Ajanta & Ellora Caves

Ajanta & Ellora Caves

Ajanta and Ellora Caves are the famous rock cut temples considered to be an outstanding specimen of ancient Indian architecture. These caves were discovered in the 19th century by a British army officer. It was discovered by John Smith in 1819 while on a hunting expedition. Ajanta caves have been named as a World Heritage site. The caves of Ajanta and Ellora offer pilgrimage tourism . There are 34 caves at Ellora and 29 caves at Ajanta depicting Buddhism in India. These caves are located near the city of Aurangabad in Maharashtra bordered by the Sahyadri hills and the Waghora river.

Tourism with a DifferenceThe visit to Ajanta and Ellora caves can be rightly termed as pilgrimage tourism . The reason is these cave shrines depicts the culture of not only Buddhism, but also that of Hinduism and Jainism. These Rock-cut temples show the tolerance of religion in India. The 29 caves of Ajanta depict the story of Buddhism. There are Chaityas and Viharas where the Buddhist monks were taught the rituals of Buddhism. The monks in their spare time have carved out the sculptures that speak volumes of Indian culture and tradition . One will be mesmerized by the scenes from Jatakas tales and folk lore of Buddhism . The Ellora caves are carved into the sides of a basaltic hill . They house elaborate facades and exquisitely adorned interiors.

The sculptures represent the three faiths- Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism. There are 12 Buddhist caves, 17 caves dedicated to Hinduism and 5 caves belong to Jainism. The Kailasa temple in Cave 16 is an architectural wonder, the entire structure having been carved out of a monolith, the process taking over a century to finish. Forms Of Tourist Attraction In Ajanta & Ellora Caves The caves of Ajanta and Ellora situated in the midst of the Sahyadri mountains are considered to be the artistic beauty of the Indian cave temples. They were sculpted out by the monks using simple tools like chisel and hammer. Located in Aurangabad, these temples are well connected by road, rail and air.

Hotels in Mumbai
Fariyas Hotel	Quality Inn Parle International Hotel
Park Plaza Royal Palms Hotel	Ambassador Hotel
Suba Palace Hotel	Ajanta Hotel

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