The Hindu Business Line : Through realms of wonder

Smitten by the beauty of the paintings and carvings of the Ajanta and Ellora caves, we embarked on a trip to these world famous historical monuments. The Buddhist rock-hewn caves in Ajanta are located about 104 km from Aurangabad, which is about 388 km from Mumbai. For about 1,000 years these caves lay buried in the slopes of the western mountain ranges till they were accidentally discovered in 1819. The horseshoe-shaped rock, rising to a height of about 250 ft, made an ideal site for the monastic sanctuary and the oldest of the caves belonged to pre-Christian times. In addition to the architecture and sculpture common to most Indian rock temples, the caves have one other feature that gives them their worldwide appeal — painting. There are 30 caves, of which 16 contain mural paintings. The best artistic work can be seen in caves 1, 2, 16, 17 and 19, whereas you'll find the best sculptures in caves 1, 4, 17, 19, 24 and 26. The numbering of the caves is done in consecutive order and is not connected to their chronological sequence.

The paintings of the Ajanta caves, made by monks, celebrate the human form in all its beauty and grace and capture the spiritual excellence of the bodhisattva.

The technique employed by the painters is at once ingenious and original. The foundations of the murals were first inlaid in a plaster of clay, cow dung and rice husk. This layer was then coated with fine lime on which designs were outlined with the brush and the colour filled in. The pigments too speak of originality, involving the use of natural material such as yellow earth, red ochre, powdered green rock, lamp black and copper oxide. The brightness and richness of the colours used in the paintings, untarnished and untouched by time, retaining their beauty even in the face of adverse conditions, leaves one in awe of the artists' mastery. The central theme of the wall paintings falls into two main categories — narrative scenes from Buddha's life and illustrations of the jataka tales. Within the framework of spirituality, an entire pageant of contemporary life unfolds, depicting men and women from various walks of life and expressing a variety of emotions. The paintings on the ceiling comprise mainly geometric designs, floral and ornamental motifs, celestial beings in flight, animals, birds and plants.

The masterpiece Padmapani is located in cave 1. With eyes lowered in reverent meditation and features emoting tranquil compassion, this painting of the Bodhisattva has enthralled artists across the world. Maya in cave 2 and Apsara in cave 17 depict the beauty and grace of the fully bejewelled royal women. Fortunately for us, our guide possessed a sound knowledge of Buddhist philosophy and the history of the caves. Thanks to his detailed rendition, we left the place enriched and satisfied.

Enchanting Ellora

The Ellora caves are located at a distance of 28 km from Aurangabad. The cave temples of Ellora are the products of three religious systems — Buddhism, Brahmanism and Jainism, with each system boasting of individual architecture styles. Caves 1 to 12 in the southern series are Buddhist and the earliest dates 500 to 700 A.D. The next caves reflect Brahmanism. Caves 30 to 34 belong to the Jain group. The most notable caves are numbers 5, 10, 15, 16, 21, 29 and 32. However, the most famous monument of all in the Ellora excavations is in Cave 16, celebrated as Kailasagiri, Lord Shiva's mountain abode.

Regarded as the greatest monolithic structure in the world, this rock formation combines enormity of structure and refinement of art. The work had started at the clifftop with a rectangular trench being cut into the rock. An estimated three million cubic feet of rock was chiselled out. The enormous block left at the centre was then carved over decades with sculptors adding profuse ornamentation to the entire structure. The gigantic sculptural piece was double-storeyed, and as one enters the monument one cannot help but shudder at the enormity of the task, and the whole experience has a very humbling effect on visitors.

Most of the caves in Ellora bear various depictions of Lord Shiva — eight-armed, slaying a demon, dancing the tandava — the dance of destruction or playing dice with Parvati. The sculpture featuring Parvati clinging to her husband Shiva as he traps Ravana under the mountain is a masterpiece in its own right.

Of the Jain excavations in caves 30 to 34, the best can be found in cave 32, also known as Indra Sabha. Our luck with guides seemed to have run out in Ellora and we found ourselves at the mercy of an indifferent guide who gave tourists half-hearted explanations. Except for that, our visit to the Ajanta and Ellora caves was an enriching and educative experience. And there was a sneaking suspicion that this third visit would not be our last!

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