Ajanta Caves

The Ajanta Caves are about 30 Buddhist caves cut into a horseshoe-shaped gorge of the Waghora river in Maharashtra, around 100 km north of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (Aurangabad). The Ajanta Caves were carved in two phases, from about the 2nd century BCE and again in the 5th century CE, and became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983.

Ajanta is celebrated for its paintings, which cover walls and ceilings with scenes from the life of the Buddha and the Jataka tales of his earlier lives, and which are among the finest ancient paintings in the world. After the second phase the caves were abandoned, and the forest closed over them. In 1819 a British cavalry officer, John Smith, out hunting a tiger, saw a cave entrance from the opposite ridge; he scratched his name and the date inside Cave 10, and it is still there. The caves include chaityas, or prayer halls, and viharas, monasteries with cells around a hall. Lighting is kept low to protect the murals, so allow time for your eyes to adjust.

What to see

• Cave 1, with the painted Bodhisattva Padmapani, the lotus bearer, the most famous image at Ajanta
• Cave 2, with painted ceilings of flowers, birds and geometric patterns
• Cave 10, an early chaitya hall, where John Smith's 1819 inscription survives
• Cave 17, with the best preserved narrative murals of the Jataka tales
• Cave 26, with a carved reclining Buddha at his parinirvana, about 7 metres long

What to wear

Wear modest clothing that covers shoulders and knees at the Ajanta Caves, and comfortable shoes that slip off easily, as shoes are removed in some caves. The path climbs and curves round the gorge with many steps, so be prepared for heat in the open: hat, sunscreen and water. In the monsoon, paths can be slippery. Porters with palanquin chairs are available for those who cannot manage the steps. Local women often wear the Paithani or nauvari saree on festival days.

Local food to try

Food at Ajanta is simple: the visitor centre at the T-junction and dhabas near the entrance serve Maharashtrian thalis, poha, vada pav and chai. Jalgaon, the nearest town to the north, is known for bharit, a smoky roasted aubergine dish of the Khandesh region, eaten with bhakri. Back in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, try naan qalia and misal pav. Vegetarian food is easy to find everywhere.

Good to know

• Best time: October to March; the monsoon brings waterfalls in the gorge but slippery paths
• Open daily except Mondays, about 9am to 5:30pm
• Entry fee at the gate, higher for foreign visitors; shuttle bus from the visitor centre extra
• Allow a full day from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar
• About 100 km from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and 60 km from Jalgaon railway station
• No flash photography inside the painted caves

Nearby places

The Ajanta Caves pair with the Ellora Caves on a separate day. Bibi Ka Maqbara and Daulatabad Fort are on the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar side and fit into the Ellora day.