Ajanta Caves, Maharashtra, India Art and Sculpture Photography

Ajanta Caves in Maharashtra, India are rock-cut cave monuments dating from the second century BCE, containing paintings and sculpture considered to be masterpieces of both "Buddhist religious art" and "universal pictorial art".

The caves are located just outside the village of Ajinha in Aurangabad District in the Indian state of Maharashtra .

Since 1983, the Ajanta Caves have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The caves are in a wooded and rugged horseshoe-shaped ravine. The nearest towns are Jalgaon (60 km) and Bhusawal (70 km). Along the bottom of the ravine runs the river Waghur, a mountain stream.

Ajanta photo 1	Ajanta photo 2
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There are 29 caves. They vary from 35 to 110 ft. in elevation above the bed of the stream.

The monastic complex of Ajanta consists of several viharas (monastic halls of residence) and chaitya-grihas (stupa monument halls) cut into the mountain scarp in two phases.

The painting and sculptures in the caves are of Buddhist origin; Gautama Buddha (600 B.C.)
After the death of the Buddha, many aboriginal and suppressed people accepted the faith of the 'Enlightened one'. They wanted to worship images of the Buddha and his incarnations, as the Hindus worshipped their gods.

More on Ajanta
http://www.vishwakala.org

http://www.vishwakala.org/uniportal/info/index.asp?mi=82&xp=1&xi=0