The Ajanta Caves are situated 108 kms. north-east of Aurangabad. They are carved in rock in the form of a horse-shoe with stream Waghora flowing th rough it. Thirty Buddhist caves; some unfinished comprising of either viharas(monastic halls) or chaityas(chapels) are situated in its surroundings.

        They potray Buddhist architecture and sculpture in India. The creation of the caves dates back to some period between 200 B.C. and 600 A.D. The caves were accidently discovered in 1819 by a group of British Officers on a hunting expedition. The Ajanta paintings and sculptures illustrate the major events from the life of the Buddha and tales from the 'Jatakas'.

        Desite its age, most sculptures remain well preserved. Natural light illuminates the caves at certain times of the day that leaves one gazing at architectural brilliance. The Ajanta Caves is placed on the World Heritage List of Monuments and is today an important tourist landmark and a true 'Wonder of the World'.

        Jataka tales from the main theme of the paintings in the Ajanta caves. One can also find scenes depicted from contemporary courtly life. These paintings include large individual figures painted with an eye for colour and detail the captivate one's attention. In the Ajanta paintings we see the brilliant union between sacred and secular art. The best paintings are in cave numbers 1,2,16,17 and 19; and the best sculptures are in cave numbers 4,17,19 and 26.

        The shrine has a towering figure of Buddha preaching, flanked by attendants with fly whisks. Although tucked away deep within the folds of the hills, the sanctuaries are illuminated by natural light for some part of the day. Using metal mirrors to reflect sunlight into the inner recesses, monks and artists painted the wonderful frescoes that glow on these walls.

       These were in a fairly good state when the caves were first discovered but have deteriorated over the years with dampness and exposure to ever increasing numbers of tourists every year. Still in caves 1,2,16 and 17 you can see some undamaged portions of frescoes that are vibrant and clear; the fading colours recall how beautiful these caves must have been in centuries gone by.

        The Boddhisatvas figure prominently in the Ajanta paintings. They are celestial beings, often personifications of the virtues of the Buddha, who visit the world of men. In later Buddhist philosophy, the time when these rock shrines were hewn out of the hill side, the Boddhisatvas were beings who had renounced the attainment of nirvana to attend to human needs.

        The Boddhisatva Padmapani (cave 1) is a wonderful portrayal of the tender compassion that infuses his ministry to suffering mankind-gentle eyes, delicate lips about to speak words of consolation and a lotus held in a beautifully drawn hand. In the same cave you see the golden figure of Avalokiteswara with an elaborate crown hung with looped strands fo pearls; pearl necklaces adorn his handsome body and a gold girdle fastens his striped garment.

        Under royal patronage of the ruling dynasties, professional artists helped monks and left a record of contemporary life with palaces and princesses and processions along with tales of piety and faith. One can come across some narrative panels in the caves that illustrate stories from the Jatakas (large collection of tales of the previous births of Buddha and his increasing strength and moral stature through one incarnation after another). These tales are symbolic of the Budhha's long journey through many births and are hence depicted on the cave walls in an artistic manner.

        The nymphs, princesses and attendants of Ajanta are women of exquisite elegance and charm, hair dressed in intricate syles and jewels highlighting slender necks and waists. The flying apsara (cave 17, fifth century) in a fashionable embroidered turban tells you of the splendid jewellery worn by high born women; the pearl tassels of her necklace and turban swing delicately with her aerial movement. Row upon row of Buddha figures 'The thousand Buddhas', intrigue the observer in cave 2.

          Queen Maya's dream of the white elephant, interpreted by royal astrologers to mean the birth of an illustrious son, is a detailed panel in cave 2. Look for the dark princess and the lively panel of a dancing girl and musicians (cave 1). Eloquent and moving is the tall Buddha with a begging bowl asking alms from his wife and son in cave 19. A court scene (cave 1) featuring a bearded man in fur trimmed hat and boots, surrounded by attendants is believed to depict the reception of a Persian embassy at the Chalukya court.

        Before you leave, climb up to the flat top of the hill opposite the caves for a wonderful sweeping view of the horseshoe shaped gorge of Ajanta.

Tips:

• Carry drinking water and snacks although some canteens have been built at the foot of the caves.
• The atmosphere within gets warmer towards afternoon.
• Timings : The caves are open from 6.00 am to 5.30 pm.
• Transport Facilities : ST buses offer an Ellora and Aurangabad city tour daily. Taxis, auto-rickshaws and Tongas(horse-carriages) are means of transport.
• Train : Aurangabad is on the south central railway and is connected to Mumbai by daily trains Devnagri and Tapovan Express.
• Road : Mumbai-Aurangabad, 388 kms. Private and MTDC luxury buses operate daily from Mumbai to Aurangabad.

How to Reach
Ajanta is 99 km from Aurangabad, 487 km from Mumbai (via Jalgaon), 487 km (via Manmad) and 499 km via Pune. While Ellora is about 30 km from Aurangabad.

Air :
Aurangabad is the nearest airport which is 108 km away. Alliance Air (wholly owned subsidiary of Indian Airlines) flights connect Aurangabad with Delhi, Jaipur, Udaipur and Mumbai. Aurangabad's Chikalthana airport is 10 km from the city centre. Jet Airways fly daily to Mumbai from Aurangabad. 

Rail :
Jalgaon, 58 km away, on Central Railway is a convenient railhead.  

Road :
State Transport buses run from Jalgaon to Ajanta.

ELLORA CAVES:
        A visit to Ajanta is incomplete without visiting the nearby caves at Ellora. Starting from the 7th century AD, Ellora carried on the great legacy of Ajanta and was subject to Buddhist and later Hindu and Jain influences. The sculptures at Ellora are massive in form and these rock temples and monasteries were constructed between the fifth and eight centuries A.D.

        There are 12 Buddhist caves in all. The famous rock-cut Hindu temple of Kailasanath is in Ellora. The Kailasa temple, dedicated to Shiva, is the most glorious achievement here. The whole spelndid structure of Kailasa is "an enormous monolithic rock carving in architectural form".

        Massive blocks had to be left intact to fashion the inner sanctuary, the two free standing pillars, the life sized elephant in the courtyard, lesser shrines and cloisters. The main shrine was placed on a high podium which was carved in a continuous frieze of lions and elephants that seem to carry the massive structure effortlessly on their backs as they march in slow procession.

         The deep relief of the Shaivite themes and incidents from the Puranas that so profusely ornament the Kailasa temple make them appear almost like free standing sculptures. The impressive double-storied Visakarma (cave 10) has a trefoil window in the facade of the upper leve, set off by beautifully grouped flying figures. This is both chaitya and vihara with a seated Buddha in the stupa.

        There are dwarfs dancing and playing musical instruments in bands of frieze above the pillars. Next to this is a three storied monastery (cave 11).Exquisitely carved bracket figures of river goddesses adorn the entrance to Ramesvara (cave 21) which has a low parapet wall with a long frieze of elephants. Dumar Lena (cave 29) is dedicated to Shiva and is similar in plan and style to the great cave shrine at Elaphanta.

        The most interesting of the Jain caves is 32 with a beautiful lotus carved on the ceiling of the shrine and a magnificent yakshi seated on her lion under a mango tree laden with fruit. This is a double-storied cave with paintings in a fair state of preservation on the ceilings.