“Human
hands fashioned a three-storied architecture from solid rock with such
painstaking skill, that even the floors and the ceiling are smooth and
levelled”, The result was Ajanta & Ellora Caves.
Nestled in the crook of the “Charanadari hill in Deccan” near the
city of Aurangabad in Maharashtra,lies the famous Ajanta and Ellora caves,
cut out of rock, by hand, and rank amongst some of the most outstanding
specimens of ancient Indian architectural heritage.
The Ajanta & Ellora Caves lies in Aurangabad in the state of Maharastra
in the western coast of India. Ajanta is 100 kms from Aurangabad and the
Ellora Caves are just 30 Kms from the main city Aurangabad. They were built
between the 2nd century and the 7th Century. The carvings and paintings
represents the Buddhist, Hindu and Jain thoughts and features.
Ajanta Caves
In the year 1819 a group of British army officers in pursuit of a tiger
hunt in the forest of western Deccan discovered a series of carved
caves, each more dramatic than the other. Investigations revealed that a
total of 30 caves that had served as monsoon retreats or varshavasas for
buddhist monks between 200 BCand about 650 AD resides there.
Built as a secluded retreats of the Buddhist monks, to performed rituals in
the Chaityas and Viharas, the place was the center of the Buddhist cultural
movement. Using simple tools like hammer and chisel the monks carved out
impressive figures adorning the walls of these structures. It appears that,
while the rest of the world was in dark ages, the people of this country
were highly evolved in thought, word, and deeds of which later Indian’s
can be proud about.
Ellora Caves
Situated about 30 kms from Aurangabad, lies one of the finest example of
ancient Indian art - the Ellora Caves. These caves carved between 350 AD to
700 AD, reflects the essence of three distinct religion namely Buddhism,
Jainism and Hinduism coexisting harmoniously in a stunning display of
elevated art.
The 34 rock cut caves -12 Buddhist, 17 Hindu and 5 Jain have been declared
a world Heritage site. It is believed that the rock temples were constructed
under the aegis of the Rastrakutan King Krishna I. It took over five
centuries for the Hindu, Buddhist and Jain monks to chisel out these
monasteries, temples, chaples and decorate them with remarkable imagination
running to the North-South and taking the Golden Radiance of the late
afternoon sun. The Vishvakarma cave is both a Chaitya and a Vihara, showing
a Buddha seated in the stupa. Its two - storied structure sports a colourful
pageant of dwarfs, dancing and music making..
Attractions Nearby Ajanta & Ellora
Kailasa Temple - Two great trenches some 90 meters long were dug into the
hillside. They were connected at the deepest point by another trench. The
temple was meant to appear as though rising from a vast courtyard at ground
level. The main shrine and the nandi mandapa are built on a plinth, over 7.8
metres high, with its entire vertical surface carved with mythical animals
and gargoyles, The main mandapa and two giant pillars dhwajasthambas
decorate the cave. Others masterpieces includes the Chota Kailash and the
Indra Sabha cave
