Ajanta is a series of rock-cut caves in the Sahyadri ranges on Waghora river near Aurangabad in
Maharashtra. There are a total of 29 caves of which 25 were used as Viharas or residential caves while 4 were used as Chaitya or prayer halls. The caves were developed in the period between 200 B.C. to 650 A.D.
The Ajanta caves were inscribed by the Buddhist monks, under the patronage of the Vakataka kings – Harishena being a prominent one.
The figures in these caves were done using fresco painting and demonstrate considerable naturalism. The colours were obtained from local vegetation and minerals. The outlines of the paintings were done in red colour and then the inside was painted. One of the striking features is the absence of blue colour in the paintings. Cave No. 16 is one of the most elegant specimens of cave architecture.
The paintings are generally themed around Buddhism – the life of Buddha and Jataka stories. Of the 29 caves, 5 were developed during the Hinayana phase while the remaining 24 were developed during the Mahayana phase of Buddhism. Reference of the Ajanta caves can be found in the travel accounts of Chinese Buddhist travellers Fa Hien and Hieun Tsang.
Ellora Caves
Ellora caves are another important site of cave architecture. It’s located nearly 100 km away from Ajanta caves in the Sahyadri ranges of Maharashtra. It is a group of 34 caves – 17 Brahmanical, 12 Buddhist and 5 Jain. These set of caves were developed during the period between 5th and 11th centuries A.D. (newer as compared to Ajanta Caves) by various guilds from Vidarbha, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Hence, the caves reflect a natural diversity in terms of theme and architectural styles.
Bagh Caves
Located on the bank of the Bagh river in Madhya Pradesh, it is a group of 9 Buddhist caves developed
around 6th Century A.D., It is architecturally very similar to the Ajanta caves.
Junagadh Caves
These are Buddhist caves located in Junagadh district of Gujarat. There are not actually caves here, but three different sites can be found. (1) Khapra Kodiya, (2) Baba Pyare, (3) Uparkot. A unique feature of the Junagadh caves is the presence of a 30-50 ft high citadel known as “Upar Kot” in front of the prayer hall.
Nasik Caves
It is a group of 24 Buddhist caves, also known as “Pandav Leni”. They were developed during the 1st century A.D. and belong to the Hinayana period.
However, later, the influence of Mahayana sect can also be found in these caves. Under Hinayana sect, his presence is indicated through the use of motifs and symbols like the throne and footprints. And later, the idols of Buddha were also carved inside these caves representing the influence of Mahayana Buddhism. The site also depicts an excellent system of water management indicated through the presence of water tanks carved out of solid rocks.
Mandapeshwar Caves
Located in Borivali near Mumbai and also known as Montperir caves, it was developed in late gupta period as a Brahmanical cave. However, it was later converted into a Christian cave. The remains of the
site include sculptures of Natraja, Sada shiva and ardhanarishwara. The church and its graveyard are
situated above the cave precincts.
Udayagiri caves
(not to be confused with Udayagiri-Khandagiri Caves in Odisha) It is located in Vidisha, Madhya Pradesh. Created in the early 5th century AD under the patronage of Chandragupta II, it is famous for having numerous sculptures on the hill walls. The sculpture of Varaha or Boar incarnation of the Vishnu is notable. The caves have one of the earliest Hindu sculptures. It also has caves dedicated to Shiva, Narasimha (half-lion, half-man), Narayana (resting Vishnu) and Skanda.
Stupas
The Gupta age saw a decline in the development of stupas. However, Dhamek stupa at Sarnath near Varanasi is a fine example of stupa developed during this period.
