Location : In the
state of Maharashtra in the western coast of India.
Major Tourist Attractions : Ajanta Cave Temples, Ellora
Cave Temples
Nearby Tourist Destinations : Aurangabad, Mumbai,
Nagpur, Pune.
When to Visit : October to March
About Ajanta Ellora
Nestled in the hills near the city of Aurangabad in Maharashtra are two
magical locations displaying the artistry of the yore, cut out of rock, by
hand, and rank amongst some of the most outstanding specimens of ancient
Indian architectural heritage. These caves are none other than the famous
caves of Ajanta and Ellora. This city is all geared for tourists who flock
in from all over the world to see these exceptional beauty. The brilliance
of their imagery and the fact that they were carved between the 2nd century
BC and the 8th century AD is highly inspiring.
At Ajanta, more than 2,000 years ago artists literally carved monasteries
and temples out of solid rock. There are sculptures and fabulously preserved
frescoes that monumentalize a 2,000-year-old civilisation by displaying its
daily life as well as the epic stories of its religion. Around the 7th
century AD, Ajanta was abandoned by its creators for some unknown reason,
and they moved to Ellora (30 km from Aurangabad). At about this time
Buddhism was fading in India. The cave temples that were found in the hills
of Ellora over the next six centuries exhibits Buddhist as well as Hindu and
Jain mythology.
Major Tourist Attractions in Ajanta Ellora
Ajanta Caves
Lying deep within the Sahyadri hills, cut into the curved mountain side,
above the Waghora river, are the awesome Ajanta group of caves, captivating
tourists from all over. It was only in the 19th century, when a group of
British officers on a tiger hunt discovered this artistry of yore. The caves
at Ajanta depict the story of Buddhism, spanning the period from 200 BC to
650 AD.
The 29 caves were built as secluded retreats of the Buddhist monks, who
taught and performed rituals in the Chaityas and Viharas, the ancient seats
of learning, and nerve - centres of the Buddhist cultural movement. Using
simple tools like hammer and chisel, the monks carved out the impressive
figures adorning the walls of these structures.
Ellora Caves
The Ellora caves, 34 in number, are carved into the sides of a basaltic
hill, 30 kms from Aurangabad. The finest specimens of cave - temple
architecture, they house elaborate facades and exquisitely adorned
interiors. These structures representing the three faiths of Hinduism,
Buddhism and Jainism, were carved during the 350 AD to 700 AD period.
The 12 caves to the south are Buddhist, the 17 in the centre dedicated to
Hinduism, and the 5 caves to the north are Jain. All of Ellora's
cave-temples are awesome in size and detail; the most breathtaking of them
is the Kailasa Temple, the world's largest monolithic structure, sculptured
as intricately as if it were an ivory miniature.
Getting There
Air
: Aurangabad (99 kilometres from Ajanta and 30 km from Ellora) is the
ideal base to visit Ajanta and ellora, is directly linked to Delhi, Udaipur,
Jaipur, and Mumbai.
Rail : Aurangabad is directly linked to Mumbai and Pune. Jalgaon, a
railhead on the Central Railways line, is 59 kilometres from Ajanta.
Road : The excellent road network in Maharashtra links the caves of
Ajanta and Ellora with Mumbai, Pune, Ahmednagar, Jalgaon, Shirdi, Nasik,
Dhule, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Indore, Bijapur, and Aurangabad.
Accommodation
In order to make your travel tour to Ajanta-Ellora memorable you need to
choose the right kind of accommodation for you and your family or friends.
Aurangabad makes for a convenient base for a trip to the caves of
Ajanta-Ellora. The various hotel available in Aurangabad offer you the best
of facilities and services. You may take your pick from a range of luxury
and budget hotels in Aurangabad, besides the star categorised accommodations
around the landmarks of Ajanta-Ellora that offer fabulous views from their
suites.
