Ajanta

Discovered in the 19th century by a group of British Officers the thirty rock-hewn caves at Ajanta, hollowed out from the side of a cliff lie 99 km from Aurangabad. Dating back to the 2nd century B.C., these caves were built to offer seclusion to the Buddhist monks and contain numerous images of Buddha, each of which have been carved using just a hammer and a chisel. Illustrating stories from the Jatakas -- a large repertoire of tales of previous births of Buddha, these enigmatic caves illuminate with natural light during some parts of the day. The Flying Apsara, sculptured Nagaraja and the Preaching Buddha are some of the various Ajanta engravings which are an unmatched visual treat and has made the Ajanta Caves a World Heritage Centre.

ACCESS

100 km from Aurangabad which is connected to Mumbai by air.

Ellora

The 34 caves of Ellora, about 30 km from Aurangabad with their perfectly chiselled shrines present a spectacular sight. Belonging to the period between the 4th and 9th centuries A.D. these rock temples and monasteries represent the three faiths of Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism. The most outstanding piece of artistry is the Kailasa Hindu temple which was carved out of a monolithic rock and took 100 years for its completion. Decorated with marvelously elaborate themes and incidents from the puranas, this hand-chiselled edifice is 50 m in length, 33 m width and 30 m high.

The Vishvakarma cave of the Buddhists has intricate interiors with structures of dwarfs, dancing and playing musical instruments, while cave 32 belonging to the Jain faith is decorated with exquisite carvings and paintings.

ACCESS

30 km from Aurangabad.

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