In 1819 summer, a group of Britishers was heading through the thick forests near Aurangabad to enjoy hunting activities. While they were chasing a tiger, it disappeared into deep ravines. Taking charge of the tracking, young Captain John Smith, a cavalry officer from Madras, reached the foot of a semi-circular scarp. In his quest of the tiger, he followed its footsteps that led him to a rock cave that was not at all a natural cave or a river-cut structure. This was the time when the world came to know about ancient Indian heritage.
Ajanta – Buddhist Caves
In the 3rd Century B.C.E. the great ruler of Magadha, Asoka sent an emissary to Maharashtra. The people of Maharashtra got to know about the works of Barabar Caves. Perhaps it was an inspiration for them to build monasteries on similar lines. According to Buddhist Customs, the monks wander in all seasons except the Rainy season. In rainy seasons, the Buddhist monks take shelter and exchange their experiences with fellow monks. This was the primary reason for the creation of rock-cut- shelters.
Ideal Location of the Caves
Ajanta caves are rock-cut architecture in the Sahyadri Hills range of Western Ghats. These are a group of 31 rock-cut caves preserved in their natural forms. They are arranged in a “Horse-Shoe” Shape. It is having a prime location – on the banks of the Waghora river, flowing at the foothill. Many waterfalls provided supply of water for daily needs of the monks of those times.
Construction Chronology
The caves date back to the 2nd Century B.C.E to 480/650 B.C.E. The caves were constructed in two phases – The Satavahana Phase and The Vakataka Phase – the two ruling dynasties of the region. The caves of the first phase are accorded to initial Hinayana Buddhism whereas the painting of the second phase is oriented towards the Mahayana Buddhism.
The construction of the caves took very less time – about 18 years – from 460 B.C.E to 480 B.C.E in the initial phase. This timeline is based on an argument on Visrutacharita by Dandin, the court port of the Pallava dynasty. However, the dates are not agreed upon.
Chaitya Caves
There are four Chaitya Caves – Cave No. 9 and 10 were built in the early phase of 1st and 2nd Century B.C.E. whereas Cave No. 19 and 26 in the later phases of 5th Century C.E. Ajanta caves are the only surviving masterpiece of 2nd B.C.E and 5th century C.E. Due to lack of any inscriptions, no precise chronology could be established. Cave no. 19 and 26 are carved elaborately. The façade is decorated with carvings of Buddha and various Bodhisattvas. They are of the variety of apsidal vault-roof. The Cave no. 26 is large in size and has the largest image of Mahaparinirvana, the death of Buddha.
The rest of the caves are Viharas. They were of residential purpose. They consist of large halls, columnar pillars, and verandah. Various cells are carved on the wall. Caves No. 5, 14, 23, 24, 28, and 29 are unfinished. Varahadeva, the Prime Minister of Vakataka king, was the patron of Cave No. 16. Many paintings have survived and are in good condition in Cave No. 1, 2, 16, and 17.
Mural Art of Cave No. 9 and 10
A lot of variety is found. The paintings of the 5th Century uses outward projections. The lines are clearly defined and are rhythmic. To create an effect of Volume, the body colors get merged with the outer line.
Painting in Caves No. 9 and 10 belongs to 1st Century B.C.E. The figures drawn in Cave No. 9 are broad, heavy proportion, and arranged in a linear way. The lines drawn here are sharp. Limited colors are used and also there is no over stylization of images. Chhadanta Jataka depictions are painted in Cave No. 10. Cave No. 10 is the very cave in which John Smith stepped his foot first. These caves are nothing less than the birth of Indian paintings.
Paintings in Cave No. 10
Paintings in Cave No. 16 and 17 are precise and elegant. They are not voluminous and heavy, unlike Caves 9 and 10 paintings. Movements of the figures drawn are rhythmic. Dark brown thick lines are used for four contouring.
Paintings of Cave No. 1 and 2
The best-survived Paintings are in Caves 1 and 2. They are very ordered and naturalistic. They are arranged in a circular delineation to create 3-Dimension and other special effects. The images have half-opened and elongated eyes. The theme of the paintings is events of the life of Buddha, depictions of Jataka stories, and the Avadanas. Some attractive paintings such as Simhala Avadana, Mahajanaka Jataka, and Vidhurpundita Jataka cover the entire wall of the cave. The world-renowned painting of Pamapani Bodhisattva and Vajrapani Bodhisattva is in Cave No. 1.
Bodhisattva Padmapani in Cave No. 1
Preservation Efforts
Ajanta is one of the few World Heritage Sites in India that attracts daily visitation of 5000 people. Preservation efforts have been taken by Dr. Behl. The digitally produced images of Ajanta are stored and preserved at Arctic World Archive, in a deep vault of Norway, deep inside the Arctic mountains
Best time to Visit
The timings of Ajanta Caves in from 9:00 A.M. to 9:30 P.M. The UNESCO site remains closed on Mondays. The best time to visit is maybe during the rainy season and early winter months of October and November. It is advisable not to visit Ajanta and Ellora on the same day, as you can miss the opportunity to have a full date with the incredible architecture. It is located on the Jalgaon-Aurangabad Highway, near Fardapur. Jalgaon Railway Station is 52 kilometres away and is the nearest railway station. Aurangabad is 104 kilometres. Many taxis, cabs, and buses take you to the destination Also you can enjoy shopping from the local market.
