Ajanta and ellora caves maharashtra includes accommodation in a hotel as well as an expert guide, meals, transport and more. The carving work began around 550 ad, about the same time the ajanta caves 100km northeast were abandoned. The closest government guest house near ellora caves is in khuladabad on the. Ellora caves, a series of 34 magnificent rockcut temples in northwestcentral maharashtra state, western india. The name ellora itself inspires everyone as it represents one of the larg. For each, we present information on its history, a detailed plan that highlights its most important architectural and artistic. Ellora caves documents unesco world heritage centre. Most of the caves were constructed around 2nd century bc to 6th century ad. From the humble beginnings at the barabar caves, they evolve into spectacular caves at ajanta and ellora. Inscription on this list confirms the exceptional universal value of a cultural or natural site which deserves protection for. The magnificent ellora caves of india ancient origins. There are about 30 rockcut buddhist cave monuments which date from the 2nd century bce to about 480 or 650 ce.
Aurangabad airport is the bestconnected airport with several flights from major cities across india. The ellora caves, locally known as verul leni is located on the aurangabadchalisgaon road at a distance of 30 km northnorthwest of aurangabad, the district headquarters. Ajanta ellora caves have always been recognized as the gems that represent indian history and the impressive artistry that existed in the foregone era. Ajanta and ellora caves sightseeing day tour with guide. With the indepth cultural tour ajanta and ellora caves maharashtra, you have a 4 day tour package taking you through aurangabad, india and 2 other destinations in india. The closest railway stations are aurangabad for the ellora caves around 45 minutes from the station and jalgaon for the ajanta caves around 1. However, try to avoid visiting them then as well as on weekends as the crowds can be overwhelming and you wont have a peaceful experience. The caves of ajanta, ellora and elephanta approach guides. Ajanta comprises of around thirty rockcut caves adorned by buddhist sculptures and paintings with the caves marked as cave 1, cave 2. Hidden away in the hills of northwest india, some 200 miles from the busy streets of mumbai, emerge a magnificent jewel of art and religion. Ajanta and ellora caves are a paradise for history lovers as these caves are perfect examples of beautiful buddhist architecture. The caves of ajanta, ellora and elephanta india travel guide. They are located near the village of ellora, 19 miles 30 km northwest of aurangabad and 50 miles 80 km southwest of the ajanta caves. Table summing up the contrasting features are as follows.
Ellora cave is a world heritage site and the most visited ancient monument in maharashtra state. Among these, cave 28 can be considered as contemporaneous to ajanta or even pre dating ajanta. With the ellora caves ajanta is also the major tourist attraction of the marathwada region of maharashtra. Chalukya and rashtrakuta kings ruled over the deccan from the middle of the 6th century ad to almost the end of the 12th century. There are many paintings, idols, and other structures that were built in 2nd century bce and the construction was done till 480ce or 650ce. Even though excavation at ellora began at the time they ceased in ajanta, an immense additional interest was added by introducing hindu and jain places of worship. Ellora is a site of outstanding cave temples, datable between c. The caves are located in northern maharashtra, around 250 miles 400 kilometers northeast of mumbai. Ajanta and ellora caves, considered to be one of the finest examples of ancient rockcut caves are located near aurangabad in the state of maharashtra, india. The ellora caves, also a unesco world heritage site, lie 62 miles southwest of ajanta and are an aweinspiring example of indias long and unbroken history.
The ajanta and ellora caves are in aurangabad, maharashtra. Ajanta caves are a set of 29 caves in the form of a horseshoe, depicting buddhist architecture, cave. Today, ajanta and ellora caves are a unesco world heritage site and exist in the wishlist of many travelers. Most of them were discovered by the british army in 1819. They are situated near the city of aurangabad in the state of maharashtra. In some paintings and crafts, you can also find living illustrations. Click download or read online button to get ellora caves book now. The ellora caves are listed by unesco as a world heritage site and is celebrated for its hindu, buddhist, and jain temples and monuments. The ajanta ellora caves were the major buddhist monuments of the second century. Culture and heritage monuments ajanta and ellora caves. Ellora caves download ebook pdf, epub, tuebl, mobi.
Unlike past examples in history, where the dominant religion of a time and place has pulled down the temples and structures of other groups, replacing them with their own, the ellora caves demonstrate respect and. The ellora caves and the ajanta caves are near aurangabad in maharashtra. Ellora caves 2020 all you need to know before you go. The caves were excavated from volcanic rock along a 2km stretch of westfacing embankment. Welcome to the first comprehensive documentation of the ellora cave temples of india. Ancient history of ajanta caves in maharashtra notes read. The ajanta caves these are a set of 29 rockcut buddhist cave monuments located near and named after the village ajin. The caves at ellora were carved out of the vertical face of the charanandri hills between the 6th and 10th centuries. This site is like a library, use search box in the widget to get ebook that you want. Ajanta ellora and aurangabad caves download ebook pdf. Ajanta caves located 99km away from aurangabad district in the state of. Of the nearly 100 caves at the site, 34 are open to the public and feature many buddhist, hindu and jain monuments. Report on the state of conservation of ellora caves, india, 2003 pdf. These cave groups consist of cave temples, rockcut monasteries and other structures filled with sculptures, carvings and much more.
Ajanta caves a world heritage monument the group of caves is prescribed by the unesco as a world heritage monument in 1983. Ajanta caves 1 ajanta caves, aurangabad ajanta caves are the rockcut caves which mainly belong to the followers of buddha. Rockcut cave architecture occupies a very important place in the indian art tradition. Ajanta is 100 kilometres 62 miles from the ellora caves, which contain hindu, jain and buddhist caves, the last dating from a period similar to ajanta. Ajanta and ellora caves maharashtra by yolo india tours. The ajanta style is also found in the ellora caves and other sites such as the elephanta caves, aurangabad caves, shivleni caves. The ellora caves are open from sunrise until sunset around 5.
The ellora caves were built at time when buddhism was declining in india and hinduism was beginning to reassert itself. These buddhist and jain caves are ornately carved, yet seem quiet and meditative and exude a divine energy. The ajanta and ellora caves are listed among the world heritage sites by the unesco. Magnificence of ellora caves unesco world heritage. The only group of caves that can rival this is the ajanta but ajanta is monotonous and belong to buddhism.
The history of ajanta and ellora caves shirdi cab service. Ellora is located nearly thirty kilometers away from the city of aurangabad in maharashtra. It takes but a moment to enter these caves, to close your eyes and conjure up the aura of the past. The ellora caves are located near a village locally known as verul at a. The caves have been built over a huge time slice of history, start. You can find many carvings that explain the ancient culture like social activities, costumes, jewelry, gender relationship and. What is the history of the ajanta and ellora caves. For each, we present informa tion on its history, a detailed plan that highlights its most important architectural and artistic features, highresolution images and a. Kosambi, suggested that all the caves in the caves in the western ghats, from shudhaghar, through karla, bhaja, nasik, pitalkhora, to ajanta are located on the crests of an ancient trade route from the arabian sea in to the deccan. The ellora caves are in the indian state of maharashtra about 29 kilometres 18 miles northwest of the city of aurangabad, 300 kilometres 190 miles eastnortheast of mumbai, 235 kilometres 146 miles from pune and about 100 kilometres 62 miles west of the ajanta caves, 2. Ajanta caves documents unesco world heritage centre. Click download or read online button to get ajanta ellora and aurangabad caves book now. Ajanta and ellora caves, located in the city of aurangabad in maharashtra india, are both listed as world heritage sites and are protected by the archaeological survey of india.
Adorned with beautiful sculptures, paintings and frescoes, ajanta and ellora caves are an amalgamation of buddhist, jain and hindu monuments as the complex includes both buddhist. Ajanta and ellora caves are located about 100 km from each other. Both these caves have been accorded the unesco world heritage site status. Ajanta caves ajanta caves maharashtras ajanta caves have rich historical significance in indias history. The caves are numbered in order to identify them but that does not mean that the.
Periodic report on the state of conservation of ellora. Brahmanical and jain, marks the culmination of the. Ajanta caves history ajanta caves were built in two phases and they have around 29 caves to be seen. Ellora caves a world heritage monument the group of caves is prescribed by the unesco as a world heritage monument in 1983.