In which Ellora cave is 'Mahishasur Mardini Durga' sculpture situated?

Question

Accepted Answer

The correct option is 1:
The iconic and monumental sculpture of 'Mahishasur Mardini Durga' is prominently situated within Cave No. 16, which is universally known as the Kailasa Temple. This magnificent, monolithic rock-cut temple, commissioned by the Rashtrakuta king Krishna I in the mid-eighth century, represents the divine Mount Kailasa, the abode of Shiva. Despite its primary dedication to Shiva, the Kailasa Temple features a comprehensive sculptural program encompassing major Hindu deities. The Mahishasuramardini panel, which depicts the Goddess Durga in her ferocious warrior form slaying the buffalo demon Mahishasura, is considered one of the temple's superb sculptural friezes that narrate tales from Hindu epics and Puranas, embodying the victory of good over evil. The sheer scale and artistic detail of the carving in Cave 16 make this depiction the most celebrated.

The incorrect option is 2:
Cave No. 21, also known as the Rameshwara Cave, is an earlier Hindu excavation at Ellora, dating to the late 6th century C.E., and is primarily dedicated to the worship of Shiva. While the cave complex houses a variety of beautiful Shaiva sculptures, such as the river goddesses Ganga and Yamuna, and the marriage of Shiva and Parvati panel, it is not the location of the most renowned or the specific Mahishasuramardini sculpture referred to as the correct answer. Its architectural and sculptural style belongs to a period preceding the massive scale and distinct artistic climax achieved in the later Kailasa Temple.

The incorrect option is 3:
Cave No. 15, or the Dasavatara Cave, is notable for its different religious focus compared to the highly Shaiva caves like 16 and 21. Although it began as a Buddhist *vihāra* and was later converted into a Hindu temple by the Rashtrakutas, its primary fame rests on the Vaishnava sculptures. The cave is celebrated for its elaborate, two-storeyed hall featuring panels that depict the ten incarnations (*Dasavatara*) of Vishnu. This strong emphasis on the Vaishnava cycle makes it an incorrect choice for the most significant Mahishasuramardini sculpture, which is primarily a Shaiva-Shakti theme, dominating the nearby Cave 16.

The incorrect option is 4:
Cave No. 14, named Ravan ki Khai, is one of the earliest of the Hindu caves at Ellora, dating from the late 6th to early 7th century C.E. It is dedicated to Shiva and features significant Shaiva and Shakti sculptures, including a Mahishasuramardini relief. While this cave does contain an example of the goddess slaying the buffalo demon, the query is generally understood to point toward the most famous and artistically grand example. The most iconic and historically significant depiction of this theme at Ellora is housed in the world-renowned monolithic structure, the Kailasa Temple, which is Cave No. 16.