Ajanta Ellora Caves
FINISHED CAVES
Cave 1: This is one of the finest monasteries at Ajanta. Graciously posed
Bodhisattvas with elaborate headdresses flank the antechamber doorway. On its
either side are two of the best-known murals Bodhisattva Padmapani and Bodhisattva
Vajrapani holding a thunderbolt (right) accompanied by attendants, divine musicians
and flying figures.
The left wall of the antechamber depicts the assault and temptation by Mara,
the god of passion, and on the right wall is the dark princess being offered
lotuses by a lady. In the shrine, the Buddha is seen in the teaching position.
Under his throne appears the Wheel of Life. The left wall of the hall shows
scenes from the Mahajanaka Jataka. To the right of the rear wall are episodes
from the Champeyya Jataka.
Cave 2: It is remarkable for the painted ceiling with large medallions,
delicate bands of lotus flowers, scrollwork and abstract geometric patterns.
Episodes connected with the birth of the Buddha such as the dream of his mother
Maya, its interpretation by the priests and the birth of Gautama occupy the
left wall. Next of this is a representation of the Miracle of Shravasti when
the Buddha manifested himself in thousand forms.
Cave 4: Planned on a grandiose scale, but never completed, this is the
largest monastery at Ajanta. It has a central doorway embellished with guardians,
flying figures, maidens clutching trees and also images of the Buddha and Ganas,
or dwarfs, with garlands. Six gigantic standing figures of the Buddha are carved
in the walls of the antechamber.
Cave 6: Excavated on two levels, it has a splendidly carved entrance.
The lower hall has 16 octagonal columns. In the shrine is the seated Buddha
accompanied by standing Buddhas. The upper hall has only one painting, depicting
the gift by a monk.
Cave 7: Unlike the other monasteries, this one contains only two small
porticos and does not have a hall. The shrine has a seated Buddha with a halo
carved on the back wall.
Cave 9 : Rectangular in plan, with a monolithic hemispherical Stupa in
the center. Traces of wall-paintings can be seen above which are figures of
the Buddha in various poses.
Cave 10 : Probably the earliest cave excavated at Ajanta. The paintings,
though largely obliterated, reveal a royal personage accompanied by soldiers,
musicians and dancers, worshipping the Bodhi Tree and the Stupa. Also of interest
are the Jataka tales on the right wall.
Cave 11: Believed to be excavated in phase II, it has an entrance with
a lion-head at each end of the threshold. The ceiling of the verandah is painted
with trees, birds, beast and geometric design. The walls of the hall are adorned
with figures of the Buddha.
Cave 12: Among the earliest of monasteries its doorways in the hall are
topped with arched Chaitya window motifs. Particularly noteworthy is a Brahmi
inscription recording the gift of the rear wall of the cell in the right corner
of the hall.
Cave 13: It is a small monastery belonging to the earlier phase of excavation.
The hall has seven narrow cells, each with two stone beds. One of the cells
has a raised stone pillow in it.
Cave 14: This cave, excavated at a higher level, can be reached by passing
through an incomplete cave. It has a central doorway whose top is adorned with
attendants and maidens clutching branches.
Cave 15: A two-tiered structure, it has a Stupa with a canopy of serpent
hoods in the lower tier. The upper tier has a Chaitya window motif with a pair
of beautifully carved pigeons. The rear wall of the hall is carved with an image
of the Buddha seated on a throne.
Cave 15A: Reached by a descending flight of steps near Cave 15. the walls
of the hall are carved with Chaitya window motifs in relief. Each of the cells
in the hall has a door and raised platforms, which served as beds.
Cave 16: It is one of the finest monasteries at Ajanta. It has a donative
inscription of Varahadeva a minister of the king Harisena. The ceiling of the
front aisle replicates wooden beams, the ends being supported by Ganas, musicians
and flying couples. The teaching Buddha is seated on a lion-throne. To his left
is the dying Princess (the bride of Buddha's cousin Nanda) on the right wall
is the painting of Siddhartha (later the Buddha) using the bow, and the Buddha
begging for alms from his wife and son. On the front wall of the hall are two
scenes from the Jataka tales in which the Bodhisattva appears as an elephant
and as a wise judge, settling a dispute between two women claiming motherhood
of the same child.
Cave 17: The greatest number of wall-paintings are preserved in this
cave. The doorway shows a row of eight Buddhas surrounded by female guardians,
river gooses, and scrollwork and lotus petals. On the left side wall of the
verandah is the unusual composition of the Wheel of life displaying all of creation.
The painting in the hall illustrates the Jataka tales.
Cave 18: A rectangular excavation, it has two pillars with molded bases
and octagonal shafts leading into another cell.
Cave 19: One of the most perfectly executed rock-cut Chaityas with elaborately
carved interiors. Seated Budda figures as well as riders, flying figures, hermits
and musicians adorn the column capitals. Two rows of richly decorated columns
lead up to the standing Buddha. The shrine has a triple stone umbrella above
the monolithic Stupa.
Cave 20: A small monastery with delicately carved verandah columns and
bracket figures. The hall has no pillars, and some of the cells inside have,
above their lintels, a design, which resembles the Shikhara - the top of a temple.
Cave 21: A monastery which, although only partially complete, has many
richly ornamented columns. On the left wall is a fragment of a painting showing
the Buddha preaching to the congregation. Above the side shrines of the verandah
are carved Hariti, the goddess of prosperity, and her attendants to the right,
and a court of Naga, the serpent king to the left.
Cave 22: Excavated at a higher level, this small monastery with a narrow
verandah has four unfinished cells. On the right wall of the shrine are painted
the seven Manushi-Buddhas with Maitreya, under their respective Bodhi Trees.
Cave 26: The interior of this Chaitya Hall is decorated with carved Buddha
figures. The focal Stupa has an image of the Master seated in a pavilion. The
two narrative scenes on the left wall show the temptation by Mara, the god of
passion, and a colossal carved figure of the reclining Buddha, depicting his
ultimate salvation from the cycle of rebirth-the Mahaparinirvana. The disciples
beneath are shown to be mourning the decease of the master, while celestials
are rejoicing in his salvation.
Cave 27: An adjunct cave 26, it has a shrine and an antechamber with
its narrow front wall portraying a Naga king, a couple and a female standing
gracefully on a Makara, a mythical sea monster, with a bird perched on her right
hand. The shrine has an image of the Buddha in teaching attitude.
Ajanta has two kinds of Caves:
»
Finished Caves
»
Unfinished Caves
Ajanta Ellora Caves, Monuments in India,
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