With reference to the history of Indian rock-out architecture, consider the following statements: 1. The caves at Badami are the oldest surviving rock-cut caves in India. 2. The Barabar rock-out caves were originally made for Ajivikas by Emperor Chandragupta Maurya. 3. At Ellora, caves were made for different faiths. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Statement 1 is incorrect because the Barabar Hill Caves in Bihar, dating to the 3rd century BCE, are the oldest surviving rock-cut caves in India. The Badami caves were constructed much later, in the 6th century CE, by the Chalukyas. Statement 2 is incorrect because the Barabar caves were commissioned by Emperor Ashoka and his grandson Dasaratha for the Ajivika sect, not by Chandragupta Maurya [2]. Statement 3 is correct as the Ellora cave complex is a multi-faith site containing Buddhist, Hindu, and Jain monuments. Specifically, it features five Jain cave temples and the famous Hindu Kailasanath Temple, alongside Buddhist structures, reflecting the religious diversity of the period between the 6th and 9th centuries CE. Therefore, only statement 3 is accurate.

Sources

1. [2] History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 8: Harsha and Rise of Regional Kingdoms > Architecture > p. 114