The Mystery of the Ellora Caves

Hello traveller! Welcome to the ancient Ellora caves in the southern state of Maharashtra in India. These are one of the largest rock-cut monastery-temple cave complexes in the world, featuring monuments and artworks from Hindu, Buddist and Jain religions dating from 600-1000 CE period. You travel into the caves on a mission to find the lost treasure which is rumoured to have thousands of priceless historical artifacts. But the Ellora caves are a maze of over a 100 caves. Are you ready to take on the challenge? <style> img { max-width: 70%; max-height: 70%; </style> <img src=https://www.steppestravel.com/app/uploads/2018/12/kailas-temple-ellora-caves-complex-maharashtra-1920x1080.jpg> </div> [[Go deeper into the caves....]] [[Exit]]

As you move through the caves seeing various carvings and sculptors, you suddenly hear a loud noise and turn to see the passage behind you close as there is a sudden downfall of rocks. <style> img { max-width: 100%; max-height: 100%; </style> <img src=https://i.pinimg.com/564x/d0/b5/c8/d0b5c8b430a1f9a30d8c7265c7b6e80c.jpg> </div> You see that going back is not an option so you continue to move forward deeper into the maze of caves to find another way out and the treasure. Suddenly, you see a door which has the message //“To go further, you need to give the correct answer or else…. What is the next number? 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, __”// [[21]] [[18]] [[20]]

Better luck next time! Hope to see you again!

//Correct Answer! The door opens allowing you to go further!!// You walk in and see a giant 15-foot statue of Buddha seated in a preaching pose. The hall has a giant vaulted roof in which ribs (known as triforium) have been carved in the rock imitating to be wood. You realise you are in the Carpenter’s Cave or Vishvakarma Cave. <style> img { max-width: 40%; max-height: 40%; </style> <img src=https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/04/Ellora_cave10_002.jpg> </div> You take in the sheer size and magnificence of the cave and walk through it. Reaching the other side, you encounter another door. This door has a similar message but with a different puzzle. It reads //“To go further, you need to give the correct answer or else…. Which of the following diagrams indicates the best relation between Treasure Hunters, Males and Historians?”// <style> img { max-width: 40%; max-height: 40%; </style> <img src=https://playquiz2win.com/images/venn-diagrams/venn-diagram1.png> </div> [[Option A]] [[Option B]] [[Option C]] [[Option D]]

[[Try again]] [[Exit]]

//Correct Answer! The door opens allowing you to go further!// You walk in and see a natural waterfall inside the cave. The waterfall is visible from a rock carved balcony to the south and falling over the Hindu god Shiva’s brow. You also notice that this is an earlier construction than the previous cave with carvings that are larger than life size. <style> img { max-width: 100%; max-height: 100%; </style> <img src=https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/84/Ellora_caves%2C_view_from_Cave_29_%28Hindu%29.jpg/800px-Ellora_caves%2C_view_from_Cave_29_%28Hindu%29.jpg> </div> As you walk to the balcony to examine the waterfall closer, you see that another door is revealed with yet another puzzle. It reads //“To go further, you need to give the correct answer or else…. I have cities but no houses, forests but no trees, rivers but without water. What am I?”// (input-box:2bind $ans2,"=XX=",1,"") [[Submit]]

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[[Go deeper into the caves....]]

(if:$ans2 is "map" or "Map" or "MAP" or "a map" or "A Map" or "A MAP" or "A map")[//Correct answer! A piece of paper now appears in your hand but the door is still closed!// You open the paper to examine what it is, hoping that it's a treasure map or a map to get out of the maze. But alas, you see another puzzle. It seems to be some kind of test. This one says, //“If you want the answers you look for, you have to answer this question first… You are on a treasure hunt. Your map tells you to walk 5 metres North and then 3 metres West. If you wanted to reach there directly, how many metres in which direction would you go?”// [[5 Metres North-West]] [[5 Metres North]] [[4 Metres North-West]] [[4 Metres West]] ] (else:)[ [[Try again]] [[Exit]] ]

[[Try again]] [[Exit]]

//Correct Answer! The door finally opens and you also see that the piece of paper is a map now!// You walk through the door and find yourself in a two-storey cave with a monolithic shrine in its court. It is a Jain cave with sculptures of the Jain Yaksas (spirits). The four sculptures – Rshibha, Neminatha, Parsvanatha and Mahavira - are aligned to the cardinal directions. <style> img { max-width: 100%; max-height: 100%; </style> <img src=https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f3/Inner_sanctum_with_Mahavira_statue%2C_Ellora_Cave_32.jpg/1024px-Inner_sanctum_with_Mahavira_statue%2C_Ellora_Cave_32.jpg > </div> You read the map and it tells you to go 4 metres North-west. You walk 4 metres from the sculptures in the correct direction and reach a wall. Upon examining the wall, you see a loose rock in the wall. You pull on the wall and suddenly parts of the wall shift to display the message, //“Well done traveller! If you can solve this final puzzle, the treasure will be yours! All you need to do, is decipher this - W U H D V X U H”// (input-box:2bind $ans4,"=XX=",1) [[Submit ]]

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(if:$ans4 is "TREASURE" or "treasure" or "T R E A S U R E" or "t r e a s u r e" or "Treasure")[//You have done it!// The door opens and you walk through to find the rumoured treasure. As you walk through the giant cave you find it filled with thousands of priceless historical artifacts including long-lost paintings, sculptures, loot of precious metals containing the most stunning jewellery you’ve ever laid your eyes on. <style> img { max-width: 100%; max-height: 100%; </style> <img src=https://i.pinimg.com/564x/c4/91/73/c49173ff46ecdfb1940e1752dd3b187f.jpg > </div> You see faint light in the distance that looks like sunlight! You walk towards it and find that you’ve discovered an exit from the maze! //Well done! You found both the treasure and the exit!// [[Leave the maze and tell the world about your great discovery!]]] (else:)[ [[Try again]] [[Exit]] ]

''THE END''

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