| In painting world, Ajanta paintings hold a very | | | | Bhikshus or monks had to live away from the |
| important place. Murals of Ajanta caves are one | | | | general public in rainy seasons. |
| of the most vibrant, exuberant and vivacious | | | | They discovered that the painting styles adopted |
| murals in the world. Ajanta, a UNESCO World | | | | in Ajanta were high standard murals. Art historians |
| Heritage Site, is located 105 kilometers from the | | | | remain baffled to see these frescoes because to |
| town of Aurangabad in the Maharashtra state of | | | | produce these frescoes a highly complex |
| Western India. There are total 29 caves in the | | | | procedure had been applied and it is not a small |
| horse shoe shaped mountains along the ravine of | | | | achievement to go through that procedure at |
| Waghora river valley. These rock cut caves were | | | | those early times. Ajanta paintings seem to have |
| dug during 2nd to 6th century BCE, predominantly | | | | followed the rich tradition of paintings that had |
| for the Buddhist monks. Most of these caves | | | | started during the prehistoric times at Bhimbetka, |
| were dug under the patronage of Vakataka king | | | | Sittanvasal and Adamgarh. |
| Harishena. | | | | Ajanta murals are mainly didactic, devotional and |
| Till the beginning of 19th century, these beautiful | | | | ornamental in taste. Themes of the paintings are |
| caves were completely unknown to the world. | | | | predominantly inspired from the tales of Jataka |
| Ajanta caves were first discovered by English | | | | and the life and teachings of Buddha. The paintings |
| Subaltern officers of Madras Army in 1819. In | | | | here can be classified in to portraits, narrative |
| next hundred years, many people set out on the | | | | illustrations and decorative ornamentation of |
| expeditions and collected rich and authentic | | | | society. Some of the most critically acclaimed |
| information about these pristine caves. | | | | paintings of Ajanta are Bodhisattva Padmapani, |
| Noteworthy endeavors were put in by several | | | | Miracle of Saraswati, The Dying Princess, Pillar |
| western art freaks like James Alexander (1834), | | | | Detail, Dark Buddha, beside the beautiful Jataka |
| James Fergusson (1843), Major Robert Gill (1857), | | | | illustrations on the ceilings, walls, over the gates |
| Mr. Griffith(1896), Lady Harringham (1911) and | | | | etc. The paintings done here give us ample |
| John Marshall in 1928. | | | | information on the life style of the contemporary |
| Ajanta caves are actually the chaityas | | | | Indian society. |
| (sanctuaries) and viharas (monasteries), cut for | | | | For more information on Ajanta paintings please |
| the Buddhist monks. In Buddhist traditions the | | | | visit Ethnic Paintings. |