Ajanta and Ellora - The Destination
The famous caves of Ajanta and Ellora are located near the city of Aurangabad in Maharashtra. Completely
hidden from view, these caves depict the artistry of the 2nd century BC and 8th century BC, when the
then rulers sought to record for posterity sake stories from Indian mythology. The cave shrines of Ajanta-Ellora
have been all cut out of rock and are amongst the most outstanding specimens of Indian architectural
heritage.
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Thronged with tourists at all
times, the rock-cut monuments of Ajanta contain
the models of Buddhist architecture and sculpture,
something that is undoubtedly the most complete
examples of early Buddhist paintings in India.
The rocky temples are situated in a crescent
shaped gorge at the head of which is a waterfall
that feeds the natural pool, the Saptakunda.
You will see monuments dating back to the second
and first centuries BC, Chaitya halls, shrines
and viharas (monasteries). Among the
more remarkable paintings are the Jataka
tales, illustrating varied stories
relating to the previous incarnations
of the
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Buddha
as Bodhisattva, a saintly being who is destined
to become Buddha. The paintings that adorn the
walls and ceilings of the caves depict incidents
from the life of buddha and various Buddhist
divinities.
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The Ellora caves, of which
there are a total of 34, are carved into the
sides of a basaltic hill 30 kilometers from
Aurangabad. Supreme specimens of cave temple
architecture, they show off intricate facades
and house exquisitely adorned interiors. These
structures representing the three faiths of
Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism, were carved
between the 350 AD to 700 AD. The 12 caves towards
the south are Buddhist, the 17 in the center
are dedicated to Hinduism, and the 5 caves to
the north are dedicated to Jainism. The sculptures
in the Buddhist caves aptly
communicate the nobility, grace
and serenity |
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natural in the Buddha.Caves 6 and 10 house images
from the Buddhist and Hindu faith, under the
same roof, the latter dedicated to Vishwakarma,
the patron saint of Indian craftsmen. The Vishwakarma
cave is both a Chaitya and a Vihara, with a
seated Buddha placed in the stupa. Its two -
storied structure sports a colourful pageant
of dwarfs, dancing and making music.
Ajanta has been designated as a World Heritage
Site, to be preserved as an artistic legacy
that will come to inspire and enrich the lives
of generations to come. |
Facts at a Glance
| State
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Maharashtra |
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Temperature : |
22°C
- 40°C (Summers)
14°C - 32°C (Winters) |
| Best
Season : |
October to March |
History of Ajanta and Ellora
The 34 caves at Ellora and the 29 caves at Ajanta
were covered in anonymity for over a hundred years
until it was discovered by chance by John Smith, a
British Army Officer, while he was on a hunting expedition
in 1819. At Ajanta, more than 2,000 years ago artists
literally carved cathedrals and monasteries out of
solid rock. There are sculptures and miraculously
preserved murals that celebrate a 2,000-year-old civilization
by presenting its daily life as well as the epic stories
of its religion. Around the 7th century AD, Ajanta
was abandoned by its creators for some unknown reason,
and they moved to Ellora (30 kilometres from Aurangabad).
At about this time Buddhism was on a decline in India.
The cave temples that were found in the hills of Ellora
over the next six centuries feature Buddhist as well
as Hindu and Jain mythology. All of Ellora's cave-temples
are awesome in size and detail; the most breathtaking
of them is the Kailasa Temple, the world's largest
monolithic structure, sculptured as intricately as
if it were an ivory miniature.
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