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The
thirty rock-hewn caves at ajanta which are cut into the
scrap of a cliff are Chaityas (Chapels) & Viharas
(Monastries). Most of these are carved so that a flood
of natural light pours into them at any given time of
the day. Both the facade & the inside of the chambers
faithfully reproduce the structural patterns known to
those ancient builders. On the walls are paintings, many
still glowing with their original colours. The outer walls
are covered with brilliantly executed sculpture. The caves
are not numbered in chronological order. Cave nos. 9,10,
12, 13 are the earliest belonging to Hinayana sect of
Buddhism. Cave no 1 to 8, 11 and 14 to 30 are of Mahayana
sect among these Mahayana Caves nos. 19, 26 & 30 are
the Chaityas and rest of them are Viharas. The most notable
of all these caves are 1,2,9,10,16,17,19 and 26, here
ancient Indian art attained the zenith of its development
and revealed a dynamic rhythm of life.
How to get there
Air
The nearest airport Aurangabad is 106 km from Ajanata.
Rail
The nearest railhead Jalgaon is 60 km from Ajanta, however
Aurangabad (106 km) is the most convenient railhead.
Road
Ajanta is connected to all major centers of the region
by good roads
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