CHOOMTI TRAVELLERS The
Travel Division of Choomti Trekkers Private Limited Bringing over 27 years experience to Independent Travellers in
India
Providing that personal and individual service to each Client
N.B. : The Ajanta Caves are
closed on Mondays and that the Ellora Caves are closed on Tuesdays.
The state of Maharashtra
is home to the enchanting Ajanta
and Ellora
group of Caves.
The Caves
of Ajanta
and Ellora
were all cut out of rock, by hand, and are the finest examples of rock cut
architecture in the World and rank amongst some of the most outstanding
specimens of ancient Indian architectural, spiritual and cultural heritage.
The
34 Caves
at Ellora
and the 29 Caves
at Ajanta,
were hidden from the public eye, until they were accidentally rediscovered in
the 19th century.
The Caves
of Ellora
and show the singular harmony of the three main religions of the time, Hinduism,
Buddhism and
Jainism.
The Ajanta Caves
are full of magical frescoes and wall paintings made between 2 BC to 1 AD.
Transferred to Aurangabad
airport to connect flight to Mumbai
(Bombay) or Delhi .
-
END OF CHOOMTI TOUR.
In
More Detail...
Located near the city of Aurangabad
in Maharashtra,
the famous Ajanta
and Ellora are
cave shrines 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.
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.
Ajanta
Caves...
It was only in the 19th
century, that the Ajanta
group of caves, lying deep within the Sahyadri
hills, cut into the curved mountain side,
above the Waghora
river, were discovered. They depict the story of Buddhism,
spanning a period from 200 BC to 650 AD.
The 29 caves were built as secluded retreats of the Buddhist
monks, who taught and performed rituals in
the Chaityas
and Viharas,
the ancient seats of learning, and nerve-centres of the Buddhist
cultural movement. Using simple tools like hammer and chisel, the monks
carved out the impressive figures adorning the walls of these structures. Many
of the caves house panels depicting stories from the Jatakas,
a rich mine of tales of the several incarnations of Buddha.
Images of nymphs and princesses amongst others, are also elaborately portrayed.
Click
on the Ajanta
images below, to enlarge...
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 convey the nobility, grace and serenity inherent in the Buddha.
Caves 6 and 10 house images from the Buddhist
and Hindu
faiths, 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.
