Indian Architecture (Buddhist and Hindu Periods) c47.12

c47.12

The most interesting cave of this group is the Visvakarma (X). It is the only *chaitya* hall at Ellora. There is some realistic sculpture of the late Mahayana period in the triforium and in the galleries. The style of the interior decoration of this chapel—particularly that of its facade—is later than and not so satisfying as that of the last Ajanta *chaitya* hall (XXVI) and, on a comparison with work of a similar character at Bhubaneswar, it is difficult to avoid the conclusion that the Visvakarma must have been constructed nearly a hundred years after the completion of the last Ajanta chapel (XXVI).