Step into rustic Ajanta - a village that hides in its historic bosom, a set of 30 caves.
Regardless of the fact that the Ajanta Caves were chiseled in the olden days, they still retain their glamour and heritage splendor.
Brimming with stone sculptures and colorful paintings, the caves at Ajanta are splendid. Most of the paintings have retained their luster simply because they've been protected from harsh sunrays.
These caves are constructed within a horseshoe shaped hill on a granite ravine. Cloaked in thick greens for centuries, the Ajanta Caves remained un discovered till a Britisher happened to notice them in the year 1819.
Ajanta Tours and A Unesco World Heritage Site, the Ajanta Caves are categorized as Viharas and Chaityas. Essentially meditation havens for Buddhist monks these caves exude peace.
History
The history of Ajanta can be traced back to c.200 B.C. to 650 A.D.
Explore the Ajanta caves that were carved by Buddhist monks, who retired into these fascinating sanctuaries and gave vent to their creative prowess in the form of sculpted walls, pillars and cave halls. The vibrant paintings that we see etched on the walls of Ajanta caves were painted with colors made of organic and natural substances.
The rock cut caves at Ajanta were carved during two distinct phases in history, the Hinayana Phase and the Mahayana Phase.
Tourist Attractions
See stone sculptures of Lord Buddha in different moods and poses. Walls painted in bright frescoes depict episodes from the Jataka tales. Every cave features a theme and each cave has its own history and legend.
A tour of the Ajanta caves will make you marvel at the architectural and artistic capabilities of that period. The total number of caves including the unfinished ones is 30, out of which Caves No. 9, 10, 19, 26 and 29 are chaitya caves and the rest are viharas or the monasteries. The caves are hewned out of granite cliffs on the inner side of a 20 m long ravine along the Waghora River.
The caves can be divided into two distinct phases with a gap of almost four centuries between them. The caves of the first phase can be dated to around the 2nd century BC. The caves of the second phase belong to the period of the Vakatakas and the Guptas. The caves are noteworthy for their rock-cut architecture as well as fine paintings on the walls of the caves. The themes of the paintings are from the incidents in Buddha's life, and depict Bodhisattvas and episodes from the Jatakas.
You will learn about the tempera technique of painting on the tour of Ajanta Caves since the images are painted on a dry surface. The walls of the rock were coated with a 1 cm thick layer, which consisted of a mixture made of clay, cow dung and rice husks. A final coat of lime was applied to produce the finished surface on which the artist painted. The color was made from natural products. These beautiful paintings have managed to survive till today.
The caves are divided into Hinayana and Mahayana caves. The Chaitya Caves Nos. 9 and 10 and Vihara Caves No. 8, 12, 13 and 15 are Hinyana Caves. The Vihara Caves Nos. 1, 2, 16 and 17 and Chaitya Caves No. 19 and 26 are Mahayana Caves. The Caves influenced by Hinyana Buddhism have paintings in which Buddha is represented by his symbols while the caves influenced by Mahayana Buddhism depict Buddha in his human form. The caves are numbered to their access from the entrance. A modern terraced path connects the caves. In the original construction, each cave was accessed from the riverfront by individual staircases.
End Tours/Pearls services
Contact us for Prior Booking at our 24 Hours desk on the following mobile Nos: +91-99428 99555 , 98424 30308 , 99425 87000 . Email Id : info@indiahotelsandtours.com
