The Rock-cut Temples of India/The Caves of Ellora/Teen Tal—Ellora
TEEN TAL.—ELLORA.
IMMEDIATELY to the north of the Buddhist group just described are three Caves, which are singularly interesting as showing the steps by which a Buddhist Vihara was converted into a Brahmanical Chaori.
The first, called Do Tal, or Dookya Ghur, is a Buddhist Vihara of two stories. Most of its details are so similar to those above described, that it may be assumed to be, without doubt, of the same age. It is strictly Buddhistic in all its details, and shows no more tendency towards Brahmanism than what was pointed out in speaking of the Viswakarma. It apparently was intended to have three stories, but has been left unfinished.
The next, or Teen Tal, as it name indicates, is three stories in height, and very similar to the last in arrangement and detail. Its sculptures, too, are all Buddhist, though deviating so far from the usual simplicity of that style as almost to justify the Brahmans in appropriating them as they have done.
The pillars of the lower storey, shown in the illustration, are of the usual Ellora type; but though bold in outline, are frittered away in detail, as is only too usual at their age.