Cut into a horseshoe -shaped hillside , silent but for birdsong and the rippling Waghora River below, Ajanta is a hidden sanctuary. The rock cut caves of Ajanta are located about 104 km from Aurangabad. Belonging to the period of 2nd century BC to 6 th century AD, the caves of Ajanta are of Buddhist heritage as the religion of Buddhism prevailed during that time. But as Buddhism retreated in the 5th century, the caves were disused and laid buried under the debris in the jungle clad slopes till 1819, when a British cavalry officer, John Smith rediscovered them.

Ajanta And Its World.....................

The beautiful world of Ajanta is no less than a dream. The 30 monastic caves and prayer halls are intricately built and catapults our eyes with their glow and charm. The caves, some of them unfinished, are of two basic designs called 'Chaitya grihas' and 'Viharas'. Five of the caves (9,10, 26,29) are Chaityas (Buddhist cathedrals) while the other 25 are Viharas (monasteries). Chaitya grihas were basically halls of worship. Among them, the earlier group belong to the Hinayana sect (2nd century B.C) and the latter group, to the Mahayana sect (A.D. 450 to 650). The natural gallery of the caves houses India's most sophisticated ancient paintings. Most of the paintings are of Gupta and post -Gupta style inspired by the jatakas: the miracle at Sravasti, Maya's dream of a white elephant, the Dying Princess, the Buddha returning home.

Cave To cave
Cave 1. - This is one of the finest monasteries at Ajanta and holds some of the best preserved paintings. Graciously posed Bodhisattvas with elaborate headdresses flank the antechamber doorway. On its either side are two of the best-known murals Bodhisattva Padmapani and Bodhisattva Vajrapani holding a thunderbolt (right) accompanied by attendants, divine musicians and flying figures.

The left wall of the antechamber depicts the assault and temptation by Mara, the god of passion, and on the right wall is the dark princess being offered lotuses by a lady. Cave 1. showcases inspired stonework. The Buddha in cave 1 has three distinct expressions depending on the light.

Cave 2. - This cave is remarkable for the painted ceiling with large medallions, delicate bands of lotus flowers, scroll work and abstract geometric patterns. There are a number of murals narrating the birth of Buddha.

Cave 4. - Supported by 28 pillars, cave 4. is the largest monastery at Ajanta. It has a central doorway embellished with guardians, flying figures, maidens clutching trees and also images of the Buddha and Ganas, or dwarfs, with garlands. Six gigantic standing figures of the Buddha are carved in the walls of the antechamber. It was started on a grand scale but couldn't be completed.

Cave 6. - This only two storey vihara at Ajanta has a seated Buddha image with his feet squat on the base with an intricately carved door to the shrine. Its also not complete.

Cave 7. - This cave contains only two porticoes and has no halls. The central shrine houses the usual arrangement of Buddha and Bodhisattvas.

Cave 9. - Rectangular in plan, with a monolithic hemispherical Stupa in the centre. Traces of wall-paintings can be seen above which are figures of the Buddha in various poses.

Cave 10.- This is the earliest cave excavated at Ajanta. The paintings, though largely obliterated, reveal a royal personage accompanied by soldiers, musicians and dancers, worshipping the Bodhi Tree and the Stupa. Also of interest are the Jataka tales on the right wall.

Cave 11. - The verandah and the roof are painted with birds, flowers and animals. The hall here is supported by heavy pillars and a stone bench. There are five cells and a shrine of a seated Buddha. The important fact about this Buddha is that, it is attached to a stupa. This indicates a compromise between stupa worship and image worship and shows the transition from the earlier Hinayana to the later Mahayana Buddhist phase of worship.

Cave 12 and 13.- are small viharas belonging to the earlier phase at Ajanta. Their facades have completely collapsed, exposing their interior square cells with rock-cut beds. The doorways in cave 12 have arched motifs connected by friezes of railing motifs.

Cave 14.- was planned on a grand scale, but was never finished and can be missed along with cave 15 which is a long hall with a Buddha carved out of the rock.

Cave 16.- is one of the largest and later monasteries at Ajanta. It houses some of the finest paintings. The combined media of painting and sculpture adorn the dark interiors. There is a fine view of the river from here. The 'Teaching Buddha' is seated on a lion throne teaching the eight fold path. The most interesting feature of cave 16 is the painting of 'The dying princess', representing Sundari, the wife of Buddha's half brother, Nanda, who left her to become a monk.


Cave 17. - This cave is the pride owner of the finest and the largest number of murals at Ajanta. Images of beautiful women flying over the roof, princess surrounded by the attendants and applying make up are examples of great painting.

Cave 19. - It is the finest chaitya hall in Ajanta with elaborate sculptures. One can relish lovely view of the river from this cave, which is believed to be the original entrance to the Ajanta complex.

Cave 20. - The animals, fish-tailed figures, and lotuses are all reminders that this ceiling, like the others at the site, depicts a lotus-lake. An antechamber protrudes into the hall. The verandah columns and brackets are delicately carved.

Cave 24, 25. - Incomplete

Cave 26. - It has a reclining Parinirvana Buddha. The cave paintings are fragile.

Year Of Kudos

Ajanta was designated as a World Heritage Site in the year 1983, to be preserved as an artistic legacy that will continue to inspire and enrich the lives of generations to come. People throng here in bulk to listen to the passionate saga that oozes from the rocks.

Piquant Disclosures

• Flash photography is strictly forbidden in this caves.
• The fort was the scene of one of history's greatest follies, when Mohammd Bin Tughlak, the eccentric Sultan of Delhi, decided to shift his capital to there in the 14th century.
• The caves are kept under maintenance and chemical treatment is applied on the rocks for longer life.
• Dinnaga, the celebrated Buddhist philosopher and controversialist, author of well known books on logic, resided here.
• Artist Robert Gill spent 27 years faithfully copying the paintings, but in 1886 his entire collection went up in smoke when London's Crystal Palace was burnt to the ground

Ajanta Caves In 2006

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