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