The Ajanta Caves in India are a UNESCO World Heritage Site with 30 caves, including prayer halls and monasteries, adorned with stunning cave paintings depicting Buddhist stories. The caves were dug by hand from the 2nd to 5th century and were abandoned in the 6th century until their discovery by British soldiers in the 19th century. Notable sites include Cave 1 with ornate murals and a large Buddha statue, Cave 2 with an ornate mandala, Cave 9 with beautiful arched windows, and Caves 16, 17, and 26 with intricate carvings and details. Visitors can easily access the caves and half a day is enough to explore them.
Ajanta Caves are a collection of caves adorned with religious art, found in India. They are a UNESCO World Heritage Site and have been since 1983. They are located in Maharashtra, not far from Ajintha village.
There are thirty Ajanta caves in total and each is identified by a number. Five of the caves served as prayer halls, or chitya griha, while the others were monasteries or viharas. The caves were dug by hand into the rock, starting from the 2nd century BC and up to the 5th century. The caves are carved in a horseshoe shape around the Wagura River, with a walkway offering access to all.
Ajanta Caves are best known for their stunning cave paintings, which depict many different stories from the Buddhist tradition. Many of the paintings illustrate Gotama Buddha, while others tell stories of other incarnations of the Buddha, drawn from the Jataka tales. The style of the art is sharply separated from the two eras in which the caves were worked. The earlier style, from the Hinayana period, dates from the 2nd century BC, while the later art is from about the 2nd century AD until the 5th century.
These caves appear to have been abandoned after the 6th century. Then they lay dormant for many centuries, unknown to the world at large. In the early 19th century, a group of British soldiers hunting for tigers spotted a cave entrance and descended to investigate, discovering the Ajanta Caves. The government was notified of their discovery and archaeologists descended on the area. The caves have since been somewhat restored and opened to the public.
There are a number of particularly notable sites within the Ajanta Caves, both from the Theravada period, in which explicit images of the Buddha were left out in favor of symbolic images, and from the Mahayana period, in which Bodhisattvas, Buddhas, Tara and dwarapala are all represented visually.
Cave 1 is the most famous monastery within the Ajanta Caves, with its incredibly ornate murals. The murals depict various Bodhisattvas and scenes from the life of the Buddha. There is also a large Buddha statue in this cave, preaching. Cave 2 is also very popular, with the highest point being an ornate mandala that covers the ceiling and looks almost like a hanging piece of silk.
Cave 9 is one of the chitya grihas, or prayer halls, of the Ajanta Caves. It has beautiful arched windows that let natural light filter through the rock. This cave is sparsely decorated, as it is one of the oldest caves, from the Theravada period. Cave 10, just next door, is another prayer hall, and while not as visually stimulating as Cave 9, this cave has the distinction of being the oldest of the caves.
Caves 16 and 17 are excellent examples of the narrative murals of the Mahayana period. They show various stories of Buddha and Buddhists who came after him. Intricate carvings and details cover every inch of these caves, including the entrances.
Cave 26 is a Mahayana period chitya grihas, with a huge sculpture of the reclining Buddha dying. He is surrounded by mourners and above him are celebrating deities.
The Ajanta Caves are easily accessible and while there is a lot to see, most people find that half a day is more than enough to soak up the general atmosphere of the place. Many visitors find that the best way to visit them is in reverse order, starting with the highest numbered cave and ending with the immense murals of Cave 1.
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