The Ajanta Caves
These are a set of 29 rock-cut Buddhist cave monuments located near and named after the village Ajinṭhā in Aurangabad district in the state of Maharashtra, India. The caves have been built over a huge time slice of history, starting from about 200 BCE till around 480-650 CE.
Ajanta caves have enjoyed two distinct phases of patronage:
- The early Hinayana Buddhist phase, mostly under the patronage of Satvahana Dynasty
The caves 9,10,12,13 and 15A were excavated during this period and thus form the oldest part of the great complex at Ajanta.
These caves are relatively simple and astylar in their architectural construct, do not penetrate much into the rock surface and were mostly dormitories for Buddhist monks.
The decline of Buddhism in India also witnessed inactivity in Ajanta for almost 3
centuries. The dormancy gave way to a remarkable renaissance from 460 CE onwards.
- The Mahayana Buddhist phase, spearheaded by Vakataka Dynasty (particularly by Emperor Harisena)
Emperor Harisen (Not to be confused with Harisen – the royal poet to the court of Emperor Samudragupta) was a powerful Vakataka king whose short reign (460-477 CE) was characterised not only by military advances and forging of a great empire but also for reviving a strong cultural movement. He was a connoisseur of art and architecture in a multi-religious context.
He personally commissioned the excavation of numerous caves – notably caves 1 and 3. Inspired by his interest, a group of powerful patrons took individual initiatives some of which are as follows:
There is some evidence to prove that cave 2 was patronised by ladies in the court of Harisen, and that it celebrates powerful women.
The largest Vihara, cave 4 was sponsored by Mathuradasa, a rich inaugurator of the revival of the excavations.
Prime Minister Varahadeva of Emperor Harisen donated to build cave 16. It has inscriptions about his short rule.
The local feudalistic lord and king – Upendragupta oversaw the construction and built cave 17-20 and 29 under his patronage. In the mid-460s, all work on in Ajanta broke off in the “Recession” caused by the local king’s fear of an attack by the aggressive neighbouring Asmakas.
On taking over the region, Asmakas donated heavily for making caves 21, 23 and 24. Cave 26 was given by the highly placed monk Buddhabhadra, to honour the minister of Asmaka, with whom he had been “attached in friendship through many successive births”.
Cave 22 was started by Vakatakas but during the period of disruption, the local monks who had nowhere to go lived there and completed these.
The Ellora Caves
Ellora also known as Vērūḷ, Elura or Elapura is an archaeological site with 34 caves, which unlike the Ajanta cave temples, are excavated in the sloping sides of the Charanandri hills and not in a perpendicular cliff. These consist of 12 Buddhist, 17 Hindu and 5 Jain caves, built in close proximity in the time frame starting from the 5th century CE to the 10th century CE during the rule of the Kalachuri, Chalukya and Rashtrakuta dynasties.
- The Buddhist temples
It has been claimed that these were excavated between 350 to 700 CE, during which there was a flourishing of the Buddhist Mahayana sects in the region.
- The Brahmanical Hindu temples
The Kalachuri empire sponsored the early caves in the 6th century.
The Kailasha temple was commissioned and completed between 757-783 CE, when Krishna I (757-773 CE) from the Rashtrakuta dynasty (783-982 CE) ruled the region. This is a classic example of Dravidian architecture.
The Dashavatara (Cave 15) was begun as a Buddhist monastery, but was later completed as a temple with an open court depicting images of the ten forms of Lord Vishnu. An inscription of grant of Dantidurga II (735-756 CE) is found on the back wall of the front mandapa.
A copper plate grant by Karka II (812-813 CE) narrates that a great edifice was built on a hill by Krishnaraja at Elapura (Ellora).
- The Jain Temples
In the final group of five Jain caves that belong to the Digambara sect, the most interesting are the Indra Sabha (assembly hall of Indra, king of the gods) and Jagannath Sabha (assembly hall of the lord of the universe). These caves date back to the ninth and tenth centuries.
The Jagannath Sabha has 3 inscriptions that give the names of monks and donors. On the top of the hill in which the Jain caves are excavated is a statue and temple of Lord Parasnath. This has an 11th-century inscription that gives the name of the donor from Vardhanapura.
The workers in both the cases were usually craftsmen from the local and surrounding regions who were professionals as their families did this work since ages (due to the profession based caste system). There is speculation that many pieces were planned keeping in mind that a few generations would work together to complete the design.
And for all the lovers of alien theories and stories, here is your complimentary gift for reading this answer:
References: The answer is primarily derived from the works of Walter Spink (Harvard Researcher) "Ajanta : History and Development Volume 5, Cave by Cave"
The UNESCO Heritage site of Ajanta caves is located in Aurangabad, Maharashtra. These caves were excavated as a part of the first wave of cave architecture in India. It became an important center for Buddhist religion and art under the enlightened patronage of the Vakataka rulers. However, it is important to note that the excavations of these caves happened in different phases in different time periods beginning in the 2nd Century.
The aerial view of the site looks like a horseshoe. This site was abandoned during the 6th-7th centuries and was rediscovered only during the British period by an Army officer named John Smith (1819).
The Rock-Cut Architecture
The intricate carvings, roofs, pillars, stupas, assembly halls, etc. from the distinct essence of the architecture of Ajanta Caves. There are twenty-nine caves in Ajanta with Chaityas and Viharas as the two dominant types. Chaityas house the stupas and served as the centers for worship while Viharas served as the monastery for study and learning.
Cave nos. 9, 10, 12 and 13 are dated to the early phase. The upper and lower phase caves are 6, 11 and 15. Cave no. 7 is dated to earlier than 5th Century and the remaining caves are later than the fifth century. The artistically carved chaityas are located in cave no.19 and 26. One can find images of Buddha and Bodhisattva here.
Cave no. 26 houses the famous image of the Mahaparinibana of Buddha. The images in Ajanta are known for their grandeur. Varahadeva, Upendragupta, and Mathuradasa are some of the patrons of Ajanta Caves. These caves are basaltic rocks found in the Deccan belt. The similar patterns of rock-cut architecture are also observed in Ellora, Elephanta, Badami and Bagh Caves.
Paintings in Ajanta
Ajanta is a unique cave site as it has paintings surviving dated back to the 1st century BCE. One can observe typological variations in the paintings here. There are lines that are clearly defined and rhythmic. Caves no.9 and 10 have some early phase paintings as well. The second phase of paintings in these caves can be analyzed from the images of the Buddhas. The themes of these paintings include stories from the life of Buddha and the Jatakas.
There are some paintings that occupy full wall of the caves such as Mahajanaka Jataka, Simhala Avadana, and Vidhurpandita Jataka. The Varjrapani (with Thunderbolt) and Padmapani (with Lotus) are renowned paintings located in Cave no.1. A very interesting observation can be made with regards to the variety of skin colors including brown, yellow, yellowish brown which highlight different races that existed within the population.
- Ajanta Travellers Lodge
Near Ajanta Caves,
Maharashtra - 431118 - Ajanta T-Junction - MTDC run hotel
Near Ajanta Caves,
Maharashtra - 431118 - Padmapani Park
Near Ellora Caves,
Maharashtra - 431118
- Hotel Kailas
Ellora Caves, Ellora District, Aurangabad
+91 2437 244446
By Road
Aurangabad is only 100 km from Ajanta and 30 km from Ellora. You can hire a local taxi or travel by the state-run buses to reach the Ajanta Ellora Caves. The highway that connects Aurangabad to Mumbai is also well-connected to various parts of the country such as Delhi, Indore, Bijapur, Udaipur and Jaipur.
By Rail
Aurangabad is well-connected to Mumbai and Pune by rail. The Jalgaon Station is the closest rail head to Ellora. If you disembark at this station, you can opt for local transport to tour the Ajanta and Ellora caves.
In order to make your holiday in Maharashtra a memorable one, you must visit the caves at Ajanta and Ellora at least once! One of the most outstanding specimens of ancient Indian architecture, the Ajanta Ellora caves display the artistry of the yore and still stand magnificently for the whole world to revel in their mythical and magical beauty. Built between the 2nd and 3rd century BC, these caves are some of the only remaining testaments of an obscure, Buddhist India.
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