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 The artistic legacy of the primeval times, the Ajanta and Ellora caves lie close to the city of Aurangabad in Maharashtra. Situated at a distance of about 100 km from each other, the Ajanta and Ellora caves are world famous and a favorite tourist destination for all those visiting India. A part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site now, the caves are popular for their carvings and structures that are said to be the beginning of the Classical Indian art. If you also visit this renowned place, then join us on Ajanta and Ellora Tours.
Nestled in the inner folds of Sahyadri Hills in the shape of a gigantic horseshoe, depicting the life story of Buddha from 200 BC to 650 AD, the Ajanta Caves are truly an architectural marvel and an impressive piece of artistry. There are 29 caves in all, 24 monasteries or Viharas and 5 temples or Chaityas. The caves are cut into the sides of a steep river valley in a densely forested region. They were discovered purely by chance in 1819 by an English hunting party out after tigers. Its glory however was somewhat recovered during the 1920's by two Italian art restorers.
Although not too far detached from the Ajanta caves in terms of both space and time, the chaityas and viharas of Ellora are architecturally and sculpturally different. Compared to the Ajanta paintings and sculptures, the Ellora illustrations are more worldly, drawing elements from the Vajrayana school of Buddhism, which was pervaded with primordial ideas of magic and mysticism. So, the dwarapalas that flank each doorway, the colossal Boddhisattavas and their ensembles have a robust coarseness about them. There are 34 caves; 12 Buddhist, 17 Hindu and 5 Jain. The Buddhist caves are smaller and more subdued when compared to Ajanta. The Ellora Caves were all built after the caves at Ajanta between 600 AD and 800 AD during a period of relative Buddhist decline To experience the marvel of the place yourself, join us on Ajanta and Ellora Tours, India.
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