Ajanta Ellora Caves

                                                                          
Aurangabad  (अजिंठा लेणी) 

he Ajanta caves are 108 kms north-east of Aurangabad .The caves are carved in the rock face which is in the face which is in the form of a horse-shoe through which flows the stream Waghora.Situated in this beautiful surroundings are 30 Buddhist caves some unfinished comprising of either viharas (monastic halls) or chaityas(chapels)containing important examples of Buddhist architecture.Despite its age ,most of the frescoes and sculptures are remarkably well preserved .Natural light illuminates the caves at certain times of the daywhich leave you awestruck by the sheer brilliance of its architectural splendour.The Ajanta caves is placed in the World Heritage List of Monuments & a true "Wonder of the World".The Ellora caves are 29 kms Noth-West of Aurangabad.This rock-cut caves were constructed between sixth to the tenth century A.D & are included in the World Heritage.There are about 34 caves-12 Buddhist,17 Hindu,5 of Jain faith. 

A wonderful example of cave temple architecture, the world heritage Ellora caves own elaborate facades and intricately carved interiors. These carved structures on the inner walls of the caves reflect the three faiths of Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism. These exotic caves were carved during 350 AD to 700 AD period. 

The Chalukya - Rashtrakuta rulers (7th - 10th cnetury) were the main patrons of the cave temples of Ellora. Many kings and Merchants donated huge sums of money for the construction of these cave temples. Some religious beliefs and ethical codes forced the rulers to encourage the buliding of these temples. Building of these temples was supposed to give salvation and religious excellance to the kings. 

The enchanting cave shrines of Ellora are an added value to the great Indian Heritage. 

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 rest of the caves are 'Sangharamas' or Viharas (monasteries). The caves 1, 2, 16 and 17 are important from the art point of view. They are great pieces of art compared to the contemporary art world.

These caves have exotic paintings illustrating the life and incarnations of Buddha. The carvings and the paintings of the Ajanta caves tell us about the imagination and creativity of the artist. 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.
The Viharas
The Ajanta caves were divided into several viharas (dwelling halls) and chaitya-grihas (stupa halls), scooped out of the sloping rocks in the fifth century CE. The viharas consisted of a broad verandah. The roof of this verandah was supported by pillars and giving towards the interior on to a hall averaging in size about 35 ft. by 20 ft. Also there are dormitories to the left, right and back , opening on to this hall. The number of dormitories varied according to the size of the hall, and in the larger ones pillars supported the roof on all three sides, forming a sort of religious residence running round the hall.

There is also a shrine of lord Buddha in a niche facing the entrance and sometimes facing the subsidiary shrines to the right or left of the entrance. With the help of carvings, the facades of the viharas were decorated and the paintings adorned the walls and ceilings.