THE GLORIOUS AJANTA-ELLORA CAVES: THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE VISIT

THE GLORIOUS AJANTA-ELLORA CAVES: THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE VISIT

ABOUT AJANTA-ELLORA CAVES

The astonishing hillside caves located in the rocks are the Ajanta and Ellora caves. Both are designated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Ajanta, the first Buddhist cave monument, is situated in the Aurangabad district. The caves are distinguished by their attractive paintings and rock-cut sculptures, particularly expressive artwork that conveys emotions, views, and forms. The most interesting aspect of Ajanta and Ellora is that Ajanta consists entirely of Buddhist monuments, whereas Ellora features a mixture of Buddhist, Hindu, and Jain temples.

HOW TO REACH HERE AJANTA-ELLORA CAVES

By Air

Nearest airport is Aurangabad which is domestic and Ajanta is only 15 km from airport. Being one of the most important city air service is well connected from Major cities and state. International travellers can get connecting flight from Mumbai.

By Train and Bus

Aurangabad railway station is well connected from other various cities of Maharashtra. Once you get down at Aurangabad station take direct bus going towards Jalgaon/ Bhusawal/ Yawal that will drop at the entrance of Ajanta caves. Bus fare is nominal in range from 80 INR to 100 INR.

By Road

Ajanta is at a distance of 100 km from Aurangabad. Highway linking Aurangabad to Mumbai is well connected to major cities of India like Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore, and Jaipur.

After reaching the main entrance of Ajanta caves, there is private bus service till the main caves which are 4 km from entrance. (Private vehicles need to park at main entrance only).

Local transport is available to reach Ellora Caves from Ajanta, and the distance is 102 km.

Aurangabad is known as a historical city in Maharashtra. It is the fifth largest city in the state and is named Aurangabad after Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. Ajanta and Ellora from Aurangabad have been on my bucket list since the first time I heard of this place, and it became a must-visit destination for me. It was during my internship that I traveled to this historical site. Ajanta is one of those places where the tourist crowd comes not only from India but also from other countries. 

HISTORY OF AJANTA-ELLORA

The Ajanta Caves are 30 rock-cut caves dating from the second century BCE to around 480 CE in the Aurangabad district of Maharashtra. These caves feature paintings and rock-cut sculptures that represent the final surviving examples of ancient Indian art, particularly expressive paintings that convey emotions through gestures, poses, and artistry. According to UNISCO, these are masterpieces of Buddhist religious art. The site is a protected monument under the care of the Archaeological Survey of India, and since 1983, the Ajanta Caves have been recognized as a UNISCO World Heritage Site.

  

When I stepped into Ajanta, we came across 30 Buddhist caves with their sculptures, and each cave has a number, which is really an interesting point about them.

 

The Ajanta Caves represent ancient monasteries and worship halls of different Buddhist traditions carved into a 250-foot wall of rock. The caves also present paintings that portray the past lives and rebirths of Buddha.

 

Textual records suggest that the caves served as a monsoon retreat for monks as well as a resting site for merchants and pilgrims in ancient India. Vivid colors and mural wall paintings were abundant in Indian history, as mentioned in historical records. Caves 1, 2, 16, and 17 form the largest corpus of ancient India.

 

Ajanta Caves are mentioned in historical accounts of Buddhist travelers to India in the early seventeenth century. Earlier, they were covered by dense forest, which made it hard for anyone to imagine that there would be such beautiful caves. They were accidentally discovered and brought to attention in 1819 by colonial British officer Captain John Smith while tiger hunting party.

AJANTA VIEW POINT

Out of these 30 caves, five (caves no. 9, 10, 16, 19, and 29) are chaityagrahas, while the rest are viharas. Among these caves, six belong to an earlier phase, and the rest belong to this phase. The first phase is referred to as the Satavahana period, whereas the second phase is known as the Vakataka period. Cave 10 is mainly recognized for its Stupa. Here is one cave in Ajanta where you can see a sleeping statue of Buddha. It is known as the mystery cave, and the mystery is that “when we measure the length of the Buddha statue from head to feet and when we measure it from feet to head, it shows a different number."

WATERFALL VIEW AT AJANTA

IMPORTANT CAVES TO VISIT AT AJANTA

Best work finds in caves 1, 2, 16, 17 & 19.

Best sculpture finds in 1, 4, 17, 19, 24 & 26.

The important attractions that most tourists miss when visiting the Ajanta caves are Saptakunda and Waghora waterfalls, which are on either side of the cliff, as well as the viewpoint of the Ajanta caves, where panoramic views can be captured in a single click. If you are a truly adventurous photographer and want to take stunning panoramic shots, then you must visit the Ajanta viewpoint, which is 13 km from the parking area of the caves.

ELLORA CAVES

KAILASH TEMPLE

Ellora, also known as Verul, is a shortened form of its ancient name, Elapura.

 

Like the Ajanta caves, Ellora is also recognized as a World Heritage Site situated in the Aurangabad District of Maharashtra. It is one of the largest rock-cut monastery-temple caves in the world. Ellora consists of 12 Buddhist caves (caves 1-12), 17 Hindu caves (caves 13-29), and 5 Jain caves (caves 30-34). These caves served as monasteries, temples, and rest stops for pilgrims.

This grand structure was built on the hill of Elapura by Krishna Raja. The most remarkable cave is Kailasa (cave 16), named after the mountain in the Kailash range of the Himalayas, where the Hindu god Shiva resides. One of its better-known decorations is the scene of Vishnu transformed into a man-lion and battling demon.

ELLORA VIEW

The Ajanta Caves, along with the Ellora Caves, have become the most popular tourist destinations in Maharashtra and are often crowded during holidays. To reduce the crowds, in 2012, the Maharashtra Tourist Development Corporation announced plans to add an ASI visitor center at the entrance, featuring complete replicas of caves 1, 2, 16, and 17 to alleviate the crowding at the originals. They are imitating all the original caves so that people can get an idea of how they looked in the past, since the original caves have been damaged by humans. This allows visitors to gain a complete understanding from these duplicate caves. Today, the Ellora Caves, along with the Ajanta Caves, are major tourist attractions in the Marathwada region of Maharashtra and are protected monuments under the Archaeological Survey of India. 

IDEAL TIME TO VISIT AJANTA-ELLORA CAVES

June to March is the ideal time to visit Ajanta and Ellora. During the summer, it becomes a little more difficult to visit, as the sun heats up the rocks. In winter and the monsoon, the climate is pleasant, with views of the waterfall at Ajanta.

PLACES TO EXPLORE AROUND AJANTA-ELLORA

• Ajanta viewpoint
• Ellora caves- 30 km from the city.
• Grishneshwar temple- 2 km from Aurangabad city.
• Bibi Ka Makbara- 19 km from city. 

STAY OPTION NEAR AJANTA CAVES

As one of the popular destinations, there is a large number of hotels available to stay near the Ajanta Caves. The accommodations here are budget-friendly, ranging from deluxe to standard rooms. One suggestion is Hotel View Point, located 13 km from the caves.

IMPORTANT THINGS TO REMEMBER BEFORE VISITING AJANTA-ELLORA

• Carry a torch to see inside the paintings in the caves, as it will be dark inside. 
• You can buy a book to collect information about the caves if you don’t want to hire a guide. 
• The Ajanta Caves are closed on all Mondays. The entrance fee is 20 INR for Indians and 250 INR for foreigners, where there is a camera charge of 25 per camera for photo shoots/videos. 
• Visiting the Ajanta Caves along with the Ellora Caves in one day is not possible; Ajanta alone will take 5-6 hours, and the distance between Ajanta and Ellora is 100 km. 
• Explore Ellora with other sightseeing places like Daulatabad Fort, Grishneshwar Temple, Mhaismal Hill Station, Bhadra Maruti Temple, and Bibi Ka Makbara, which are on the route and easily accessible by autos.