It was only in the 19th century, that the
Ajanta group of caves, lying deep within the Sahyadri hills, cut into the
curved mountain side, above the Waghora river, were discovered. A group of
British officers on a tiger hunt, stumbled on these ancient works of art.
They depict the story of Buddhism, spanning the period from 200 BC to 650
AD.
The 29 caves were built as secluded retreats of the Buddhist
monks, who taught and performed rituals in the Chaityas and Viharas, the
ancient seats of learning, and nerve - centres of the Buddhist cultural
movement. Using simple tools like hammer and chisel, the monks carved out
the impressive figures adorning the walls of these structures. Exquisite
wall - paintings and sculptures speak volumes of the India of yore. Many of
the caves house panels depicting stories from the Jatakas, a rich mine of
tales of the several incarnations of the Buddha. Images of nymphs and
princesses amongst others, are also elaborately portrayed.
Cave 1
houses some of the most well - preserved wall paintings which include two
great Boddhisattvas, Padmapani and Avalokiteshvara. Caves 2 , 16 and 17 also
contain amazing paintings, while Caves 1, 4, 17, 19, 24 and 26 boast of some
of the most divine sculptures. The flying apsara, of Cave 17, and the image
of Buddha preaching in Cave 17, are a couple of unforgettable works of art.
The Ajanta caves and the treasures they house, are a landmark in the overall
development of Buddhism as such.
How To Get There
By air:
Aurangabad, ( 99 km from Ajanta and 30 km from Ellora ), is the ideal base
to visit Ajanta and ellora, is directly linked to Delhi, Udaipur, Jaipur and
Mumbai.
By rail: Aurangabad is directly linked to Mumbai
and Pune. Jalgaon, a railhead on the Central Railways line, is 59 km from
Ajanta.
By road: State buses run from Mumbai, Pune,
Ahmednagar, Jalgaon, Shirdi, Nasik, Dhule, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Indore and
Bijapur to Aurangabad, and from Jalgaon to Ajanta. Maharashtra Tourism
Development Corporation (M T D C) operates conducted tours from Mumbai to
Aurangabad.
Click Here for Ellora
CavesBombay(mumbai)
-|- Aurangabad
-|- Ajanta
-|- Ellora
