10 Year Itch

Ajanta Caves are rock-cut monuments dating from the second century BC. These caves were declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983.

Ajanta Caves

There are 30 caves in Ajanta of which 9, 10, 19, 26 and 29 are chaityas and the rest are viharas.

Cave # 1
This is the first cave on the eastern end of the ‘horse-shoe’. It has been proposed that the Vakataka king Harisena may have been the benefactor of this cave.

Padmapani

The paintings depict incidents from the life of Buddha and the Jatakas.

Vajrapani

Cave # 2

Cave # 6
This was the first important cave of the Mahayana phase.

Cave # 7

In front of the ‘Miracle of Saraswati’

Cave # 10

Meditating?

Cave # 16

Buddha in the Abhayamudra (teaching gesture)

Cave # 19
This is a chaitya (meditation hall), with many paintings and sculptures.

Stupa

Cave # 21

Cave # 23

Cave # 24

This cave was never completed due lack of funds.

Cave # 26

The imposing Chaitya Horseshoe Arch