Ajanta & Ellora Caves

Ajanta & Ellora Caves
Location: Aurangabad district, Maharashtra
Acclaimed as: World Heritage Site
Highlights: Astonishing carvings, sculptures and relief work
How to Reach: One can easily reach caves by hiring private cabs, taking tourist buses or by boarding trains from Mumbai.


Ajanta & Ellora Caves have the distinction of being counted amongst the World Heritage Sites in India. Located in the Aurangabad district of Maharashtra, these caves are rock-cut cave monuments that represent the Indian rock-cut architecture. Ajanta Caves are about 99 kms, while Ellora caves are sited at a distance of 30 kms from Aurangabad city of India.

Ajanta Caves
In 1819, some British Army officers came across Ajanta Caves when they were on a tiger hunt. Once the monsoon retreats of Buddhist monks, these caves are constructed in an extremely detailed manner. There are thirty caves in total, out of which five are prayer halls (Chaitya) and others are monasteries (Vihara). Here, one can see a distinctive amalgamation of architecture, sculpture and paintings. Built between 2nd and- 4th century, Ajanta Caves depict two phases of architecture, where one is Hinayana phase and the other is Mahayana phase.

Portrayal of Contemporary Society
The interiors of the caves depict the contemporary society of those times. The carvings and the murals represent people, ranging from kings to slaves, women, men and children. These figures are entwined with flowers, plants, fruits, birds and beasts. Figures of 'Yakshas', 'Kinneras' (half human and half bird), 'Gandharvas' (divine musicians) and 'Apsaras' (divine dancers), are showcased here in a picturesque manner.

The Caves - Monasteries & Prayer Halls
Dedicated completely to Buddhism, Ajanta Caves are divided into 'Chaitya Grihas' (prayer halls) and 'Viharas' (monasteries). Out of all the caves, only five are prayer halls (9, 10, 19, 26 and 29) and rest of them are monasteries. From artistic point of view, the Caves worth mentioning are 1, 2, 16 and 17 which truly boast of marvelous pieces of art. These caves are adorned with beautiful paintings depicting the life and incarnations of Buddha.

Wall Paintings
The carvings and the paintings in the caves reveal the creative vision of the artist. The themes of the paintings portray the religious intensity of the sculptors and painters, who depict events from the life of Buddha and the Jataka Tales. In the tempera technique, the paintings are done on a base of mud-plaster. Ajanta caves also throw light on the enlightening history of the times, which includes court scenes, street scenes and cameos of domestic life as well.

Ellora Caves
Built by the Rashtrakuta Dynasty, Ellora Caves present the quintessence of Indian rock-cut architecture. These are 35 cave structures, including Buddhist monasteries, Hindu and Jain Temples, which were excavated out of the Charanandri Hills. Built between the 5th and 10th century, there are twelve Buddhist caves (caves 1-12), seventeen Hindu (caves 13-29) and five Jain caves (caves 30-34) in Ellora. All these caves face the west direction. The exquisite architecture of these caves is worth taking a glimpse.

Cave 1-12
Shaped between the 5th and 7th centuries, these Buddhist caves are essentially monasteries embracing shrines, living quarters, sleeping quarters, kitchens and other rooms. Most of them are engraved so finely that it seems difficult to make out, whether it is stone or wood. Vishwakarma Cave (Cave10), popularly called Carpenter's Cave, is the most famous multi-storey prayer hall that boasts of impressive carvings on ceiling. Unlike the other caves that are intricately carved, the Buddhist Cave 12 has quite a simple edifice and austere pillars. Amazing feature about this three-storey cave is that it is crafted in such a manner that its floors and the ceiling are absolutely smooth.

Caves 13-29
Dating back to the 7th century, Hindu caves depict absolutely different and stunning creative work. Amongst all, Kailasanath Temple (Cave 16) is of paramount importance amidst its striking monolithic sculptures. Not a single edge or corner is left plain, rather festooned with exotic carvings and relief work. Earlier stone bridges used to connect the columned galleries to the central temple, but now have been ravaged by the time. Super achievement of Dravidian art, this temple is estimated to have taken 100 years of construction. Dashavatara Cave (cave 15) is another remarkable cave that represents 10 incarnations of Lord Vishnu, while figurines of river goddesses are depicted in Ramesvara Cave (cave 21). The architectural design of Dhumar Lena (Cave 29) appears similar to that of Elephanta Cave in Mumbai.

Caves 30-34
Represent the definite dimensions of the Jainism philosophy; Jain caves portray simplicity and a sense of asceticism. These caves are not very big, but showcase unusually detailed works of art. Indra Sabha (Cave 32) is a shrine and has superb carvings of the lotus flower on its ceiling. Creative vision seeks no bounds in these caves and artists have given their excellent work. A commanding 'yakshini' seated on her lion under a mango tree, laden with fruits is an excellent example of the creative work. Intricate detailing is the quality of majority of the Jain caves. Here fragments of paintings on the ceilings are still very much visible.