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| Ajanta Caves |
Located near the city of Aurangabad in Maharashtra, the famous Ajanta and Ellora are cave shrines cut out of rock, by hand, and rank amongst some of the most outstanding specimens of ancient Ajanta CavesIndian architectural heritage. The 34 caves at Ellora and the 30 caves at Ajanta, were remained shrouded in obscurity for over a millennium, till John Smith, a British Army Officer, accidentally stumbled upon them while on a hunting expedition in 1819. 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.
Ajanta Caves
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| Ajanta Caves |
The famous Ajanta caves are situated about 99-kms away from Aurangabad district in the state of Maharashtra. These caves are regarded as a world heritage site and were carved out from the 2nd century BC to 6th century AD. They are placed in a horseshoe shape about 3.5 m away from the village. The river Wagura, a mountain stream flows along the bottom of the ravine. This river falls from a height of 200 ft, thus making a series of waterfalls. The sound of the waterfalls can be heard in the caves also
The intriguing Ajanta Caves are carved out of large rocks and are 30 in number. These caves are dedicated to Lord Buddha. The followers and students of Buddhism resided here to study this religion. They have decorated these caves with the help of their excellent architectural skills and artistic paintings.
The carvings and the paintings in the caves depict the life stories of Lord Buddha. Along with this, several types of human and animal figures are also carved out of the rocks.
The Caves
The incredible caves of Ajanta are dedicated exclusively to Buddhism. There are around 30 caves here and are divided into 'Chaitya-Grihas' (stupa halls) and 'Viharas' (dwelling halls). Around five of these caves (9, 10, 19, 26 and 29) are 'Chaitya-Grihas'. . The Chaityas are large, rectangular chambers separated by rows of pillars. The rest of the caves are 'Sangharamas' or Viharas (monasteries). The caves 1, 2, 16 and 17 are important from the art point of view. The Viharas are rectangular shaped halls. They have series of small cells which are attached on both sides. Opposite to the entrance is an image of Buddha.
The murals on the walls of these caves are still in a good condition, maintaining the freshness of the color and spreading vibrancy in the atmosphere. Visitors will definitely enjoy watching these great historical pieces of art.
Timings
9AM to 5:30PM Tues-Sun (closed on national holidays)
Ellora Caves
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| Ellora Jain Cave |
The Ellora caves, 34 in number, are carved into the sides of a basaltic hill, 30 kms from Aurangabad. The finest specimens of cave - temple architecture, they house elaborate facades and exquisitely adorned interiors. These structures representing the three faiths of Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism, were carved during the 350 AD to 700 AD period. The 12 caves to the south are Buddhist, the 17 in the centre dedicated to Hinduism, and the 5 caves to the north are Jain.
The sculpture in the Buddhist caves accurately convey the nobility, grace and serenity inherent 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 Vishvakarma cave is both a Chaitya and a Vihara, with a seated Buddha placed in the stupa.
The Kailash Temple of the Ellora caves is the most attractive and masterpiece of the creator. The Kailash temple in the Ellora caves is one of the world’s largest and massive sculpture. The shrines are a mix or both Hindu and Jain faiths. Cave number 32 is famous for a glorious Yakshi statue and beautiful ceiling paintings.
Festival
Ellora Festival of Classical Dance and Music in 3rd week of March.
Best time to visit
The season extends all round the year. Although the best season to visit Ajanta and Ellora is from October to March
Accomodation
Hotels are available to suit all budgets at Mumbai, Pune, Aurangabad, Ahmednagar, Dhule, Nasik, Shirdi, etc. The Maharashtra Tourism Corporation Holiday resort near Aurangabad railway station, the Ajanta travellers lodge at the caves and the M.T.D.C. Holiday resort at Fardpur (4 Km from Ajanta) provide clean and comfortable accommodation.
How To Get There
By Air
The nearest airport from Ajanta caves is the Aurangabad domestic airport (99 kms). Aurangabad is directly linked to Delhi, Udaipur, Jaipur, and Mumbai.
By Train
Aurangabad is directly linked to Mumbai and Pune by rail. Jalgaon, a railhead on the Central Railways line, is 59 kilometres from Ajanta. Two trains Tapovan Express and Devgiri Express depart daily from Mumbai to Aurangabad.
By Bus
Ajanta Caves are connected to a network of excellent roadways with Mumbai, Pune, Ahmednagar, Jalgaon, Shirdi, Nasik, Dhule, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Indore, Bijapur, and Aurangabad. One can easily get a bus ply for Ajanta from Aurangabad.
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| Kailash Temple at Ellora Caves |
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| paintings at Ajanta Caves |
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