What is a chaitya, in Buddhist rock-cut architecture?

A prayer hall. A chaitya is a prayer hall, built for congregational worship and circumambulation around a stupa at its far end.

Which rock-cut site has India's earliest surviving chaitya hall?

Bhaja. The chaitya at Bhaja, Cave 12, is perhaps the earliest surviving chaitya hall. It was carved in the 2nd century BCE.

Which cave site has the largest rock-cut chaitya hall in India, about 45 metres long?

Karla. Karla's Great Chaitya is the largest rock-cut chaitya in India. It is about 45 metres long and up to 14 metres high.

A vihara, unlike a chaitya, typically consists of what?

A central hall surrounded by small cells. A vihara is a monastery. It has a central hall with small cells cut into the walls for monks.

Which statement about Ellora is correct?

It has Buddhist, Hindu and Jain caves. Ellora has 12 Buddhist caves, 17 Hindu caves and 5 Jain caves. It is not a Buddhist site alone.

Who was shown the entrance to Ajanta's Cave 10 during a tiger hunt in 1819?

Colonel John Smith. A British officer, John Smith of the 28th Cavalry, was hunting tigers in April 1819 when he was shown the entrance to Cave 10.

The Kailasa temple at Ellora is best described as:

A monolithic temple carved from a single rock. Archaeologists believe the Kailasa temple was sculpted from a single rock. It is monolithic, not built up from stone and bricks.

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What is/are common to the two historical places known as Ajanta and Mahabalipuram? 1. Both were built in the same period. 2. Both belong to the same religious denomination. 3. Both have rock-cut monuments.

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What is/are common to the two historical places known as Ajanta and Mahabalipuram? 1. Both were built in the same period. 2. Both belong to the same religious denomination. 3. Both have rock-cut monuments.

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