ELLORA, a town of Hindostan, distant about 18 miles from the city of Aurungabad, and six from the fortress of Doulutabad.
The town itself, of no great extent, is situated in a valley, midis chiefly celebrated for its vicinity to works of Hindoo superstition, scattered profusely over the sides of mountains, about a mile to the eastward.
It has not been ascertained to what period these ex traordinary efforts of human labour and zeal may be accurately referred, certainly to a date antecedent to the Mahometan conquests in the Deccan, where the do minion of the Hindoo dynasty of princes was paramount, commanding the wealth, resources, and industry, of that populous region of Asia.
In no quarter of the globe has superstition struck its roots deeper, and taken more complete possession of the human mind, than in Asia ; scaling the loftiest and most inaccessible mountains, to fix its shrines on their summits, consecrating the gloom of caverns, and impressing its symbols on almost every remarkable free and stone.
Though the religion of Brahma rejects proselytism, it is well calculated to flatter the passions of the human heart ; to allure by the magnificence of its temples, its dazzling processions and ceremonies; to seduce by the mysterious sublimity of its doctrines; to excite wonder by its numberless penances and mortifications; and to command the blind submission and admiration of the multitude by the sacred character of its priests.
These effects are now but partially produced, as the streams of wealth which fed the Indian pagodas, have been diverted into other channels, and swallowed up by the rapacity of conquerors. And though their dark idolatry is still respected, yet we do not scruple to af firm, that the bulwarks of that once inaccessible su perstition arc gradually undermining, and the charac ter of the Brahmin himself becoming impaired in the eyes of the Hindoo ; the recondite stores of the San scrit language being unfolded, and the veil of mystery which surrounded his mythology, being removed by Bri tish intelligence and inquiry. Some of the most celebra ted pagodas having fallen under the controul of the East India Company, many of the most sensible Hindoos begin to suspect that they are paying hotitage to the Mammon of the Company, under an incarnation of Vishnu°, or Seva.
The caves of Ellora must at all times have powerfully contributed to uphold the superstition of the Hiudoo, and are not more remarkable for their wonderful con struction, than for the durability of materials which have so long resisted the ravages of time, and the per secuting zeal of the Mahometan. The writer of the present article has surveyed these excavations by torch light, and he can declare that the gigantic forms which frown on the living rock, must inspire amazement in minds not tinctured with superstition. A minute de
scription of them, however, at a remote period of time, from own observation, cannot be attempted. But information on the subject is not defective. Intelligent travellers have attentively examined them, and com municated their remarks to the public.
The reader is referred to the article CIVIL ARCHI TECTURE in this work, for a particular description, and for Figures (Plate CLL.) illustrative of some of the most remarkable excavations, taken from Sir C. W. Matet's account, preserved in the 6th volume of the Asiatic Re searches.
Sir Charles, when on the spot, endeavoured to as certain the date of these works, but without success.
We have two authorities stated by him regarding their antiquity and origin, which we shall quote, more for the amusement than the satisfactory information of our readers.
A Mahometan, named Meer Ala Khan, an inhabi tant of Ahmednugger, mentions that a person of ac knowledged erudition told him, "That the town of El lora was built by Rajah Eel, who also excavated the temples, and being pleased with them, formed the for tress of Deoghur, (Doulutabad), which is a curious com pound of excavation, scarping, and building, by which the mountains were converted into a fort, resembling, as some say, the insulated temple in the area of Indur Suboa. Eel Rajah was contemporary with Shah Momin Arif, who lived 900 years ago." On the other hand, a Brahmin, an inhabitant of Ro za, quotes a book entitled, Sewa Lye Mahar, or the grandeur of the mansion of Sewa, i. e. Mandew, and relates, "That the excavations of Ellora are 7894 years old, formed by Elloo Rajah the son of Pesh punt of- Elichpoor, when 3u00 years of the Dwarpa Youg were unaccomplished, which added to 4894 of the present Kal Yong, makes 7894 Eelloo Rajah's body was afflicted with maggots, and in quest of cure he came to the famous purifying water named Sewa Lye, or, as it is commonly called, Sewalla, that had been curtailed by Vishnu, (at the instigation of Yem durhum, or Jum, the destroying agent,) from sixty bows length (each four cuvits square) to the size of a cow's hoof. In this water Eelloo dipped a eioth, and cleansed with it his face and hands, which cleared him of the maggots. He then built Koond, (or cistern,) and bathing therein, his whole body was purified ; so that looking on the place as holy, he first constructed the temple called Kt ylmas, &c. to the place of Bis kurma." These two authorities are not more remarkable for the coincidence in the alleged projector Rajah Eal, or Eelloo, than for their violent dis-rcpancy of Lima.