Place Name: Ajanta & ellora

Country Name: India

Best Time to Visit: The best time to visit Ajanta and Ellora is from October through March

Side Location: The Kailasa temple in Cave 16 stands as one of the most wonderful architectural creations with the entire structure chiseled out of a single rock. This mountain, believed to be the holy abode of Lord Shiva, is probably the world's largest monolith. The 34 Ellora caves, one of the greatest tourist attractions in India, lie at a distance of 30 kms from Aurangabad. They are basically made out of a basaltic hill. The fascia and subtly decorated interiors are some of the finest instances of cave - temple sculpture. Formed during the 350 AD to 700 AD, these constructions speak of the three faiths of Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism. The 12 caves to the south are dedicated to Buddhism, 17 in the centre to Hinduism, and the 5 to the north to Jainism. The Jain caves are located almost a mile away from the Kailasa temple, among which Cave 32 has a beautiful shrine designed with wonderful carved forms of a lotus flower on the roof, and a yakshi on a lion beneath a mango tree. Caves 32 and 34 preserve the royal statues of Parasnath. The other Jain caves have the illustrations of Tirthankaras, and one of them, even has a seated figure of Mahavira.

Language: Marathi and English and Hindi

Description:

Chiseled during the span between the 2nd century BC and the 8th century AD, the Ajanta and Ellora caves are two of the most alluring tourist destinations in India. Your tour to India is, in fact, incomplete without a trip to this wonderful tourist site near the city of Ahmedabad in Gujarat. Discovered by John Smith, a British Army Officer with his group on their expedition in 1819, the caves of Ajanta and Ellora lay amidst the Sahyadri hills, carved into the mountain side, over the Waghora River. They illustrate the story of Buddhism, spanning over a period from 200 BC to 650 AD. There are 29 caves which were built as isolated retreats of the Buddhist monks, who preached and performed religious rites in the Chaityas and Viharas, the ancient centers of learning of the Buddhist cultural movement. The saints carved out the stunning figures to decorate the walls of these structures with the help of hammer and chisel. A lot of the caves exhibit panels demonstrating stories from the Jatakas - tales of the several incarnations of the Buddha. One can notice images of nymphs and princesses amongst others.At 30 kms from Aurangabad are located the Ellora caves, 34 in number. They are carved into the sides of a basaltic hill. The facades and finely designed interiors are some of the finest examples of cave - temple architecture. Carved during 350 AD to 700 AD, these structures depict the three faiths of Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism. The 17 in the centre are dedicated to Hinduism, 12 caves to the south are Buddhist and the 5 caves to the north are Jain.The Kailasa temple in Cave 16 stands as one of the greatest architectural wonders with the entire composition chiseled out of a monolith. This mountain, believed to be the holy abode of Lord Shiva, is probably the world's largest monolith. The pavilion, gateway, assembly hall, sanctum and tower, are all cut out of a single block. Unlike most of the other temple constructions that start from the base, the sculpture here starts fr

How To Reach:

"By Air Transportation access to Ajanta and Ellora is easy with the nearest airbase from Ajanta being Aurangabad. It can be accessed to and from the international airports of New Delhi and Mumbai (Bombay). Indian airlines as well as Jet Airways have daily air services to Aurangabad from these two metros. Jalgaon, which is nearer to Ajanta, is fast developing its airport and will be ready to serve passengers visiting the site. However, as of now, Aurangabad (99 kilometers from Ajanta and 30 km from Ellora) is the perfect base to visit Ajanta and Ellora, being well connected to the important cities of Delhi, Udaipur, Jaipur, and Mumbai. By Rail Jalgaon railway station, 59 kilometers from Ajanta, is the nearest railhead from Ajanta, providing easy transportation access from the major cities of India. It is an important junction of most of the major railway stations of the country and Bhusaval, which is located just 28 kms from Jalgaon is the second largest railway depot in Asia. All Super Fast, express, mail and passenger trains halt at Bhusaval and most of them stop at Jalgaon too. From Jalgaon, you can avail of the Taxi/ state transport department bus in order to reach Ajanta. The two trains Tapovan Express and Devgiri Express depart every day from Mumbai to Aurangabad. By Road Regular services of state buses are available from Mumbai, Pune, Jalgaon, Ahmednagar, Ahmedabad, Shirdi, Nasik, Dhule, Indore, Hyderabad, and Bijapur to Aurangabad, and from Jalgaon to Ajanta.Ajanta and Ellora are the two names that evoke a sense of curiosity and interest in every tourer's mind. These monuments are centuries old and proudly speak of the early art and culture of the Indian subcontinent. A visit to these tourist destinations in India will leave you with a longing to visit again. "

Climate:

The best time to visit Ajanta and Ellora is from October through March, when temperatures vary between 12º C and 34º C (54º F and 93º F). Monsoons bring heavy rains from June to September, with temperatures reaching 39º C (102º F).

Hotels:

Grand Hotel Rhodes/Imperial Rhodes Resort (ex Hilton Rhodes)

People Life Style:

Night Life:

Youngsters can party at pubs and clubs with music and dance. Evening walk near the beaches gives is very relaxing.

Wine Dine:

Miscllnious:

Ajanta houses some of the best galleries of ancient Indian paintings. Ajanta speaks the liveliest of the language known to man. This liveliest backdrop of Ajanta is at the back of Jnaneshvara's mind when he composed his verses. The Gita Ratnaprasad of the 18th chapter and Yogadurga of 12th chapter in the Jnaneshvari have permanently connected Jnaneshvara with the rock-cut aesthetics of Ellora and Deogiri, Ajanta backdrop makes Jnaneshvari the prismatic spectrum that refracted the beams of rock cut aesthetics of Ajanta Ellora and Deogiri. They together make a common aesthetic rainbow catchment area. Created during the nineteenth century, Ajanta and Ellora, two of the eminent tourist destinations in India, offer some of the finest sculptural illustrations that ensure some of the highest influx of tourists from various parts of the world. One of the greatest tourist attractions in India and in the world, it is located near the city of Aurangabad.