In 1819, a group of tiger hunting British army officers discovered a series of carved caves those were used as monsoon retreats or varshavasas by Buddhist monks. Altogether there are thirty caves and these caves were continuously occupied from 200 BC to 650 AD. Of the thirty caves, five are chaityas or temples and the rest are viharas or monasteries.

The sculptures and paintings in the caves detail the Buddha's life as well as the lives of Buddha in his previous births. Court scenes, street scenes, cameos of domestic life and even animal and bird studies are painted on the walls of these caves.

The Ajanta caves were built in two phases, separated from each other by four hundred years. These architectural phases coincide with the two schools of Buddhist thought, the older Hinayana sect where the Buddha was represented only in symbols and the later Mahayana sect where Buddha was represented in human form.

The more prominent Hinayana caves are chaitya caves 9 and 10 and vihara caves 8, 12, 13 and 15. The sculpted figures in these caves are dressed and coiffed in a manner reminiscent of the stupas at Sanchi and Barhut, indicating that they date back to the first or second century BC.

Ajanta Tour Packages