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Caves in Aurangabad
Ajanta Ellora
Caves In Aurangabad
The ancient
Ajanta Ellora caves in Aurangabad , carved out of solid rocks by human hands, are situated in Maharashtra. The 34 caves at Ellora and 29 at Ajanta are an
architectural masterpiece which depict ancient India's rich cultural heritage.
The caves could have remained hidden from the world as they did for thousands of
years, but thanks to a British Army Officer, John Smith who discovered them
accidentally in 1819 while on a hunting expedition in the
area.
Ajanta Caves
The Ajanta Caves which depict the
history of Buddhism between 200 BC to 650 AD have been designated as a World
Heritage Site. The caves were mainly built as a worshipping and residing place
for the Buddhist monks. The beautifully carved sculptures and paintings on the
walls of these structures depict Buddha's life and also his lives in the
previous births as detailed in the allegorical Jataka tales. Other images such
as court scenes, street scenes, animals and birds have also been ornately
done.
Five of the caves are chaityas or prayer halls and the rest are
viharas or monasteries. The caves which are not numbered chronologically but in
terms of access present the thoughts of two different schools of Buddhist
followers, the Hinayana who depicted Buddha in the form of symbols like the
stupa, a set of footprints or a throne and the Mahayana sect which gave Buddha a
human form. In ancient times, each cave was accessed from the riverfront by
individual staircases whereas now a terraced path has been built for
tourists.
Ellora Caves
The Ellora caves, one of the finest
specimens of ancient Indian culture, are carved out of a basaltic hill, 30 km
from Aurangabad. Unlike the Ajanta caves, the Ellora caves remained a main
attraction for people over centuries, largely because they lay on a more
frequented route. Out of the 34 caves, 12 are Buddhist lying on the far right,
17 are Hindu in the centre and 5 on the left are Jain caves. Not too far away in
terms of distance from Ajanta, the Ellora caves are known more for their
architecture rather than sculptural aesthetics, as in the case of the Ajanta
caves.
The Buddhist Cave 12 or the Tin Tala is a three storeyed structure
which is very simple looking with unadorned pillars and the sculptured panels
only on the inside walls, but its value lies in the fact that it was carved out
of solid rock completely by human hands using simple stone tools. Another major
attraction of the Ellora caves is the Kailasa temple or cave 16 which is the
largest monolithic structure in the world, believed to have been started by the
Rashtrakuta king Krishna I.
Tourst Attractions in Ajanta Ellora Caves
» Grishneshwar : Though there are lots of tourist attractions in Ajantha Ellora Caves, the very famous spot is Grishneshwar which is the Shiva Temple is one of the twelve holy
Jyotirlings of Lord Shiva, spread across the country. The temple situated a
kilometer from the caves is deeply revered by the Hindus.
»
Khuldabad :
Situated
at a distance of 3 km from the Ellora caves, the little town of Khuldabad is a
holy place for the Deccan Muslims. It is also the final resting place of the
Mughal emperor, Aurangzeb.
» Daulatabad : The another important tour spot is Daulatabad, whihc is the hill fort
of Daulatabad, a stronghold of the Hindu dynasty of the Yadavas is situated
about 13 km from Ellora. Earlier known as Devgiri, it was renamed Daultabad by
Sultan Mohammad Bin Tughlaq in the 12th century.
Getting
There
» By Air : Chikalthana Airport located at
Aurangabad (106 km) is the nearest airport. It is connected through regular
flights with all major Indian cities including Mumbai, Delhi, Jaipur and
Udaipur.
» By Rail : Jalgaon (59 km) is the nearest
railhead from where express trains are available to reach Mumbai and Delhi.
Aurangabad is another important railway station which connects to all the major
cities of the country including Mumbai, Delhi, Agra and Bhopal.
» By Road : The Tourist Attractions in Ajanta Ellora Caves can be accessed via Aurangabad which is well
connected to all neighbouring cities by state run buses.
