Ajanta caves are rock cut caves placed in a horse shoe shaped gorge in Aurangabad district. These caves were chiselled out by Buddhist monks between 200BC and 650AD for prayer halls and monasteries When Ellora developed, and Buddhism gradually waned, the glorious Ajanta caves were forgotten. It was in 1819 when a British hunting party stumbled on them and brought it to limelite. They contain beautiful paintings and sculptures depicting Buddhist glory. The caves are made up of several Chaitya grihas ( stupa halls) and Viharas (dwelling halls). There is a total of 30 caves out of which 5 are chaityas grihas and the other 25 are viharas. The river Wagura flows at the bottom of the gorge from the height of 200 feet. It creates a series of lovely falls. The sound of the water gushing down can even be heard in the caves. Since 1983, the caves have been declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Flash photography is not allowed inside the caves. A video camera permit costs Rs.25/-. Many caves are quite dark so it is advisable to carry a torch. Avoid visiting on holidays and week-ends.
The rock cut architecture of the caves with their chaityas and viharas
The beautifully done paintings inside the caves
Wagura waterfall near the caves
The Ajanta Caves are a series of 29 Buddhist cave temples in Ajanta, India, some of which date from the 2nd century BC. Encompassing both Theravada and Mahayana Buddhist traditions, the Ajanta caves preserve some of the best masterpieces of Buddhist art in India. Many visitors explore the Ajanta Caves in conjunction with the nearby Ellora Caves. The Ajanta Caves were used by Buddhist monks as prayer halls (chaitya grihas) and monasteries (viharas) for about nine centuries, then were abruptly abandoned. They fell into oblivion until they were rediscovered in 1819
Ajanta has a temperate climate with moderate winters between November-February and hot summers from April till June. This city gets its Monsoon from June to September. It rains moderately though the nearby areas vary from arid, semi-arid to fertile.
One can visit this place anytime of the year, but it is best to travel between October and March as this is the winter season and it is pleasant to move out and enjoy viewing the caves.
It is preferable to carry some money in cash and pay the rest by credit card.The restaurants near the caves do not accept credit cards. Good hotels in Aurangabad accept international credit cards. One can also find ATMs of major banks around the city.
No permits are required to travel to Ajanta caves. Just a visa to India is all what is needed.
Rs.500/- (U.S $ 11/-) - subject to change Opening Hours And Days: Tuesday -Sunday - 9am-5:30pm. Closed on national holidays.
By Air- Nearest Airport is Aurangabad which is 106 kms from Ajanta. Flights connect Aurangabad to Delhi, Udaipur, Jaipur and Mumbai. Indian Airlines and Jet Airways have flights to Aurangabad. Nearest international airport is the Mumbai international airport.
By Road- Buses from Aurangabad and Jalgaon drops tourists at a distance of 4 km from the caves. From there, shuttle buses then take the tourists to the caves.
By Train- The nearest train station is Jalgaon
The rock cut architecture of the caves with their chaityas and viharas
Where To Eat: MTDC has a hotel near Ajanta which has a decent restaurant. Traveller’s lodge also has a good restaurant. In Aurangabad one can find a variety of dining options from regular menus to extensive a-la-carte selections which offer Gujarati, North Indian and rich Mughlai cuisines. Bars are in plenty, both in hotels and in licensed 'permit rooms'.
Where To Stay:
The Ajanta caves have only one hotel nearby and that is Ajanata Traveller’s Lodge. MTDC Holiday Resort is located 5 km away at Fardapur. One can stay at Hotel Plaza, Tourist Resort or Hotel Galaxy in Jalgaon which is 59 km away from Ajanta. Aurangabad which is 80 km away from here, also has great hotels like Taj Residency, Rama International and The Meadows.
