of caves date from about the 6th to the 11th century ce, and are carved from the solid basalt of the hills. The rock was slowly chipped away, then rock remaining in place was carved by artisans into rooms, pillars, friezes, statues etc. This was then covered by a plaster and painted. In a few areas the plaster and paint remains.
The caves include Buddhist, Jain, and Hindu imagery, depending upon the years they were made.
Hot day and only saw a few of the caves...but all so interesting both in terms of history and craftsmanship.
The rhesus monkey population has really grown in this area as food is available in trash piles.
The other day as we were entering the front door of the Hanifl Center a large male rhesus came flying out. He had come in the front door, gone downstairs to the dining room, opened the refrigerator, taken out a bowl of jam. He was heading outside when he was startled by entering humans, so dropped the bowl.
This was a more relaxed day. We packed and reorganized our stuff for the next leg of this trip, then walked to Kulri Bazaar to pick up the glasses that SF had ordered. We stopped for lunch at a new place called the Urban Turban. Good food and funky decor.
In the late afternoon the group got a tour of houses of worship in Landaur bazaar. .a Sikh Gurdwara, a Mosque, and a Jain temple. . All very interesting as I'd never been inside these before.
Then to another grand dinner at a hotel near Picture Palace. .goid thing we have been walking so much!
Today the hiking group heads by car into the mountains, and most of the rest of us fly to Aurungabad for more exploring.
