The Ajanta caves facts
The basaltic chain of the Ajanta Mountains rises in India, northeast of the city of Bombay. Twenty-nine caverns dug into the rock by Buddhist monks at the beginning of our era have been discovered there.
These caverns are Buddhist monasteries dug into the rock between the 2nd and 6th centuries BC. These caves, buried by sand and forgotten, escaped pillage. They are reached by a path dug out of the same stone. Magnificent bas-reliefs, pillars and columns supporting profusely decorated vaults have been carved into the walls of the cave. The murals depict scenes of domestic life, battles and Buddha images. Not far from Ajanta, the thirty-two caves of Ellora, excavated in the shape of a temple, show the visitor the most beautiful Indian sculptures in perfect condition.
