Fresco paintings of Ajanta cave temples. Ajanta Caves

Ajanta (India) - description, history, location. Exact address, phone number, website. Tourist reviews, photos and videos.

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India is an amazing country that contains many unique attractions in its vastness, which have no equal anywhere else in the world. Speaking about India, first of all, it is worth mentioning its colossal spiritual heritage, which you can get a complete picture of by visiting just one place.

We are talking about the unique Buddhist temple complex of Ajanta - a man-made cave monastery consisting of twenty-nine temples and adjacent cells of hermit monks. It is located in the very heart of the country, but even in our time it is difficult to reach, because the nearest settlement from here you need to walk more than ten kilometers, and Ajanta is separated from civilization by almost one hundred and ten kilometers. But those who dare to overcome such a distance will be generously rewarded.

How to get there

The road to Ajanta is not easy and will take you quite a lot of time, but do not refuse the trip, just be prepared for small difficulties on the way to the beautiful. There is a direct train from Delhi to Aurangabad, and you can also get to this city by train from Mumbai, and then by regular bus or even by rickshaw and get directly to Ajanta. You can also travel by train to the cities of Jalgaon or Bhusawal, which also have bus services to Ajanta. But in any case, you need to remember that on Mondays this complex is closed to visitors.

If you plan to spend several days in Ajanta, then it is best to stay in Aurangabad and rent a car for transportation; this is not an expensive undertaking, especially if you are traveling in a small group. You can also book a tour or even a personal guide there.

Search for flights to Mumbai (closest airport to Maharashtra)

A little history

It is believed that the construction of the monastery began in the 2nd century BC, but the most active construction and finishing work was carried out in the 3rd-7th centuries AD, when India was ruled by the powerful Gupta dynasty, later this period was called the “golden” period in the history of the state . But by the 13th century, Buddhism in India had lost its position, and, accordingly, interest in the monastery weakened, monks stopped coming here, and for several centuries the Ajanta caves were abandoned and almost no one knew about them.

Only at 19 they started talking about them again after the British colonialists accidentally wandered into these inaccessible places while hunting. A hundred years later, a large-scale reconstruction was carried out here and this historical site was included in the list of cultural values ​​not only of India, but also of UNESCO.

If it were not for the inaccessibility of the monastery, it is unlikely that it would have retained its greatness to this day, because for a long time in the country there were destructions of Buddhist temples by fanatics. But inexorable time made its own adjustments, which is why only thirteen churches remained with unique paintings, which decorated every centimeter inside the halls.

Cave monastery complex

Standing on the edge of the canyon in which the caves are located, you cannot deny yourself the pleasure of contemplating this joint majestic creation of nature and man for at least a few minutes. Looking at the scale of the monastery (it extends more than half a kilometer in length, and its height is about twenty-two meters), it is difficult to imagine how it was possible, without having at one’s disposal super-powerful modern technology, to erect such a monumental complex.

Having descended to the gorge itself, where the calm Vaghora River flows surrounded by basalt rocks, you are again amazed at the human genius who was able to organize everything so well - a flat and spacious road was laid parallel to the shore, branches from which lead to all twenty-nine temples. The entrance to each cave monastery is framed by majestic columns, lavishly decorated with unusual carvings.

This painting is of particular value, as it thoroughly illustrates the life of that time. On the walls, ceilings and numerous columns, scenes from the life of the villages and cities of ancient India are depicted in great detail; the palaces of the nobles and how they spent their time are depicted in great detail. In addition, there is a huge number of frescoes painted on religious grounds, and special attention is paid to images of an erotic nature. Inside the cave all the diversity is depicted outside world.

This painting served as the basis for the further development of Indian fine arts, and its importance on a global scale simply cannot be overestimated.

What is especially striking is that all these drawings with many small, rather realistic details, a bizarre play of paints and colors were created in the cave twilight, it seems that the ancient masters were truly patronized by a higher mind.

Picturesque wall paintings help you get into the spirit of history, and you can fully experience the special energy of this unusual place thanks to the Buddha statues. All of them are carved from stone, but so skillfully that it seems as if they are inspired, the features and expressions of faces are so subtly conveyed, in which every emotion and even thought can be easily read.

Ajanta- an abandoned village in central Maharashtra at a distance of 100 km. from Aurangabad. Thanks to its cave temples filled with unique sculptures and frescoes, Ajanta is included in the World Heritage Register.

History of Ajanta rock temples

The Ajanta Caves were discovered in the 19th century by British officials who stumbled upon them while hunting tigers.

The beginning of construction of the Ajanta caves dates from the 5th to the 2nd century BC, and the end of 650 years.
Ajanta has a total of 29 hand-carved caves believed to serve as monasteries, places of learning and retreat for Buddhist monks. The caves were also built by monks, who, using the simplest materials and tools, created stunning images that decorate the walls of the caves. Some caves have bas-reliefs and sculptures of fine workmanship, others are decorated with exquisite frescoes, testifying to high level fine arts of India at that time. Many caves depict scenes from the Jatakas, illustrating various incarnations of Buddha. The images of nymphs and princesses, available among other images, are also conveyed very carefully.

Around the 7th century, the architects left the Ajanta caves for some unknown reason, and apparently moved to Ellora. Perhaps this was due to the decline that India was experiencing at that time.

Ajanta, what to see?

Not all Ajanta caves are equally interesting, some are simply halls carved out of stone, almost devoid of decoration; apparently they were used as warehouses or some kind of utility rooms, perhaps they were simply not finished.

Caves 2, 16, 17 are decorated with frescoes, the lighting is either non-existent or poor, many of the frescoes that are visible are in deplorable condition. Most of the photos found in albums and on websites from there are apparently retouched and corrected.
Stunning painted ceilings, which in some places are better preserved than the wall frescoes.
Caves 1, 4, 19, 24 and 26 have some really interesting ones.

Interesting in Ajanta are the chaityas, of which there are many, some decorated with beautiful carvings, others with paintings. Moreover, the carving here, in my opinion, is more interesting than the frescoes and reliefs of the later construction of Ellora.
Cave No. 26 impressed me the most. This is chaitya. By left side from the entrance, with his head towards the entrance, there lies a giant seven-meter-tall sleeping or gone into nirvana, fenced off from the central hall by columns and simply does not fit into the frame. At his feet are stories from his life. Next to the chaitya on the left, the Buddha, sitting on a raised platform in a meditation position, was surrounded by beauties, a whole crowd of beautiful women, the group was simply amazing. These beauties almost erased all previous impressions from me, and there are no more caves open for inspection in Ajanta. Of the 28 existing caves, 4 or 5 are closed for restoration

You can’t take pictures in caves, only from the outside, you can’t take pictures with a flash either, there’s clearly not enough light, so some of the reliefs and frescoes are simply not visible to the eye or the lens. In some caves, the caretakers generally prohibit filming, but if you give money, you can do it again.

Closed on Monday. Entrance costs 250 rupees or 5 bucks, there is also a light ticket and a video ticket (!), I bought them, but they are absolutely not needed, there is low lighting anyway, no one includes anything else and for an additional fee.

Ajanta Cave is open daily from 9.00 to 17.30

Getting to Ajanta

from Aurangabad you can take democratic buses, travel time is about 4 hours, by taxi about 2.5 hours (1200 rupees round trip).
From the parking lot to the caves there are special green buses, to which you need to walk along the path past the merchants, the bus takes about 20 minutes, costs 6 and 10 rupees one way, depending on the availability of AC.
From the final point to the caves you need to walk along a rather steep and long staircase up the mountain; we were not able to do this without stopping, although stretchers are provided for the infirm.

By the way, on the approaches to Ajanta there are many shops where they sell albums of photographs of Ajanta and Ellora of very decent quality at prices ranging from 200 to 500 rupees, depending on the thickness and format, and postcards, I have never seen anything like them anywhere else.
There is one in Ajanta, but we decided not to stay there overnight; if you arrive in the morning, there is enough daylight to see everything.

- This is one of the most outstanding monuments of ancient Indian art. It was created over several centuries, in the years 200-650. The complex is a series of caves carved into the rocks and connected by a wide path - a horseshoe-shaped cliff with 29 caves.

In five caves there are temples (viharas), in the remaining twenty-four there are monastic cells (chaityas). A typical Ajanta cave temple consists of a large square hall with small cells located around it.

On the sides of the hall, separated by colonnades, there are side passages intended for religious processions. The ceilings of the caves are supported by carved or painted columns, and carved columns also decorate the entrances to the caves.

Ajanta became famous because of its wonderful paintings. They have survived to this day only due to the solitude and remoteness of the temple complex, while other ancient temples were destroyed by religious fanatics. But another enemy of ancient paintings was time and climate. As a result, of all the caves, only thirteen preserved fragments ancient painting.

The Ajanta paintings are a kind of encyclopedia of Indian life throughout the entire historical period - the V-VII centuries. Most of the Ajanta paintings are illustrations of Buddhist legends.

However, along with strictly canonical images of the Buddha and bodhisattva saints, there are many images that are not associated with the canons and show scenes from the life of Ancient India with amazing vitality and truthfulness. This is explained by the fact that the painting of the Ajanta cave temples was strongly influenced by paintings that have not survived to this day. secular character, which once adorned the palaces of kings and nobles.

Ajanta paintings were created over the centuries by several generations of masters, so they have found their expression in many characteristic features, directions and styles of fine art of Ancient India. The volume of paintings is simply amazing: for example, in one of the underground halls alone, painting takes up more than a thousand square meters, and not only the walls are painted, but also the columns and ceilings. And this was the case in all twenty-nine caves.

Indian masters seemed to strive to transfer all the richness and diversity of the outside world into the cramped world of the dungeons. They generously filled the walls and ceilings of the caves with images of trees, animals and people, trying to fill every centimeter of surface with painting.

Along with paintings from the life of Buddha, the Ajanta paintings contain paintings of erotic content. This close coexistence of religious and erotic themes is traditional for medieval India and is present in almost all Buddhist and Hindu temples.

Moreover, erotic scenes often serve as illustrations of religious scenes from the life and teachings of Buddha. What looks obscene to Europeans was never perceived as such in India, where all manifestations were recognized as legal. human life, including those that were taboo in other places.

Researchers pay attention to the realism with which life in the palaces, villages and cities of India is depicted. 1st millennium AD, as a result of which the Ajanta wall painting takes on the character of a historical document. Thus, in the scene “Buddha Tames the Mad Elephant” you can see what a shopping street looked like in an ancient Indian city: shops with goods, utensils, carts, linen awnings on bamboo poles protecting the shops from the sun.

The fabulously rich and diverse world of Ajanta paintings became known to the whole world only after 1819, when the long-forgotten cave temples of Ajanta were suddenly discovered by chance. In the 1920s, the paintings in the caves were carefully restored and have been protected ever since. “The picturesque decoration of the Ajanta cave temples ranks with the best monuments of ancient Indian culture and art,” writes O. S. Prokofiev, “Being the pinnacle of fine art of the Gupta period, the Ajanta paintings also influenced the development of painting in almost all of medieval Asia. They were genuine a school for many generations of foreign masters. But first of all, these paintings formed a solid basis for the development of Indian traditions of fine art."

The oldest caves date back to the 2nd century BC, which is much older than the cave temples of Ellora, it is believed that the birth of Ellora led to the death and oblivion of Ajanta.

For more than 2,000 years, the caves have kept the secrets of ancient Buddhist settlements, many of which have become real legends.

Just think, in those days when most of today’s religions were unknown, and two centuries remained before the birth of Christ, prayers were already heard in the caves.

Despite their advanced age, the cave temples are well preserved, perhaps due to the fact that for 1,500 years Mother Nature herself took care of the preservation of the caves, and the only visitors to the caves were wild animals, which occasionally chose these places as their home.

History of Ajanta Caves

The entire history of the caves in Ajanta can be divided into several periods of life of the cave complex:

• The first caves on the banks of the Vaghora River appeared around the 2nd century BC; over the course of several centuries, the cave complex grew and new cave temples and monasteries appeared in the rock above the river;
• Around the time from the 5th to the 9th century AD, people began to leave the caves, the reasons why this happened have never been established;
• The second discovery of the caves happened completely by accident; while hunting, the British military came across a stone cliff, in the ravine of which the Waghora River ran. After carefully exploring the site, the British discovered several amazingly colorful Buddhist caves;
• Ajanta Caves today. Today the temple complex is one of the most visited tourist places in India; the entire complex of caves is under UNESCO protection.

Thirty caves of Ajanta are located on the sheer cliff of a horseshoe-shaped gorge, below which runs the Waghora River. All caves are numbered sequentially, except caves 29 and 30. The numbering of the caves in this order was carried out by Jameson Fergusson in the 19th century and has nothing to do with the chronology of the caves. The oldest caves are in the middle, surrounded by newer ones on both sides.

Restoration work is regularly carried out in the cave complex, so some of the caves may be closed to the public. The time spent in some caves during high season may be limited to 15 minutes. There are a number of caves into which shoes are prohibited; you must take them off.

And Ajanta. Today - a story about the Ajanta temples.

On the sides of the hall, separated by colonnades, there are side passages intended for religious processions. The ceilings of the caves are supported by carved or painted columns, and carved columns also decorate the entrances to the caves.

Ajanta became famous because of its wonderful paintings. They have survived to this day only due to the solitude and remoteness of the temple complex, while other ancient temples were destroyed by religious fanatics. But another enemy of ancient paintings was time and climate. As a result, of all the caves, only thirteen preserved fragments of ancient painting.

The Ajanta paintings are a kind of encyclopedia of Indian life throughout the entire historical period - the V-VII centuries. Most of the Ajanta paintings are illustrations of Buddhist legends.

However, along with strictly canonical images of the Buddha and bodhisattva saints, there are many images that are not associated with the canons and show scenes from the life of Ancient India with amazing vitality and truthfulness. This is explained by the fact that the painting of the cave temples of Ajanta was strongly influenced by the painting of a secular nature that has not survived to this day, which once adorned the palaces of kings and nobles.

Ajanta paintings were created over the centuries by several generations of masters, so many of the characteristic features, trends and styles of fine art of Ancient India were expressed from them. The volume of paintings is simply amazing: for example, in one of the underground halls alone, painting occupies more than a thousand square meters, and not only the walls are painted, but also the columns and ceilings. And this was the case in all twenty-nine caves.

Indian masters seemed to strive to transfer all the richness and diversity of the outside world into the cramped world of the dungeons. They generously filled the walls and ceilings of the caves with images of trees, animals and people, trying to fill every centimeter of surface with painting.

Along with paintings from the life of Buddha, the Ajanta paintings contain paintings of erotic content. This close coexistence of religious and erotic themes is traditional for medieval India and is present in almost all Buddhist and Hindu temples.

Moreover, erotic scenes often serve as illustrations of religious scenes from the life and teachings of Buddha. What looks obscene to Europeans was never perceived as such in India, where all manifestations of human life were recognized as legitimate, including those that were taboo in other places.

Researchers pay attention to the realism with which life in the palaces, villages and cities of India is depicted. 1st millennium AD, as a result of which the Ajanta wall painting takes on the character of a historical document. Thus, in the scene “Buddha Tames the Mad Elephant” you can see what a shopping street looked like in an ancient Indian city: shops with goods, utensils, carts, linen awnings on bamboo poles protecting the shops from the sun.

The fabulously rich and diverse world of Ajanta paintings became known to the whole world only after 1819, when the long-forgotten cave temples of Ajanta were suddenly discovered by chance. In the 1920s, the paintings in the caves were carefully restored and have been protected ever since. “The picturesque decoration of the Ajanta cave temples ranks with the best monuments of ancient Indian culture and art,” writes O. S. Prokofiev, “Being the pinnacle of fine art of the Gupta period, the Ajanta paintings also influenced the development of painting in almost all of medieval Asia. They were genuine a school for many generations of foreign masters. But first of all, these paintings formed a solid basis for the development of Indian traditions of fine art."