Unfolding a Mandala: The Buddhist Cave Temples at Ellora

Publisher: Sri Satguru Publications
Author: Geri H. Malandra
Language: English
Edition: 1997
ISBN: 9788170305170
Pages: 368 (Black & White Figures: 341, Map: 1)
Cover: Hardcover
Dimensions: 7.4 inches x 24.5 cm

About the Book

Ellora stands as a monumental testament to the rich and diverse religious architecture of India. Carved into the basaltic hills northwest of Aurangabad, the site is home to thirty-four rock-cut temples, each an iconic representation of the religious and artistic evolution spanning across Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism. Within the Buddhist caves, twelve temples reveal an intricate relationship between religious iconography and architecture, focusing specifically on the development of the Buddhist mandala.

The book delves into the historical, artistic, and doctrinal significance of Ellora's Buddhist caves, exploring the mandalas carved in the temples and the insights they provide into early tantric Buddhist art. These caves, excavated between the seventh and eighth centuries, preserve a visual record of tantric Buddhist art’s evolution—from the relatively simple designs seen in Cave 6 to the complex, awe-inspiring sculptures in Cave 12.

What makes these caves unique is the preservation of iconographic details in a rock-cut environment, offering an unmatched opportunity to study images in their original, unaltered context. As the book elaborates, Ellora’s sculptures contain many new or unique images that were groundbreaking for the seventh and eighth centuries. The study presents the evolution of the mandala, its ritualistic function, and its transformation within the cave temples—offering a comprehensive analysis of the symbolism, iconography, and spiritual practices of the time.

Malandra's approach is rooted in art historical methods, carefully exploring the relationship between the objects and the written texts, a challenge in the absence of direct textual sources that explicitly decode the iconography. This book offers crucial insights into the Buddhist iconographic landscape of the period and positions Ellora as a pivotal site in the broader context of early medieval Buddhist art and tantric rituals.

The author’s meticulous analysis of Ellora's twelve Buddhist caves underscores their importance not only as a sacred space but as a record of the dynamic and expansive nature of tantric Buddhism across India and beyond, influencing later Buddhist practices across Asia.

Back of the Book
Ellora is one of India's grandest cave temple sites, and this book places its Buddhist caves within the broader context of Buddhist art and iconography. Ellora's twelve Buddhist cave temples preserve a century-long sequence of architectural and iconographical development, showcasing the evolution of Buddhist mandalas and their role in devotional practices. The book is an essential contribution to the understanding of Buddhist art in the Deccan region during the seventh and eighth centuries.