Kailash Temple

“I will continue to fast until I see a new Shiva temple with my own eyes”, said the wife of the famous king Krishnaraja-I to her husband. What does a king supposed to do upon hearing this seemingly impossible demand from his beloved wife? Especially, when the queen’s demand was driven by her love towards the king himself. It was just a few months ago when Krishnaraja had suffered from a serious illness and could not be cured even after trying all possible treatments. His wife, who loved him very much, prayed to the god Ghrishneshwar (Shiva) to cure her husband and she vowed to construct a temple in the name of Lord Shiva if her wish was granted. The word Ghrishneshwar means “god of compassion” and the Ghrishneshwar temple which was nearby was an esteemed temple because it is one of the 12 Jyotirlinga shrines. Queen’s strong belief, prayers and her dedication towards her husband resulted in Krishnaraja getting cured and now she wanted to complete her vow. But constructing a temple takes time and it is not something that can be accomplished in a day, or a week or even a month. With every single day passing, queen was getting weaker and Krishnaraja who equally loved his wife was feeling helpless. When circumstances are exceptionally demanding, human creativity is also at its best. Recognizing that the queen had to see the newly constructed temple very soon, an architect came up with an ambitious but possible plan. He was going to carve a temple from a nearby hill and he was going to start carving from the top. Queen could see the top of the hill from a window in her apartments. Work was started immediately and the top of the temple (known as Shikhar) was carved out in just a few days. From her window, queen could see the finished Shikhar of the temple and she broke her fast to the delight of king Krishnaraja. What followed is a true marvel in the history of mankind. The entire hill was carved out in the form of a temple and the resulting structure is the world famous Kailash temple, sometimes also known as Kailasnath temple. It took several more years to bring this marvelous temple to life. Once built, the temple came to be known as “svayambhu” or “self-created”, because no one would believe that it could be built by humans. Work on the temple continued for several more decades, well beyond the reign of Krishnaraja.

There are several example of rock cut architecture in the world. Abu Simbel in Egypt, Petra in Jordan and Ellora caves in India are some of the most beautiful structures built by carving out rocks. Sometimes the entire facade of a rock is cut or sometimes carving is done in and around a cave. But Kailash temple is the only structure in the world where an entire temple complex is carved out of a single rock. It is also the largest structure in the world cut out of a single piece of rock. By looking at it’s intricate design and sheer size, one can’t stop but marvel at the ingenuity and planning that went into its construction.

A wonderful example of an art created using the ancient rock cutting technique using chisels and hammers, Kailash temple is a creation worth preserving.

If you like this story, please consider supporting us