Ajanta, Maharashtra, India  (site model)


Ajanta, a UNESCO world heritage site, is famous for its Buddhist rock-cut cave temples and monasteries with their extraordinary wall paintings. The temples are hollowed out of granite cliffs on the inner side of a 20-meter ravine in the Wagurna River valley, 105 km northeast of Aurangabad, at a site of great scenic beauty. About 30 caves were excavated between the 1st century BCE and the 7th century CE and are of two types, caityas ("sanctuaries") and viharas ("monasteries"). Although the sculpture, particularly the rich ornamentation of the caitya pillars, is noteworthy, it is the fresco-type paintings that are the chief interest of Ajanta. These paintings depict colorful Buddhist legends and divinities with an exuberance and vitality that is unsurpassed in Indian art. [Adapted from Encyclopedia Britannica]

Ajanta caves

Walkway

Scenes form Jataka tales

Fragment of a painting

Dark Buddha

Cave 2, The Nativity of the Buddha

Miracle of Sarasvati

Cave 2

Ajanta caves

Ajanta caves

Bodhisattva Padmapani

Antechamber ceiling

Cave 4 sculptures

Cave 4 tempera

Cave 4

Buddha in padmasana

View of Ajanta caves

Cave 6 Buddha

Buddha's attendants

Buddha

Cave 7 sculpture

Cave 7 Buddha

Cave 7 Miracle of Sarasvati

Cave 9

Cave 10 stupa

Cave 10 pillar and wall

Cave 10 pillar and wall

Cave 10 tempera

Resting tourist

Cave 11 Buddha

Cave 12

Monks' bedchambers, cave 13

Waterfall

View of Ajanta caves

Cave 16 Buddha

The dying princess

Scenes from the Jataka tales

Scenes from the Jataka tales

Pillar detail

Above cave 17 entrance

Includes the "Flying Apsara"

Ceiling outside cave 17

Above cave 17 entrance

Cave 19 exterior

This small Chaitya (cathedral) is one of the best specimens of the Buddhist rock-cut architecture.

Cave 19 exterior

The Naga king and queen

Cave 19

Cave 19 exterior

Cave 19 stupa

Pillar Sculpture

Walkway

Transportation

Cave 20

Teaching Buddha

Wheel of something

Cave 21 (Cave 22)

Waterfall

Cave 26

Reclining Buddha (more)

Cave 26 Stupa

The temptation of Mara

Cave 26 sculpture

Cave 26 sculpture (more)

Jalgaon bookshop

 



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