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| Ajanta Ellora |
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Overview |
The famous Ajanta and
Ellora caves are located near the city of Aurangabad in Maharashtra. The cave
shrines were all cut out of rock, by hand, and rank amongst some of the most
outstanding specimens of ancient Indian architectural heritage. The 34 caves at
Ellora and the 29 caves at Ajanta were remained shrouded in obscurity for over a
millennium, till John Smith, a British Army Officer, accidentally stumbled upon
them while on a hunting expedition in 1819. The view point from where John Smith
first glimpsed the caves provides a magnificent sight of the U-Shaped gorge and
its scenic surroundings.
Ajanta has been designated as a World Heritage Site, to be preserved as an
artistic legacy that will come to inspire and enrich the lives of generations to
come. |
SuperDeluxe | Welcomes you to see the unique example of Buddhist culture and
archeology. The Ajanta and Ellora caves gracefully convey the aspects of
nobility, grace and serenity reminiscent of Buddha himself and his teachings.
Ajanta Caves |
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History |
| Occupied for almost 700
years, the caves of Ajanta seem to have been abandoned rather abruptly. They
remained shrouded in obscurity for over a millennium, till John Smith, a British
army officer, accidentally stumbled upon them while on a hunting expedition in
1819. The 'View Point' from where John Smith first glimpsed the caves, provides
a magnificent sight of the U-shaped gorge and its scenic surroundings. Cascading
down the cliff is a spectacular waterfall, which at the bottom feeds a natural
pool called the Saptakunda. |
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Sites to visit |
| Ajanta Caves: About
107 kms from the city of Aurangabad, the rock-cut caves of Ajanta nestle in a
panoramic gorge, in the form of a gigantic horseshoe. Among the finest examples
of some of the earliest Buddhist architecture, caves-paintings and sculptures,
the caves of Ajanta comprise Chaitya Halls, or shrines, dedicated to Lord Buddha
and Viharas, or monasteries, used by Buddhist monks for meditation and the study
of Buddhist teachings. The paintings that adorn the walls and ceilings of the
caves depict incidents from the life of the Buddha and various Buddhist
divinities. Among the more interesting paintings are the Jataka tales,
illustrating diverse stories relating to the previous incarnations of the Buddha
as Bodhisattva, a saintly being who is destined to become the Buddha. The caves
of Ajanta can be classified into two distinct phases: the earlier Hinayana phase
(1), in which the Buddha was worshipped only in the form of certain symbols. And
the later Mahayana phase (II), in which the Buddha was worshipped in the
physical form. |
| Ellora Caves: The
Ellora caves, 34 in number, are carved into the sides of a basaltic hill, 30 kms
from Aurangabad. The finest specimens of cave - temple architecture, they house
elaborate facades and exquisitely adorned interiors. These structures
representing the three faiths of Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism, 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 sculpture in the Buddhist caves accurately conveys the nobility, grace and
serenity inherent in the Buddha. Caves 6 and 10 house images from the Buddhist
and Hindu faith, under the same roof, the latter dedicated to Vishwakarma, the
patron saint of Indian craftsmen. The Vishvakarma cave is both a Chaitya and a
Vihara, with a seated Buddha placed in the stupa. Its two - storied structure
sports a colourful pageant of dwarfs, dancing and making music. The Kailasa
temple in Cave 16 is an architectural wonder, the entire structure having been
carved out of a monolith, the process taking over a century to finish. This
mountain - abode of Lord Shiva, is in all probability, the world's largest
monolith, the gateway, pavilion, assembly hall, sanctum and tower, all hewn out
of a single rock. What is amazing about it, is the fact that unlike other temple
structures which are built base onwards, the sculptor or architect involved
here, started carving from the very top and the sides. Gigantic, though it is,
it remains one of the most delicate and intricate ancient works of art. The
Dumar Lena cave resembles the famous cave - temple at Elephanta, and is
dedicated to Lord Shiva. |
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Places around |
Bibi-Ka-Maqbara:
Eight Kilometers from the town this mausoleum was built in 1679 AD by the last
of the Great Mughals, Emperor Aurangazeb in the memory of his wife
Rabia-ud-Durrani. It was modelled after the Taj Mahal in Delhi.
Aurangabad Caves: Nine kilometers from Aurangabad near Bibi-Ka-Maqbara
are the cave temples if Aurangabad cut between the 6th and 8th century AD. The
cave temples of Aurangabad make a worthy prelude to the far more celebrated
Ellora and Ajanta.
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| Panchakki (WaterMill):
The Panchakki or the watermill dates back to the Mughal times. The place derives
its name from a mill worked by water power for grinding corn for the poor and
the military garrison. It was built in 1624 AD to commemorate a Muslim saint
Baba Shah Muzaffar. |
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Reservations |
| Please contact us through online email sales@superdeluxe.co.in or call @+91-9871489995
for rates & reservations. You can also check our prices available our website
Airport Tariff Page. |
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