Ajanta Caves
Your travel in the Maharajas Express exposes you to the ancient Indian art and history in a unique way at the Ajanta Caves. Being one of the most popular UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India, it will stun you with the exquisite Lord Buddha’s paintings, sculptures and statues. These beautiful caves are located 100 km north-east of Ellora, 104 km from Aurangabad and around 52 km from Jalgaon Railway Station. The wall paintings with Buddhist arts such as Padmapani, Bodhisattvas and Avalokiteshvara make it one of the most alluring tourist destinations in India.
There are a total of 30 caves which were once occupied by nearly 200 monks and artisans. These caves – the Chaityagrihas and Viharas- give a true essence of the life of Buddha. The caves numbered 9, 10, 19, 26 and 29 cave are known as Chaityagrihas and the rest are known as Viharas.
The sculptures and religious images of Lord Buddha are well preserved in these decorated caves. Each of the carvings and paintings in the caves is sculpted out of gigantic rocks. Also, there’s a vivid depiction of animals and humans in the cave designs that are inspired by Gupta and post-Gupta period.
While most of the art is inspired by religious themes, a number of paintings are also influenced by Roman and Greek styles. If you’re an art lover, the best paintings for you to check out can be found in caves 1, 2, 16 and 17, while the most stunning sculptures can be found in caves 1, 4, 17 and 19.
