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Ajanta Caves
Ajanta caves, one of
the jewels of Indian historical places, were discovered by a team
of british officers during British empire in india in late 19th
century. The officers stumbled this classical ancient work of
art when they were on tiger hunt. Cut into the semi-arid hills,
the horseshoe-shaped Ajanta caves are lying deep within the Sahyadri
hills in Maharashtra, above the Waghoor river. The caves survived
hundreds of years to depict the story of Buddhism, spanning the
period of 800 years.
The 29 caves were built to offer seclusion to Buddhist monks
who used to stay in the caves, taught & performed rituals
in the Chityas and Viharas which were the seats of learning and
cultural movement. Inspired by faith and devotion each figure
has been carved by the monks with the help of just hammers and
chisels. The house panels of many of the caves illustrate
the stories from the Jatakas, a rich mine of tales of the several
incarnations of the Buddha. Exquisite wall-paintings, sculptures
and elaborately portrayed images of nymphs and princesses with
many of other characters, speak of places, royalty, culture and
tales of everyday life of ancient India.
Cave 1 has well-preserved wall paintings of great Boddhisattvas,
Padmapani and Avalokiteshvara. In Caves 2, 16 and 17 there are
many amazing paintings. Caves 1, 4, 17, 19, 24 and 26 contains
excellent sculptures. The flying apsara, in Cave 17, and the image
of Buddha preaching in Cave 17, are remarkable works of
art. Such a big and great collection of classical works of art,
which includes wall-paintings, sculptures and images, makes Ajanta
Caves the place that one should visit at least once in lifetime.
ACCOMODATION
Hotels are available at Jalgaon, Bhusawal, Aurangabad
The Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation Holiday Resort
near Aurangabad railway station.
The Ajanta Travelers Lodge at the caves and the Maharashtra Tourism
Development Corporation Holiday Resort at Fardapur (about 1.5
km from Ajanta) are the nearby places to get better accommodation.
How
to access the place.
By
road:
State Transport buses are available from Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur
upto Aurangabad, Jalgaon, Bhusawal.
Close access to Ajanta from Aurangabad, Jalgaon, Bhusawal and
Ahmadnagar by State Transport buses.
By
air:
Aurangabad is the ideal base since it has direct link to Delhi,
Pune, Nagpur and Mumbai
By
rail:
Bhusawal and Jalgaon is directly linked to Delhi, Mumbai, Pune
and Nagpur.
(Ajanta 60 Kms from Bhusawal)
MORE INFORMATION
Aurangabad
- Govt. of India Tourist office, Krishna Vilas, Station Road,
Aurangabad 431 005. Tel :24817
Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation Limited. Holiday Resort,
Station Road, Aurangabad-431 001. Tel :- 23298, 24259, 24713,
Tlx :745-271 MTDC IN Information & Booking Counter - Aurangabad
Airport, Aurangabad. Mumbai Office & Information Center -
Maharashtra Tourism
Development Corporation Ltd.
Express
Towers, 9th Floor, Nariman Point,
Mumbai-400
021. Tel : 202 4482, 2024522 2024584 Tlx ; 11-83980
MTDC IN. Tours
Division & Reservation office
-
Opp.
Lic Bldg, Madame Cama Road, Mumbai-400 020.
Tel
:202 6713, 202 7762, 2027784.
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