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| Know Ajanta Ellora |
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The most famous Ajanta and Ellora cave shrines were all hewed on rock, by hand, and rank amongst some of the most finest specimens of ancient Indian architectural heritage. The 34 caves at Ellora and the 29 caves at Ajanta, remained shrouded in mystery for over a millennium, till John Smith, a British Army Officer, accidentally rediscovered them while on a hunting expedition in 1819. The view point from where John Smith first glimpsed the caves, provides a magnificent sight of the U-Shaped gorge and its scenic surroundings.
The Kailasa temple in Cave 16 stands as one of the greatest architectural wonders with the entire composition chiseled out of a monolith.
LOCATION
City : Aurangabad
State : Maharashtra
The caves are located just outside the village of Ajintha.
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| Major Hotels in Aurangabad |
- Ajanta Ambassador
- Hotel Windsor Castle
- Hotel Classic
- Hotel Amarpreet
- Rama International
- Taj Residency
- Hotel Athithi
- A.S. Hotel
- Hotel Raviraj
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| Ajanta Caves |
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It was only in the 19th century, that the Ajanta group of caves, lying deep within the Sahyadri hills, cut into the curved mountain side, above the Waghora river, were discovered. They depict the story of Buddhism, spanning a period from 200 BC to 650 AD.
The 29 caves were built as secluded retreats of the Buddhist monks, who taught and performed rituals in the Chaityas and Viharas, the ancient seats of learning, and nerve - centers of the Buddhist cultural movement. Using simple tools like hammer and chisel, the monks carved out the impressive figures adorning the walls of these structures. Many of the caves house panels depicting stories from the Jatakas, a rich mine of tales of the several incarnations of the Buddha. Images of nymphs and princesses amongst others, are also elaborately portrayed.
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| Ellora Caves |
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The Ellora caves, of which there are a total of 34, are carved into the sides of a basaltic hill 30 kolometers from Aurangabad. The finest specimens of cavetemple architecture, they boast of elaborate facades and house exquisitely adorned interiors. These structures representing the three faiths of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism, were carved between the 350 AD to 700 AD. The 12 caves towards the south are Buddhist, the 17 in the center are dedicated to Hinduism, and the 5 caves to the north are Jain.
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| Connectivity |
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Airways
Aurangabad domestic airport lies closest to the Ajanta caves. It is approximately 100 km away and is serviced by direct flights from Delhi and Mumbai international airports.
Railways
The railway station that falls closest to Ajanta Caves is that of Jalgaon. It is situated at a distance of around 60 km from the caves and is well connected with Aurangabad, Mumbai and other major cities in and around Maharashtra.
Roadways
The roadways linking the caves with Mumbai, Pune, Ahmednagar, Jalgaon, Shirdi, Nasik, Dhule, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Indore, Bijapur, and Aurangabad are just excellent.
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