Cave XVI., so well known as the Kailasa or Rang Mahal is a great monolithic temple, isolated from the surrounding rock and carved both on the outside and inside. The work was commenced by cutting three mighty trenches in the solid rock―two of them at right angles to the front of the rock, and more than 90 yards in length, and the third connecting their inner ends, over 50 yards long and 107 feet deep. A great mass of rock was left in front of the court to represent the gopura of Dravidian temples which is here in two storeys, the lower one with rooms inside, and the exterior adorned with figures of Siva, Vishnu, Ac. The gopura is pierced in the centre, by an entrance passage with rooms on each side; and beyond this is a large sculpture of Lakshmi seated on lotuses with her attendant elephants. The leaves of the lotuses contain some letters and a date, probably of the 15th century; and there have been inscriptions on the bases of the pilasters on each side, with characters of the 8th century. The front portion of the court is a few feet lower than the rest; and two gigantic elephants stand at the north and south ends. Turning to the east, and ascending a few steps, is the great court of the temple 276 feet by 154 feet, with a scarp 107 feet high at the back. A mandapa, 26 feat square and two storeys in height, stands in front of the court. The lower storey is solid, and the upper one is connected with the gopura and with the temple by bridges cut in the rock. Figures of lions and fat dwarfs are placed on the roofs of the gopura, of the Nandi mandapa, and of the great hall itself. They stand about 4 foot high, and are executed in the same bold style as the figures of lions and elephants round the base of the temple. Over the gopura were fat dwarf figures blowing sankhs. On each side of the court stands a square pillar 45 feet high, with the remains of a trisula on top, about 4 feet more. The temple stands a little further back, and is 164 feet by 109 feet, rising to a height of 96 feet to the top of the dome. The basement is solid and very irregular in form, and is adorned, between a bold podium and its cornice, with a frieze of huge elephants, sardulas and other mythological animals, in every possible attitude, feeding, fighting, and tearing each other to pieces, but all executed with considerable spirit and truth, and seeming to support the temple above. The central fane is raised on a solid basement of rock 27 feet high. Under the bridge connecting the temple with the mandapa are two large sculptures,-the one on the west being Siva as Kala Bhairava in a state of frenzied excitement, with flaming eyes, and the Saptamatras at -his feet, and that on the east being Siva again, as Mahayogi or the great ascetic, in the attitude of Buddha with attendant munis and gods. A stair on each side of the bridge leads up to the great hall of the temple. A series of carvings, on the outer wall of the south stair, are descriptive of the story of the Ramayana; while the north side contains some of the episodes from the Mahabharata. The sculptures of the lofty basement of the temple commence from behind these bas-reliefs, and continue in an unbroken line, but not on the south side, which had a bridge, since fallen down, from the balcony of the temple to a cave in the scarp. Beneath this is a fine sculpture of Ravana under Kailasa. The whole of the temple was plastered over and painted, and hence its name Rang Mahal or the painted palace. The painting was renewed again and again, and some bits of old fresco-paintings of two or three successive coatings, still remain on the roof of the porch of the upper temple. The door is guarded by gigantic Saiva dvarapalas, leaning on heavy maces; and the hall, which is 57 feet by 55 feet, has wide central and cross aisles; while four massive square columns in each corner support the roof. The four pillars round the central area are of one pattern, differing only in the details of their sculpture; and the remaining twelve are also of one general type. There are sixteen pilasters, somewhat in the style of the four great central columns; and the door at each end of the cross aisle leads out into a side balcony with two richly carved pillars in front. The massiveness of the sixteen great square pillars gives a solidity and grandeur to the hall, which is unlike anything else in the cave architecture of India. Among the details worth noting are the windows and panels. There are six windows, two in front and two on each side, of which one on the south-east is very much broken. Three of them are arabesques of very rich but entirely different designs, and the other two are a combination of animal and vegetable forms. Among the sculptures are two representations of the destruction of Mahishasura or the buffalo-headed demon, by Chandi or Durga. One representation is on a panel, on the outside of the north wall of the great mandapa to the west of the balcony. The other is in a large sculpture on the side of the porch by which the court is entered; and on its north wall are more accessories. On the right or south side of the entrance into the court is another representation of this scene. The front of the mandapa, to the north of the entrance, has a panel with Siva, four-armed, standing on the back of a kneeling figure, with Parvati by his side. He holds with one of his hands a long lock of hair out of the top of his head-dress; and at the same time apparently supports a Naga-like figure, perhaps Ganga. The widening tail represents the stream in its descent; lower down it reaches an ascetic Jahnu, and again issues from his ear and descends among rocks, and is visited by an elephant and a goat; below are seven half figures; and the ascetic above, standing on one leg, may perhaps be Bhagiratha. The panel on the east side of the south porch has some scene from the Ramayana; and that on the west side has a divinity carrying off a chariot and its rider, while a bird is pecking at him. The five small cells form elegant and appropriate adjuncts to the central shrine. They are types of the cells that existed on the terraces of pyramidal Buddhist viharas; but are too small for human habitations. These diminutive forms are still peculiar to Dravidian architecture. the vestibule of the shrine is at the east end of the hall; and the roof contains Lakshmi or Anna Purna, standing on a lotus, with high jata head-dress. Brahma squats at her right elbow, and perhaps Vishnu is on her left, with gandharvas at the corners of the sculpture. The north wall of the vestibule had Siva and Parvati engaged at chausur; on the south, the same two are on Nandi couchant on a slab supported by four ganas, with a fifth at the end. Siva has a child on his right knee; and behind him are four attendants. the dvarapalas on each side of the shrine door were females, one of whom was on a makara, and the other on a tortoise. The shrine is a plain cell, 15 feet square inside, with a large rosette on the roof. The salunkha is modern, and probably had a linga, although the presence of female dvarapalas would seem to suggest that the shrine may have been devoted to one of the forms of Parvati. [Al Mas'udi (cir A.D. 940) mentioned the caves, probably under the name of Alura. Tradition says that raja 'II of Hichpur cleaned out and painted the Elura caves, and that he was afterwards killed in battle by Saiad Rihman Daula in H. 384 or A.D. 994. This is probably connected with part of a painted inscription still traceable under a relic of Siva and Yama near the north corner of the west face of the great temple, beginning Saka 1884 (A.D. 1463), when Kailasa must have been covered with a fresh coating of plaster, and re-painted. -See Fergusson and Burgess' Cave Temples of India.] A door in each of the back corners of the hall leads to the terrace behind, and a wide path goes round the outside of the shrine, which forms the base of the sikra or spire. The pradakshina for circum-ambulation is provided for by the doors in the east wall leading on to the terrace, on which are also five small shrines. These have little carving on their walls, beyond the dvarapalas at the door; and there are altars in all of them for images, but the shrine on the south side has also a bench round the back and ends. In an advanced recess in the corner of the temple facing the shrine in the north side is an image of Ganapati; and on the facade above is a figure with its face to the wall. The image in the corresponding recess on the south-west of the temple is perhaps Vishnu. The sikra rises to a height of 96 feet from the court below, and the whole of it is elaborately carved. The base is in panels, six on each side and five on the back, containing the various forms of Siva, Durga, and Vishnu, standing on fat dwarfs and accompanied by other attendants. At the upper corners of the panels are conventionalised figures of peacocks with long tails; and a devi seated cross-legged is usually over each panel. The wall above contains flying figures, and over them are the horizontal mouldings of the sikra.

The entrance of the hall is connected by a bridge outside the porch, to a pavilion with four doors and a broken Nandi. Several chambers are to the west, over the entrance porch, from which there is access to the roof of the small chambers that form the screen in front of the court. The screenis covered with mythological sculptures in recessed panels, and is crowned on the outer side by a crenellated parapet. Each crenellation is carved with three balls, and below them is a string of small figures in high relief, on foot, on horseback, in carts, fighting, &c. There are twenty-five large panels; and to the south of the screen is a rock-cut cistern 22 feet by 19. On each side of the entrance to the porch is a sitting figure with one foot up; and on the front of the inner jamb on each side is a female with umbrella and chauri over head, accompanied by a small attendant. Passing through the gopura are other figures. On the outer side of the north wall is the large Mahishasuri already described; and on the return wall of the court are more figures. To the north of this is an unfinished cave in the screen, with four short stout pillars having thick compressed cushion-shaped capitals. Sculptures are again seen on the south side of the entrance and partly on the west wall. Next to this is an unfinished excavation in the south end of the screen, apparently intended for a small open room or shrine. A cave is below, under the scarp on the south side, and measures 37 feet by 15 feet, with two square pillars and pilasters in front. Each pillar has a tall female warder with hair hanging in loose folds towards her left shoulder, and two dwarf attendants; and behind the pillar is a low square pedestal. The mothers of creation are sculptured round the three inner sides of this sacrificial hall. The first on the west end is Waghesvari, four-armed, holding a trisula, and with the tiger under her feet; the second is a somewhat similar figure; the third is Kal, a grinning skeleton, with Kali and another skeleton companion behind,- Kal with a cobra girdle and necklace is seated on two dying men, and a wolf gnaws the leg of one. On the back wall is-1, Ganapati; 2, a female with a child sitting on a wolf; 3, Indrani; 4, Parvati with a bull in front of the seat, and a child destroyed; 5, Vaishnavi and child destroyed, with Garuda below; 6, Kartikeyi, and child crawling on the knee, with a peacock holding a snake as a cognizance; 7, a devi with trisula and a humped bull below; 8, Sarasvati holding a rosary; and 9, another devi with four arms, holding a shallow vessel. On the east wall are three female seated figures, [These are sometimes named Sivakali Bhadrakali, and Mahakali.] each holding a chauri, but without the nimbus and cognizance. They are separated from the others by a fat dwarf who sits with his back to the three. Under the west end of the sacrificial hall is a small low cave, the verandah of which is divided from the inner room by an arch springing from two attached pillars; the inside has an altar for some idol. The rock on the right side of the great temple has been excavated in four storeys, none of them quite finished. The verandah of the second storey is 61 feet by 22 feet, inclusive of the two pillars in front, and leads into a dark hall 55 feet by 34 feet, with four heavy plain pillars. The shrine is scarcely more than begun. A stair at the west end of the verandah leads to a third storey, almost identical in dimensions and arrangements, and with a similar verandah and hall. It is lighted by a door and two windows. The fronts of the second and third storeys are protected by handsome eaves, quadrantal on the outer surface, and the inner sides carved in imitation of ribs, with a bearing rafter running horizontally through them. In the third storey, the four pillars which support the roof are connected by something like arches; and the roof of the area within the pillars is considerably raised by a deep cornice. A square area is left in the centre of the roof, opening into the small room above, and just filling the area between the four pillars in it. The fourth storey has an opening from the outside on the top of the rock where there is some carving on the surface.

A corridor 60 feet long, with five pillars in front of it, is nearly opposite the obelisk on the north side. An ascent of two or three steps at the east end leads to a figure of Sri, with a lotus in each hand and attended by four elephants. The stair to the left ascends to the Lankesvara cave, 123 feet long from the back of the Nandi to the back of the pradakshina, and 60 feet wide. The entrance to the hall is to the left, in front of the Nandi; and a low screen wall connects the west line of pillars. The roof is low, and is supported by twenty-seven massive pillars and corresponding pilasters, most of them richly carved and of varied and appropriate design, but of later date than the central temple. The arrangement of the sixteen pillars in the centre is identical with that of the greater temple, but the central aisle and the central cross aisle are somewhat wider, and the hall, being thus open on the west and south, has a more spacious appearance than the porch of the temple. The floor of the central area is somewhat raised above the surrounding aisles; and the roof is similarly elevated by a double architrave surrounding it. The pillars are about three diameters in height, and this proportion is better suited for rock-cut architecture than any other that has been adopted in India. They have bold capitals and brackets, and the inner side of each of the pillars on the south face is connected by a low screen, which like that at the western entrance is adorned with sculpture,’ The south-west corner contained Mahishasuri; the second pillar Ardhanari; the third Bhairava or Vira Bhadra; the fourth Siva and Parvati; and the fifth Siva with his left foot on a dwarf, and Parvati on his right hand. A figure of Siva is at the end of the aisle dancing the tandava, with a skull withering in his head-dress. The right side of the entrance to the pradakshina has Siva and Parvati, with Ravana below, and a maid running off. The same gods are in the north entrance playing at chausar; a plantain tree is behind them, and the Nandi and gana are below. A female is on each side of the shrine, one standing on a makara, and the other on a tortoise. The salunkha inside the shrine has been destroyed; and the back wall has a grotesque Trimurti, or Brahma, Vishnu, and Siva in very low relief, each four-armed. Brahma has three faces, and the goose as his vahana or vehicle and Sarasvati his consort are by the side of him. The central figure is Siva holding up his trisula, and a snake with Nandi and an attendant are by his side. The third is Vishnu, with the discus and a great club, attended by a male and a female. The back wall of the cave has a series of rather large sculptures:-1, Vishnu is at the east end as Surya, with his two wives, and his two sons the Aswins; he holds two lotuses growing out of his hands, and wears a diadem, necklace, earrings, and girdle; 2, Varaha is on the back wall holding up Prithvi; 3, Parvati, four-armed, performs the tapas between two fires, and holds up a linga in one of the right, and Ganapati in one of the left hands; 4, three figures are in the middle compartment, the centre being Siva, four-armed, with trisula and cobra; Nandi is on his left, and an attendant on his right; to the left is Vishnu, and to the right Brahma; 5, Narasinha is tearing the bowels out of his victim and is supported by Garuda and gana; and 6, a large Ganapati. A four-armed dvarapala with huge clubs, having axe edges protruding from the heads of them, is at the west end of the hall, on either side of the recess for Nandi. To the east of the front balcony is a recess containing the Saptamatra on a small scale, and some remains of grotesque paintings. A shrine 23½ feet long by 9 feet deep and 11 feet high, with two pillars in front, is just behind the northern elephant. The pillars have moulded bases, sixteen-sided shafts, and massive capitals with a double bracket above. The floor is approached by five steps, with an elephant’s head and front feet on each side of them; and the rest of the podium is divided into three panels on each side, containing small sculptures. The ends also had the heads, &c, of elephants; and the facade was terminated by gigantic dvarapalas with several arms and wearing high tiaras. The back wall of this shrine is divided by half pillars into three large panels, with slender colonnettes on each side, carrying maharas and richly carved toranas above, each containing a tall figure of a goddess in almost entire relief. The central goddess stands on a makara, with lotus leaves and flowers behind her, and may be Ganga. The other two lean slightly towards her,-the one on the left standing on a lotus flower, with creeping plants and birds among their leaves; and that to the right on a tortoise (kurma), with creepers and water-plants behind,-the two representing Sarasvati and Yamuna. The frieze of the facade has been divided into seven panels; in the central one are three figures; and in each of the others a male and female are seated together. Over these are some mouldings; and above in front of an unfinished cave, is a low rail carved with water jars, separated by two little colonnettes. At the east end of the unfinished hall, under the bridge that once connected the upper temple with the scarp, is a doorway leading into the corridor which surrounds the back half of the court on the ground floor. This corridor on the south side measures 118 feet in length; and the wall is divided by pilasters into twelve compartments, each containing a large sculpture as follows,-1. Perhaps Anna Purna, four-armed, holding a water pot, rosary, spike or bud, and wearing her hair in the jata style. 2. Siva as Balaji who slew Indrajit, the son of Havana, four-armed, with club, discus or chakra, and conch; has a supplicant and a small female in front of his club. 3. Vishnu as Krishna, four-armed, with the sankha and sword, holding the seven-hooded snake Kaliya by the tail, and planting his foot on its breast. 4. Varaha, four-armed, with the chakra, sankha, and the snake under his foot, raising Prithvi. 5. A four-armed Vishnu on Garuda. 6. Vishnu, six-armed, with a long sword, club, shield, chakra, and sankha, in the Vamana or dwarf incarnation, with his foot uplifted over the head of Bali, holding his pot of jewels. 7. A four-armed Vishnu as Krishna upholding the lintel of a compartment to represent the base of a hill over the flocks of Vraj. 8. Sesha Narayana or Vishnu on the great snake, with Brahma on the lotus springing from his navel, and five fat little figures below. 9. Narasinha, tearing out the entrails of his enemy. 10. A figure with three faces and four arms, trying to pull up the linga. 11. Siva, four-armed, with Nandi. 12. Ardhanari, four-armed, with Nandi. The sculptures from the west end of the twelve corresponding bays on the north side (120 feet in length) are:-1. Siva springing from the linga to protect Markandeya from Yama, the god of death. 2. Siva and two worshippers, one of them a huntsman with a bow. 3. Siva and Parvati playing at chausar ; below are Nandi and eleven gana. 4. Siva and Parvati, with Narada below playing on some wind instrument. 5. Siva, with Pirvati above, her arms twined in Siya’s; Ravana is below, but not complete. 6. Rishi Muchhukunda, with two arms and a bag on his left shoulder. 7. Siva and Parvati seated, facing one another. 8. Siva, four-armed, with snake and rosary, and Nandi on the right. 9. Siva and Parvati seated, and Nandi below. 10. The same pair, with a linga altar between them, and Nandi below. 11. Siva with Parvati on his left knee, and a seated and a standing figure below. 12. A linga with nine heads round it, and a kneeling figure of Havana upholding the vedi, and cutting off his tenth head in devotion to Siva. The nineteen subjects occupying the compartments in the east corridor (189 feet in length) are:-1. Siva as Kala Bhairava, four-armed, with the trisila, and accompanied by Parvati. 2. A god stepping out from lotuses, with a small figure of a goddess holding him by the finger. 3. Siva, four-armed, with the trisula, beside Parvati. 4. Siva, four-armed, with the trisula in one of the left hands, and gandharvas above and other attendants below. 5. Siva with a long-shafted trisula dancing on a dwarf. 6. Chanda or Bhupala Bhairava, with a ribbon over his thighs, a trisula over his left shoulder, a begging bowl in the left hand, and a small drum in the right, with Parvati in front of him. 7. Siva, four-armed, holding a cobra, with Nandi on the right and Parvati on the left. 8. Siva and Nandi. 9. Brahma, three-faced and four-armed, with the ascetic’s water-pot and rosary, and his sacred goose. 10. Siva with a cobra and Nandi. 11. Vishnu, four-armed, with sankh and lotus; also a worshipper with his hands clasped. 12. Siva holding the trisula, with Nandi and a worshipper. 13. Siva, holding a snake, the Ganges flowing from his hair; Parvati is on his left and an elephant on his right; above is Brahma, and overhead a gandharva. 14. Siva in a linga with Brahma and Varaha. 15. Siva with four-arms, damru, club, and bell. 16. Siva and Parvati, with Nandi below. 17. Siva with six arms, going to war against Tripurasura; Brahma, armed with trisula, club, bow, and quiver, drives him in the sun’s chariot, with the four Vedas as horses; Nandi is on the top of the club. 18. Virabhadra, six-armed, with damru, bowl, and trisula, holding up his victim Ratnasura; he is accompanied by Parvati, Kali, a goblin, and a vampire. 19. Siva holding a flower, with Parvati on his left, and Bhringi, his skeleton attendant, waiting below. A door from the north corridor leads into a continuation of it, 57 feet long. This is situated immediately under Lankesvara, and the two front pillars are elegantly ornamented, but there are no sculptures at the back. The Lankesvara and the gallery surrounding the inner side of the court on the ground floor, must have been excavated subsequent to the great temple, by the second or third Govindas (A. D. 765 to 810) or even by Amogha Varsha.

The face of the hill above the scarp in which Kailasa and Sita’s Nani are excavated, contains a large number of small caves, scattered in groups up and down. Some of them have small open courts entered by a door with a Dravidian pediment upon it, and others have Trimurtis on the back walls of the shrines, which contain round salunkhas and lingas. Fragments of painting are still left on the ceilings of two of them.