The Ajanta Caves are 29 (approximately) rock-

cut Buddhist cave monuments which date from the 2nd

century BCE to about 480 CE in Aurangabad
district of Maharashtra state of India. The caves include
paintings and rock-cut sculptures described as among the
finest surviving examples of ancient Indian art,
particularly expressive paintings that present emotion
through gesture, pose and form.
It was only in 1819, when Jon Smith, who belonged to
the 28th Cavalry accidentally chanced upon the horse-
shoe shaped rock while hunting a tiger in and around
the Deccan Plateau region. The entrance to the cave
like structures intrigued the British official enough to
make them cross the Waghora River in the vicinity and
reach the caves. Soon, archaeological experts
excavated the sites and the news of discovery of these
caves spread like wild fire making it an instant hit
among European travellers.
It was soon studied that there were over 30 caves in the
cave complex out of which one part of the complex was
developed during the Satvahana period and the other was
done during the Vakataka period. After closely studying
several of these artefacts, historians and archaeologists
speculated a connection between the Vakataka dynasties
that ruled the region to the Gupta dynasty of north India!
. The second period of construction was carried out during
the rule of Emperor Harishena of the Vakataka dynasty.
Close to 20 cave temples were simultaneously built which
resemble the modern day monasteries with a sanctum in
the rear end of the structure.
The main colours used were red ochre, yellow ochre,
brown ochre, lamp black, white and lapis lazuli which was
imported from Northern India, central Asia and Persia. The
green was made by mixing this lapis lazuli with Indian
yellow ochre. In the pictorial cycles, all the characters are
bright and multi-coloured but are never repeated, a
fundamental concept in Indian art. Ceilings, walls and
pilasters are all covered with overlapping figures, brought
to life by the artists with strong and contrasting colours.
The paintings are meant to transmit a rhythmic
equilibrium indicating the harmony of a society in which
the smallest gestures and desires have a specific place in
a vision of the world that is much larger and devoid of
disquiet. These wonderful murals, miraculously still intact
thanks to the many centuries during which the caves
remained undiscovered, are the only surviving examples of
Indian art of ancient Buddhist India. The majority of
these murales are over 1,500 years old. It is extraordinary
to think that ten centuries before the European
Renaissance, these anonymous artists already knew the
principles of perspective depth and realism in their art.
The expressions and the emotions captured on the faces
of the characters are amazingly real and modern. the
Ajanta wall paintings are famous for their masterful line-
work, the use of natural pigments, the artistry achieved
with only primitive tools, the sensual forms, and the
harmony of the overall composition. The end result, we
must remember, would have been viewed in semi-
darkness with perhaps just some weak oil lamps to help
make out the figures.
These masterpieces at Ajanta were executed more or less
in two phases. An initial phase is made up primarily of the
fragments in caves 9 & 10, from the second century B.C.
The second phase of paintings started around V and VI
centuries A.D. and continued for the next two centuries.
There appear to have been a multitude of artists at work
and both the style and quality are varied. It is in this
second phase that we find the depictions of the jataka –
the stories that recount the lives of Buddha. Renowned
worldwide for their exquisite beauty, the various
Bodhisattvas depicted in Cave 1 include Vajrapani
(protector and guide, a symbol of Buddha’s power),
Manjushree (manifestation of Buddha’s wisdom) and
Avalokitesvara (symbol of Buddha’s compassion). The
ceiling decoration invariably consists of decorative
patterns, geometrical as well as floral.
The craftsmen’s unquestionable mastery of brush
technique along with their apparent familiarity with
wealthy or noble subject matter led experts like Walter M
Spinks – Professor Emeritus, History of Art, at the
University of Michigan and a world authority on the
Buddhist rock cut caves at Ajanta – to suppose that these
talented painters may have ‘painted in palaces and
temples, hence the great familiarity that the artists show
with the details of a wealthy court.’
The highly accurate pictorial technique used in Ajanta and
the method of execution makes these wall paintings
unique in the world.
For many years these pictures were called frescoes, but
this is an erroneous term in this case, and they are now
referred to as murals, due to the fact that they were
painted on a dry surface.
A layer of clay was mixed with cow dung and powdered
rice hunk and, it has been suggested, also urine. This
was first applied to the chipped rock surface. When it
dried, a second coat of lime plaster was applied with a
trowel. The lines of the image were then drawn in pink,
brown or black and the colours filled in with big brushes,
made from the hair of squirrel tails. These colours were
made from pebbles and vegetables found on the nearby
hillside which were crushed and ground and then mixed
with glue. Depicting Buddhism
Cut out of rocks, Ajanta Caves trace their origin
between 2nd century BC and 6th century AD. Ajanta
Cave Temples are dedicated to Lord Buddha. Not less
than 30 in number, these caves used to make the
lodging of followers and students of Buddhism. During
the time of their stay, they adorned the caves with their
outstanding architectural skills and artistic paintings.
Generally, the carvings and the paintings illustrate the
life stories of Lord Buddha. In conjunction with this
numerous styles of human and animal figures are also
engraved in the rocks.
The pictorial carvings and murals at Ajanta depict the
modern society of those times. The artistic sculptures
presented every kind of populace from kings to slaves,
from men to women, from children to beasts along with
flowers plants, fruits and birds. There are some figures
that portray the inhabitants like 'Yakshas', 'Kinneras'
(half human and half bird), 'Gandharvas' (divine
musicians) and 'Apsaras' (heavenly dancers).
 All the thirty caves are divided into 'Chaitya-Grihas'
(stupa halls) and 'Viharas' (dwelling halls). In order to
reach each cave, one has to flight of steps that are
preserved in their original structure. The Cave 9, 10, 19,
26 and 29 are known as 'Chaitya-Grihas', which were
used for the worship of the Lord. The remaining caves
are 'Sangharamas' or 'Viharas' that were used for the
housing purpose of the followers and students of
Buddhism.
The caves are numbered as per their present access from
the main entrance and were not erected in the same
order. From artistic point of view, Cave 1, 2, 16 and 17 are
really important and possess remarkable pieces of art that
can certainly beat art of the modern world. The walls of
these caves are adorned with murals that are maintained
to provide the same charm and vibrancy of the bygone era.
It was soon studied that there were over 30 caves in the
cave complex out of which one part of the complex was
developed during the Satvahana period and the other
was done during the Vakataka period. After closely
studying several of these artefacts, historians and
archaeologists speculated a connection between the
Vakataka dynasties that ruled the region to the Gupta
dynasty of north India!
. The second period of construction was carried out
during the rule of Emperor Harishena of the Vakataka
dynasty. Close to 20 cave temples were simultaneously
built which resemble the modern day monasteries with
a sanctum in the rear end of the structure.