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About Ajanta Ellora
Nestled in the hills near the city of Aurangabad in
Maharashtra are two magical locations displaying the artistry of
the yore, cut out of rock, by hand, and rank amongst some of the
most outstanding specimens of ancient Indian architectural heritage.
Ajanta Ellora caves are none other than the famous
caves of Ajanta and Ellora. Aurangabad city is all geared for tourists
who flock in from all over the world to see these exceptional beauty.
The brilliance of their imagery and the fact that they were carved
between the 2nd century BC and the 8th century AD is highly inspiring.
At Ajanta India, more than 2,000 years ago artists
literally carved monasteries and temples out of solid rock. There
are sculptures and fabulously preserved frescoes that monumentalize
a 2,000-year-old civilisation by displaying its daily life as well
as the epic stories of its religion. Around the 7th century AD,
Ajanta India was abandoned by its creators for some unknown reason,
and they moved to Ellora (30 km from Aurangabad). At about this time
Buddhism was fading in India. The cave temples that were found in
the hills of Ellora over the next six centuries exhibits Buddhist
as well as Hindu and Jain mythology.
Major Tourist Attractions in Ajanta Ellora
Ajanta Caves
Lying deep within the Sahyadri hills, cut into the curved mountain
side, above the Waghora river, are the awesome Ajanta group of
caves, captivating tourists from all over. It was only in the 19th
century, when a group of British officers on a tiger hunt discovered
this artistry of yore. The caves at Ajanta depict the story of
Buddhism, spanning the 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 - centres 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.
Ellora Caves
The Ellora India caves, 34 in number, are carved into the sides of
a basaltic hill, 30 kms from Aurangabad. The finest specimens of
cave - temple architecture, they house elaborate facades and exquisitely
adorned interiors. These structures representing the three faiths
of Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism, were carved during the 350 AD
to 700 AD period.
The 12 caves to the south are Buddhist, the 17 in the centre
dedicated to Hinduism, and the 5 caves to the north are Jain. All of
Ellora's cave-temples are awesome in size and detail; the most
breathtaking of them is the Kailasa Temple, the world's largest
monolithic structure, sculptured as intricately as if it were an
ivory miniature.
Getting There
Air : Aurangabad (99 kilometres from Ajanta and 30 km from Ellora)
is the ideal base to visit Ajanta ellora Tour, is directly linked
to Delhi, Udaipur, Jaipur, and Mumbai.
Rail : Aurangabad is directly linked to Mumbai and Pune. Jalgaon, a
railhead on the Central Railways line, is 59 kilometres from Ajanta.
Road : The excellent road network in Maharashtra links the caves of
Ajanta and Ellora with Mumbai, Pune, Ahmednagar, Jalgaon, Shirdi,
Nasik, Dhule, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Indore, Bijapur, and Aurangabad.
Accommodation
In order to make your travel tour to Ajanta-Ellora memorable you
need to choose the right kind of accommodation for you and your
family or friends. Aurangabad makes for a convenient base for a trip
to the caves of Ajanta-Ellora. The various hotel available in
Aurangabad offer you the best of facilities and services. You may
take your pick from a range of luxury and budget hotels in
Aurangabad, besides the star categorised accommodations around the
landmarks of Ajanta-Ellora that offer fabulous views from their
suites.
India-vacations.net offers to Ajanta
Ellora Tours will also take you to the Ellora
Caves. |
