Interesting facts and information about the Ajanta Ellora caves

The Ajanta and Ellora Caves

With the Ellora Caves, Ajanta is one of the major tourist attractions of Maharashtra. It is about 6 kilometers (3.7 miles) from Fardapur, 59 kilometers (37 miles) from the city of Jalgaon, Maharashtra, India, 104 kilometers (65 miles) from the city of Aurangabad, and 350 kilometers (220 miles) east-northeast of Mumbai.

Interesting facts and information about the Ajanta Ellora caves

• The Ellora caves are a combination of 34 caves. in which 12 Buddhist caves, 17 Hindu caves, and 5 Jain caves. 
• They are the masterpiece of Buddhist religious art.
• The caves were built in two phases,

1. First starting around the 2nd century BCE
2. second, occurring from 400-650 CE.

• Since 1983, The Ajanta Caves have been a UNESCO world heritage site.
• They are covered by trees in the forest until accidentally discovered by British officer Captain John Smith in 1819.
• The caves are U-shaped.
• Located in Maharastra's Aurangabad region.
• The Kailasa temple is the largest monolithic rock-cut temple in the world.

History

For little archaeologists and explorers, head to the Ajanta Caves in Maharashtra where ancient history comes to life. The spectacular collection of 30 caves rises out of a massive horseshoe-shaped cliff face deep in the forest. The earliest cave excavations date back to the second century B.C. while later excavations were completed, due to royal patronage, as a series of worship halls for traveling monks and priests. Beautifully preserved statues, ornate pillars, Buddha figures, and painstakingly restored Buddhist paintings and murals decorate the caves at this UNESCO World Heritage Site. Wander the soaring caverns with one of the on-site guides, flashlight in hand, and contemplate the effort and time that went into this awesome feat of stonemasonry and artistry that has managed to survive, mostly undisturbed, for so many centuries. The Ellora Caves, also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, lie 62 miles southwest of Ajanta and are an awe-inspiring example of India’s long and unbroken history. Of the nearly 100 caves at the site, 34 are open to the public and feature many Buddhist, Hindu, and Jain monuments. Young archaeologists will enjoy Cave 16, where they can see the world’s largest single monolithic rock excavation, a chariot dedicated to the god Shiva. Fly into Aurangabad or make the stop aboard a luxury train journey from Mumbai.

 

Ajanta Ellora caves paintings

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Pictures Source Wikipedia.

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