History of Ajanta

History of Ajanta, Maharashtra is a thrilling one because of the eventful past of the place and the superb beauty of the locales. During the 19th century a group of young and energetic British Officers found out three caves in the Sahyadri hills which were lying under debris. It happened as an accident during one of the hnting expeditions and these three caves were named Ajanta Caves

Ajanta in Maharashtra has horseshoe shaped structure in the inner folds.There

It was in the 4th century A.D that in a remote valley work started in the Ajanta Caves to create a complex of Buddhist prayer halls and monasteries The Caves were places where the Buddhist monastic orders resided and performed their devotional practices and could also access the trade routs because they were situated in the nearby areas. There are Chaityas, Viharas, monasteries and chapels for prayer which have stood the taste of time as citadels of History of Ajanta, Maharashtra and flaunt the best of art and architecture of the bygone era.

This period in the History of Ajanta India was between 200BC to 650 BC and was predominantly Buddhist. The Thirty caves of Ajanta of whom a few remained unfinished were developed over a period of 800 years and carry a lot of images of Lord Buddha.

The Thirty beautifully crafted Buddhist Caves have some of the best sculptures and paintings which tell vividly about the History of Ajanta, Maharashtra. They tell about the life of Buddha as well as lives and activities of Buddha in the previous births. Of the Thirty caves twenty five are Viharas or monasteries and five are Chaityas which happened to be the places of worship. The Ajanta Caves can be divided into Hinayana and Mahayana sects based on two schools of Buddhist thoughts.

Mahayana Caves are very important because they have some of the best preserved and decorated wall paintings. Tour to Ajanta in Maharashtra is incomplete without visiting the Hinayana Caves which brandish to an important period in the History of Ajanta. Cave number 10 is the oldest one in Ajanta. Cave 9 has been found out to be the oldest Chaitya and cave 2 is very important historically because it portrays the birth of Buddha in a structure that is brilliant to say the least.