Ellora Caves, Maharashtra

Ellora Caves, Ellora also spelled Elura, a series of 34 magnificent rock-cut temples in northwest-central Maharashtra state, western India. They are located near the village of Ellora, 19 miles (30 km) northwest of Aurangabad and 50 miles (80 km) southwest of the Ajanta Caves. Spread over a distance of 1.2 miles (2 km), the temples were cut from basaltic cliffs and have elaborate facades and interior walls. The Ellora complex was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1983.

The 12 Buddhist caves (in the south) date from about 200 BCE to 600 CE, the 17 Hindu temples (in the centre) date from about 500 to 900 CE, and the 5 Jain temples (in the north) date from about 800 to 1000. The Hindu caves are the most dramatic in design, and the Buddhist caves contain the simplest ornamentation. Ellora served as a group of monasteries (viharas) and temples (caityas); some of the caves include sleeping cells that were carved for itinerant monks.

The most remarkable of the cave temples is Kailasa (Kailasanatha; cave 16), named for the mountain in the Kailas Range of the Himalayas where the Hindu god Shiva resides. Unlike other temples at the site, which were first delved horizontally into the rock face, the Kailasa complex was excavated downward from a basaltic slope and is therefore largely exposed to sunlight. Construction of the temple in the 8th century, beginning in the reign of Krishna I (c. 756–773), involved the removal of 150,000 to 200,000 tons of solid rock. The complex measures some 164 feet (50 metres) long, 108 feet (33 metres) wide, and 100 feet (30 metres) high and has four levels, or stories. It contains elaborately carved monoliths and halls with stairs, doorways, windows, and numerous fixed sculptures. One of its better-known decorations is a scene of Vishnu transformed into a man-lion and battling a demon. Just beyond the entrance, in the main courtyard, is a monument to Shiva’s bull Nandi. Along the walls of the temple, at the second-story level, are life-size sculptures of elephants and other animals. Among the depictions within the halls is that of the 10-headed demon king Ravana shaking Kailasa mountain in a show of strength. Erotic and voluptuous representations of Hindu divinities and mythological figures also grace the temple. Some features have been damaged or destroyed over the centuries, such as a rock-hewn footbridge that once joined two upper-story thresholds.

The Vishvakarma cave (cave 10) has carvings of Hindu and Buddhist figures as well as a lively scene of dancing dwarfs. Notable among the Jain temples is cave 32, which includes fine carvings of lotus flowers and other elaborate ornaments. Each year the caves attract large crowds of religious pilgrims and tourists. The annual Ellora Festival of Classical Dance and Music is held there in the third week of March.

Ajanta Caves, Maharashtra

The Ajanta Caves are a series of 29 Buddhist cave templesin Ajanta, India, some of which date from the 2nd century BC. Encompassing both Theravada and Mahayana Buddhist traditions, the Ajanta caves preserve some of the best masterpieces of Buddhist art in India. Many visitors explore the Ajanta Caves in conjunction with the nearby Ellora Caves.

History of the Ajanta Caves :-

The Ajanta Caves were carved in the 2nd century BC out of a horseshoe-shaped cliff along the Waghora River. They were used by Buddhist monks as prayer halls (chaitya grihas) and monasteries (viharas) for about nine centuries, then abruptly abandoned. They fell into oblivion until they were rediscovered in 1819.

What to See at the Ajanta Caves :-

The caves are numbered from east to west, 1 through 29. Today, a terraced path connects the cave, but in ancient times each was independently accessed from the riverfront.

A viewing platform across the river affords an excellent view of the entire Ajanta site. The natural beauty of the area makes it clear why the monks chose the site for their spiritual pursuits.

Preserved inside the caves are many masterpieces of Buddhist art. Some reflect the earlier Theravada tradition of depicting the Buddha only in symbolic form such as a throne or footprints. Others, the Mahayana caves, feature colorful murals and statues depicting the life (and former lives) of the Buddha and various Bodhisattvas. The caves also depict scenes from everyday life and many include inscriptions indicating a prince or noble who gifted the cave to the monks.

It is most practical to explore the Ajanta Caves in reverse numerical order, so they are presented in this way below. This keeps you somewhat out of the masses of people moving from cave to cave in the other direction, and brings you out at the exit at the end. The numbers of the must-see caves are in bold.

Cave 26 – A Mahayana prayer hall (chaitya). The highlight is a large carved statue of the reclining Buddha, representing his moment of death. Below him, his followers mourn his passing; above, celestial beings rejoice. The cave also contains a stupa with an image of the Buddha in a pavilion.

Cave 17 – A Mahayana monastery covered with many well-preserved wall paintings. Maidens and celestial musicians are on the ceiling, and Buddhas, celestial guardians, goddesses, lotus petals and scroll work adorn the doorway.

One mural in Cave 17 shows Prince Simhala's encounter with the man-eating ogresses of Sri Lanka, where he'd been shipwrecked. Another shows the king of gods flying amidst clouds with his entourage of celestial nymphs (apsaras) and musicians. The panel above the doorway depicting the seven Manushi Buddhas (Buddhas in human form) together with the Maitreya or future Buddha, seated under their respective Bodhi trees.

Cave 16 – A Mahayana monastery featuring a beautiful painting of the princess Sundari fainting after learning that her husband (the Buddha's half-brother, Nanda) was going to become a monk.

Cave 15, 13, 12 – Theravada monastery caves.

Cave 10 – Theravada prayer hall, thought to be the oldest cave temple at Ajanta, dating to the 2nd century BC.

Cave 9 – One of the earliest prayer hall caves, notable for its arched windows that let softly diffused sunlight in the cave. This Theravada cave also features a large stupa.

Cave 8 – Theravada monastery cave.

Cave 4 – Incomplete, but the largest of the Ajanta monasteries.

Cave 2 – The façade of this Mahayana monastery cave shows the kings of Naga and their entourage. Inside, a glorious mandala dominates the ceiling, held by demons and decorated with birds, flowers, fruits and abstract designs. The ceiling gives the effect of a cloth canopy, right down to the sag in the middle.

Cave 1 – The most popular of the monastery caves at Ajanta. Every inch of the cave was originally painted, though much has worn away over the centuries. The doorway to the antechamber is flanked by murals of two great bodhisattvas. On the right, holding a thunderbolt, is Avalokitesvara (or Vajrapani), the most important bodhisattva in Mahayana Buddhism. On the left, holding a water lily, is the bodhisattva Padmapani.

The sidewalls of Cave 1's antechamber show two scenes from the Buddha's life: his temptation by Mara just before his enlightenment and the miracle of Sravasti, where the Buddha multiplied himself into thousand images.

Above the left porch of Cave 1 are friezes of the Three Signs (a sick man, an old man, and a corpse) that the Buddha saw on his fateful journey outside the palace that led him to become a monk. In the sanctum is a colossal sculpture of the Buddha in the preaching pose. Murals on the walls of the main hall depict numerous Jataka Tales, stories of the previous lives of Gautama Buddha.

Getting There :-

The Ajanta Caves are not easily accessible to visitors but, of course, that was the point. The drive from the nearest major town, Aurangabad, takes between 2 and 3 hours.

By Air: (to Aurangabad): According to Frommer's, "the quickest, most sensible way" to get to Aurangabad is to fly Jet Airways (about 45 minutes and about $75) from Mumbai to Aurangabad's airport.

By Rail: The nearest train station is Jalgaon, which connects to many cities in India. An even more major station is Bhusaval, 28km from Jalgaon. From Jalgaon, you can take a taxi to Ajanta.

By Road: (to Aurangabad and Ajanta): Taxis and auto-rickshaws are widely available at Aurangabad airport and Jalgaon train station. A taxi from the airport into the city should cost about Rs 100. In the airport's arrivals area is the MTDC Holiday Resort, which provides brochures and tour bookings for the caves. Also located there is Classic Travel Related Services, which will arrange any kind of transport for Aurangabad and surrounding areas, including the Ajanta and Ellora caves. A full day with car and driver costs about Rs 1,200 ($26).

The drive from Aurangabad to Ajanta takes 2 to 3 hours, so start early to beat the midday heat. Most visitors are dropped off in the Ajanta caves' parking lot, where you'll find plenty of tacky souvenirs for sale and eco-friendly buses waiting to take you the short way up to the Ajanta Caves ticket office.

Alternatively, you can be dropped off at the viewpoint across the river, reached via a turnoff slightly before the parking lot. If you're in good shape and steady on your feet, this option is worth the trouble. From the viewing platform, make your way down the difficult footpath and across the footbridge spanning the Waghora River. Arrange to have your driver pick you up at the parking lot when you're done.

Site Information :-

Name:             Ajanta Caves

Categories:    Temples; Caves; World Heritage Sites; Rock-cut temples;
                        Cave architecture

Dates:             2nd C BCE

Status:            Museum

Hampi, Karnataka

When it comes to the important world heritage sites in India, the ruins of Hampi hold the top position in the prestigious list. Hampi is basically a village located in the Northern part of Karnataka, which forms an integral part of the ruins of Vijaynagara (the once capital of the Vijaynagara Empire).

This place, apart from being an important religious centre, is home to several other monuments that belonged to the old city. One of the interesting facts about Hampi apart from its history and culture is that this place is closely associated with the incidents of Ramayana. According to the mythological epic, when Lord Rama and his brother were wandering in the forest searching for the trails of Devi Sita (Lord Rama’s wife), who was abducted by the demon king Ravana, both these brothers came to this region in search of Vail and Sugriv (two monkeys brothers) who ruled in this region.

Later Lord Rama went and sought help from Sugriv to form an army of monkeys and other animals in order to rescue his wife. Owing to such historical and religious significance, this place was declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In terms of etymology, the name of Hampi has been originally derived from the word ‘Pampa’, which used to be the earlier name of the Tungabhadra River. From the word ‘Pampa’ was derived the Kannada word ‘Hampe’, which went on to be anglicised as ‘Hampi’.

The most important attraction of this place, which also serves as an eminent religious centre of the region, is the Virupaksha Temple (a temple dedicated to Lord Virupaksha, who is considered to be the deity of the Vijaynagara rulers). Because of this, Hampi is also at times referred to as Vijaynagara and Virupakshapura.

Hampi is considered to be the largest open monument and lost city of Asia. At the same time, it is easy to understand the past grandeur of this city and realise what it used to look like some 6-7 centuries back. The first historical record of settlement in Hampi dates back to 1 C.E. Dating from 1336-1565 Hampi was considered to be one of the core areas of the capital of the Vijaynagara Empire with palaces, temples, fort walls, civil buildings, tanks, irrigation channels, etc. spread over an area of 25 sq km.

This place reflects the power and prosperity of the Vijaynagara Empire, not forgetting the fact that only an empire so big and powerful could have created it. Religion, which played an important role in the construction of this place, also had a crucial role to play in its destruction, thereby justifying the fact that one man’s fundamentalist is another man’s infidel.

The Muslim states of Bijapur, Golkonda, Ahmednagar and Bidar formed an alliance in order to ravage the Hindu shield. This led to the battle of 1565 where the army of the Vijaynagara Empire was brutally defeated by the alliance and the army of the invading soldiers marched on the beautiful city with the determination to tear it into pieces. This caused a prevalence of loot, pillage, rapine and destruction of the beautiful buildings including Hampi temple and statues of Hindu Gods.

Thus an empire that marked its beginning with ascribing to Islamic invasions met its end being invaded by the Islamic army. One of the major reasons why Hampi laid siege to the Deacon Muslim Confederacy was its strong topography and geographical location which refers to its bounding by River Tungabhadra on one side, while the rest of its three sides are covered by defensible hills. Since the terrain is more hilly and raggedy, there is abundance of large stones in this region, which were eventually used for the construction of the various statues of Hindu deities. Hampi is also known for the mineral deposits of iron ore and manganese leading to the prospects of mining, which has been going on for many years now.

Apart from this, the Archaeological Survey of India keeps conducting excavations in Hampi to discover something new every now and then. In current times, Hampi is one of the favourite tourist spots of India visited by people from across the world. In simple terms Hampi is a must-visit destination when one is travelling in India especially South India.

Thousands of people visit the ruins of Hampi every year for the purpose of sightseeing, study or research thereby reinforcing the cause of tourism in this region. This helps the government in two major ways, first of all having so many tourists every year boosts their economy, and tourism helps in several ways to protect this beautiful site from negligence and destruction.

Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh

The Khajuraho group of temples is one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites, famous for its fascinating erotic sculptures. Located in Madhya Pradesh, this group of temples includes few dominated by the Jain religion whereas some are dedicated to Hindu religion. Khujaraho was declared as the 1st capital of Chandelas, who ruled Bundelkhand during the 10th to the 14th centuries. Khujaraho gets its name from the date palm tree (the Khajur tree), found in abundant in this area. Presently, the Khajuraho group of temples included 22 temples, which initially included 85 temples. It almost took 100 years for the construction of the temples, mid of 9th century to the early 12th century and were constructed following the Nagara style of architecture. Every temple is unique in its own way and each reflects the magnificence of prosperous era of Indian art & architecture.

The temples of Khajuraho are different from each other as there are no deities, religion or worshipping traits to follow, temple is about looking up to the spectacular architecture, art and sculpture of that particular period. In the 19th century, these magnificent were revived and restored after being deserted and susceptible to natural forces.

Kandariya Mahadev Temple :-

Kandariya Mahadev Temple is the largest of all of temples in Khajuraho. Also, it is the tallest of temples with a height of 31.5 meters. It is well-known for its mesmerizing architecture. The temple is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is dedicated to Lord Shiva and built on a high platform. The temple owes its name to a name of Lord Shiva, Mahadev. There are some great sculptures in the temple which are enough to leave you spellbound. The carvings are beautiful and they make this temple, one of the most ornamented temples of the city. One can witness the different forms of art through the figures which are engraved inside and outside the walls of the temple.

Lakshmana Temple :-

A part of the Western Group of Temples, Lakshmana Temple is one of the oldest temples of Khajuraho. The temple was built by a Chandela ruler, Yashovarman in 930 - 950 CE. Pure medieval Indian architecture can be seen in this temple. The key highlight of the temple is the main chamber which is in the form of a chariot. The chariot is also known as the Pancharatha. There are around 600 Hindu Gods which reside in the temple. There are many beautiful carvings of Hindu Gods at the entrance of the temple. Inside the temple, there is a big image of Vaikuntha-Vishnu.

Devi Jagdamba Temple :-

A major part of the Western group of Temples, Devi Jagadamba Temple is well-known for its beauty and symbolism. The temple is further divided into three different bands. The first one has sculptures of the creator, Brahma. The second has carvings of Lord Shiva as the destroyer and the last one is dedicated to Lord Vishnu who is the sustainer. There are different carvings and sculptures in the temple which depict different themes like union, war and peace. Inside the temple, there is a big statue of Goddess Parvati. People from different parts of the world visit the temple to have a look at its beautifully carved sculptures.

Taj Mahal – Agra (India)

Standing majestically on the banks of River Yamuna, the Taj Mahal is synonymous to love and romance. The name "Taj Mahal" was derived from the name of Shah Jahan's wife, Mumtaz Mahal, and means "Crown Palace". The purity of the white marble, the exquisite ornamentation, precious gemstones used and its picturesque location, all make a visit to the Taj Mahal gain a place amongst the most sought-after tours in the world. However, until you know the love story behind the construction of the Taj Mahal, the beauty of the same would not enliven in your heart and mind and instead would come up as just another beautiful building/monument. It is the love behind this outstanding monument that has given a life to this monument. Come and explore the visceral charisma that it emanates

At the brink of dawn when the first rays of the sun hits the dome of this epic monument, it radiates like a heavenly abode, cloaked in bright golden. And then at dusk, basking in the glory of moon, it shines like a perfectly carved diamond; appearing as if straight owwut of some magical tale, leaving the viewers awestruck by its sense of grandeur. Nothing short of an architectural marvel, no wonder it stands proud at being one of the Seven Wonders of the World. And the rich beauty of this visual spectacle turns visceral when one hears the story behind it. The story of Taj Mahal!

Taj Mahal, "the epitome of love", is "a monument of immeasurable beauty". The beauty of this magnificent monument is such that it is beyond the scope of words. The thoughts that come into the mind while watching the Taj Mahal of Agra is not just its phenomenal beauty, but the immense love which was the reason behind its construction. Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan got this monument constructed in the memory of his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal, with whom he fell in love at the first sight. Ironically, the very first sight of the Taj Mahal, the epitome of love and romance, also leaves visitors mesmerized and perpetually enthralled.

Location:	On the banks of river Yamuna in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India
Year of Construction:	1631 - 1653
Built By:	Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan
Spread Over:	42 acres
Significance:	One of the Seven Wonders of the World