Description of the attraction
An ancient and beautiful place - the magnificent Ajanta Caves - will not leave anyone indifferent. Located in the Aurangabad district, in the state of Maharashta, near the Ajinta settlement, they are a whole complex of 30 caves carved right into the rocky rock of the Waghora River canyon, they resemble a horseshoe in shape. Inside the cave is a real museum of sculptural compositions and wall paintings. According to research, they were created between the 2nd century BC and 600 AD as a Buddhist temple and monastery.
So, the first caves (the so-called caves of the first period) were created during the reign and under the patronage of the Satavahan dynasty. The frescoes that adorn these caves are considered one of the oldest surviving artistic monuments in India.
The rest of the caves were built later (caves of the second period), but scientists have not come to a consensus about the time of their creation. According to the latest research, this is approximately AD 460-480 - during the reign of Emperor Harishena of the Wakataka dynasty. Soon the inhabitants of this cave monastery left it, and it was lost in the jungle.
Europeans discovered this unique place only in 1819. This happened thanks to the British officer John Smith: while hunting tigers, he accidentally discovered the entrance to one of the caves. And even now you can discern the inscription he scrawled on the column "John Smith, April 1819".
Inside, the Ajanta Cave is a magnificent collection of the finest examples of wall painting and sculpture. Their walls are painted with scenes from public life, as well as Buddhist mythology and images of gods.
In 1983, the Ajanta Caves were listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
