Ajanta Tourism

The Ajanta caves are one of the most well known heritage and historic sites in India. They are fine specimens of the rich cultural heritage and tradition of ancient India and are famous for their awe-inspiring structures and carvings. Tourists who make trips to Ajanta are able to witness the grand architecture and carvings and get a feel of the rich cultural heritage of ancient India.

The rock caves of Ajanta, numbering about 30,are in the shape of a mammoth horseshoe, nestling in an inner fold of the Sahyadri Hills. They remained in obscurity for over a millennium, till John Smith, a British Army Officer, accidentally stumbled upon them while on a hunting expedition in 1819.

Using simple tools like hammer and chisel, the monks carved out impressive figures adorning the walls of these structures. These murals and frescoes depict the story of Buddhism, spanning the period from 200 BC to 650 AD. This makes the Ajanta caves a fascinating spiritual tourist attraction for Buddhists and scholars and researchers of Buddhism.

Ajanta caves were made for three purposes: education, residence and spirituality. As per a Chinese scholar, the caves had several hundred teachers and students. Its history has been divided in two periods: Satavahana and Vakataka. Satavahana is the earliest period when the caves came into inception. Cave 9, 10, 12, 13 and 15A are the oldest ones and are believed to have been built between 100BCE and 100CE. During this time, Satavahana Dynasty was ruling the area. There perhaps were more caves built during this period. The caves built during Satavahana period lack precision and mainly focus on Buddha while narrating the tales of his life.

Vakataka period began in 5th century. It is believed that the construction of the caves was mostly in function between 460 to 480 CE. During this time about 20 temples were built, and these were more elaborate than the Satavahana ones. Focus was also put in order to reconstruct or renovate older caves. Caves made in the second phase are 1-8, 11 and 14-29. After the fall of Harisena, the caves were abandoned. In 28 April 1819, a British officer was out for hunting tigers and accidentally discovered Cave 10. He was standing on the entranceway and some locals were already worshipping here with fire. He inscribed his name along with the date in the walls, standing on a 5ft high pile. With growing time, these caves came into exposure and people started admiring its architecture and paintings.

In 1948, Bombay Cave Temple Commission was introduced to clear up the site and in 1861, Archeological Survey of India focused on the caves. Later, Nizam of Hyderabad commissioned the path so that people could make a visit here. Since then, Ajanta Cave have only grown in their popularity.