Monday, 29 July 2013

Explore Ajanta Caves

                                           :AJANTA CAVES:

The ajanta caves in aurangabad district of maharashtra, India are about 30 rock-cut Buddhist cave monuments which date from the 2nd century BCE to about 480 or 650 CE. The caves include paintings and sculptures described by the government Archaeological Survey of India as "the finest surviving examples of Indian art, particularly painting",which are masterpieces of Buddhist religious art, with figures of the Buddha and depictions of the Jataka tales. The caves were built in two phases starting around the 2nd century BCE, with the second group of caves built around 400–650 CE according to older accounts, or all in a brief period between 460 to 480 according to the recent proposals of Walter M. Spink. The site is a protected monument in the care of the Archaeological Survey of India, and since 1983, the Ajanta Caves have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site - wiki
this is the first look you see at the Caves entrance


The caves are located in the Indian state of Maharashtra, near Jalgaon and just outside the village of Ajinṭhā 20°31′56″N 75°44′44″E), about 59 kilometres (36 miles) from Jalgaon railway station on the Delhi – Mumbai line and Howrah-Nagpur-Mumbai line of the Central Railway zone, and 104 kilometres (64 miles) from the city of Aurangabad - wiki

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The first thing you going to notice is the Monkeys. spl at entrance (be careful if you carry any eatables)







The Indian people believe there is god in everything so even in Monkeys. specially the followers of lord Hanuman. some of them share there food with those monkeys Indian people love wild animals but its strange to see & i had seen in many places in India that people eat there food with wild animals. they believe that animal is not going to hurt humans because they see god in that animal.




CAVES:
The caves are generally agreed to have been made in two distinct periods, separated by several centuries.




Satavahana, period & VAKATAKA, period

The earliest group of caves consists of caves 9, 10, 12, 13 and 15A. According to Walter Spink, they were made during the period 100 BCE to 100 CE, probably under the patronage of the Satavahana dynasty (230 BCE – c. 220 CE) who ruled the region.



The second phase began in the 5th century. For a long time it was thought that the later caves were made over a long period from the 4th to the 7th centuries CE,but in recent decades a series of studies by the leading expert on the caves, Walter M. Spink, have argued that most of the work took place over the very brief period from 460 to 480 CE, during the reign of Emperor Harishena of the Vakataka dynasty.

Ajanta in rains
many people use to go ajanta in rains because it looks so beautiful that no body can express by words the caves changes there color, the river fill up a bit more the air gets to cold it feels so good. but its a bit far from jalgaon & aurangabad so many people dont want to take rick so the tourism population hit a bit low
here are some photographs clicked by Me






While moving ahead you will notice there many more things which are not mention on internet or by the local guides when i saw all the caves then i proceed for the another points The local name is lovers point & there river where i noticed that many families were enjoying on the shore there was some beautiful waterfalls it looks so amazing. Breathtaking
Here are the photographs


when i saw this i asked from the local guide & he was unable to answer & the best part is he said sir even em watching this for first time haha but the question still remains & the fact is i still dunno how old this is this & the history. This both the things were looking too old there condition were not so good. If any of you know anything about this pls let me know in comment box


After watching all this stuff i started going ahead on the way to lovers point i was excited to see the lovers point.
and yes the road for the lovers point was very good may bee some people get romantic kinda feeling (jokes apart)
but when you go for that point in between you will see many breathtaking views & it will make you feel very happy here are some photographs taken by me have a look.

























when you reach half way you will see the beautiful views & it seems best in the evening & if you are lucky you will get sun in rains it seems rear but it does happens here are the photographs of half way to lovers point have a look



After reaching at the top you will see a breathtaking view trust me you are going to love it when you see it many people don't go up because they get tired by walk but it only take five mins of walk to reach up & to see this beautiful view of ajanta caves

and after the caves view you will see a beautiful waterfall & the tourist

guides says the waterfall look like the map of south India at that point

even i was confused because it doesn't look like south India map

everybody must see this beautiful view don't go directly to the exit must

take the turn for this point its worthy.









So after all day of walk & watching many new things finally its a time to go from this beautiful place so after the lovers point you go all the way to exit to take a bus to drop you down from the caves & there is one small market near parking lot for the shopping & snacks











I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel's sake. The great affair is to move & remember 
The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.
Thank you
Love from JACK :)