overview
Ajanta Caves are a group of 30 rock-cut Buddhist cave monuments in Maharashtra, India, located near Aurangabad.
Dating from the 2nd century BCE to about 650 CE, they are renowned for their ancient Indian art, particularly the vibrant murals and frescoes depicting the Jataka tales (the previous lives of Buddha).
The site is a UNESCO World Heritage site and a significant masterpiece of Buddhist religious art.
Location and construction
- The caves are carved into the face of a mountain in a horseshoe-shaped gorge along the Waghora River.
- They were built in two main phases: an earlier phase from the 2nd century BCE to 1st century CE, and a later phase from the 5th to 7th centuries CE.
Art and features
- The caves contain paintings and rock-cut sculptures that are considered among the finest examples of ancient Indian art.
- The paintings use natural pigments and illustrate stories from the Jataka tales, depicting the life of Buddha and his previous births.
- The later caves feature statues of Buddha carved in front of the stupa, indicating a shift in worship from the stupa to the sculpted representation of Buddha.
History
- The caves were abandoned in the 7th century and remained hidden for centuries, lost to dense forests.
- They were rediscovered in 1819 by a British officer named John Smith during a hunting expedition.
- Today, the site is protected by the Archaeological Survey of India