The Ajanta Caves

Location:Located In Maharashtra, 100 kilometers from the city of Aurangabad. The Ajanta Caves were discovered accidentally by a British Captain, John Smith in 1819, while on a hunting expedition. Aurangabad can be reached by flight or train, or even by motored down to from Manmad , the nearest railhead being 55 km north at Jalgaon city of Maharashtra, India.

Ajanta and Ellora:

» Ajanta: These 3rd-century caves are fine achievements by Buddhist monks and are considered the finest masterpiece of Buddhist art and architecture.The caves are cut from the volcanic lava of the Deccan and are set in beautiful blooming surroundings. These historical manmade caves comprise of beautiful paintings on the walls and ceilings that depict the life of the Buddha. At Ajanta, the paintings on the walls, illustrate the events in the life of Gautama Buddha.

» Ellora

The Ellora caves, 34 in number, are the finest specimens of cave temple architecture. These structures reflect the three faiths of Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism, and were carved during the 350 AD to 700 AD period. The 12 caves to the south are Buddhist, the 17 in the centre dedicated to Hinduism, and the 5 caves to the north are Jain. . The interiors of the cave are exquisitely adorned

Ajanta provides a unique platform to study the early phases of Buddhist sculpture, painting and architecture.

Plan Your Trip:One can easily spend 2 days at this impressive cave complex and for a suspended moment in time, lose all track of time.

Climate: The best time to visit the caves is during the monsoons- the river is swollen and the ravine is surrounded by gushing waterfalls. The cooler winter months- between October and March- are also a comfortable time to travel to Ajanta. The summers are quite gruelling, especially as you have to walk around quite a bit.

How to Reach Ajanta:

» By Air : Aurangabad can be reached from New Delhi and Mumbai (Bombay), international airport. Govt. run Indian airlines flight to Aurangabad daily from New Delhi and Mumbai. » By Rail : Two express trains with an accommodation run between Mumbai an Aurangabad, daily. If travelling from New Delhi to Mumbai, alight at Jalgoan from where the caves can be reached in one hour.
» By Road: Ajanta- 106 kms, Bombay- 392 kms, Ellora- 30 kms, Nanded- 272 kms, Nasik- 221 kms, Pune- 229 kms, Shirdi- 136 kms.