Book Description

Ajanta, [Longitude & Latitude Lat. 20°33'12.30"N Long. 75°42'1.70"E], located at 107 km [66 miles], from Aurangabad district of Maharashtra State, India, is a World Heritage monument, evolved during the period from 2nd Century B.C. to 6th Century A.D. Ajanta conjures before one's vision, a dream of beauty of Caves, hidden in the midst of a lonely glen with a streamlet flowing below, Caves that the ancient Buddhist monks, out on mission to spread tenets of Buddhism in ancient times, could dwell and pray, Caves that the followers of Lord Buddha, embellished with architectural details with a skillful command of the hammer over the chisel, with sculptures of highest craftsmanship and above all, with the paintings of infinite charm. At Ajanta, the paintings on the walls, Illustrate the events in the life of Prince Gautama Buddha, the founder of Buddhism and more popular Jataka stories pertaining to Buddha's previous incarnation. According to the older conceptions, the Buddha wrought many deeds of kindness and mercy in a long series of transmigration as a Bodhisattva, before achieving his final birth as the sage of Sakyas. Incidentally, they contain the scenes of semi-mythological history, the royal court and popular life of the ancient times, as told in romances and plays. Some pictures recall the Greek and Roman compositions and proportions, few late resemble to Chinese manners to some extent but majority belongs to a phase which is purely Indian as they are found nowhere else.The group of caves is designated by the UNESCO as a WORLD HERITAGE MONUMENT in 1983. Inclusion in this list confirms the exceptional universal value of a cultural or natural site which deserves protection for the benefit of all humanity.