These Ancient Stone Mountains are one of
India's top historical sites
Surprisingly engraved on a rocky hill in the
center are the Ajanta and Ellora caves. Both are important UNESCO World
Heritage Sites.
There are 34 caves in Ellora dating from the
6th and 11th centuries AD, and 29 caves in Ajanta dating back to between the
2nd century BC and the 6th century AD. The caves of Ajanta are all Buddhist,
and the caves of Ellora are a mixture of Buddhists, Hindus, and Jains. Funds
for the construction of these caves were provided by various chiefs.
The magnificent Kailasa Temple (also known as
the Kailasha Temple), which forms Cave 16 in Ellora, is undoubtedly the most
popular site. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and his residence on Mount
Kailasha. Its massive size covers twice as much as the Parthenon in Athens, and
it doubles in height and half! Sculptures of a life-size elephant are an
outstanding feature.
North Maharashtra, approximately 400
kilometers (250 miles) from Mumbai.
The nearest railway stations are in Aurangabad
for the caves of Ellora (45 minutes away) and the industrial city of Jalgaon on
the Ajanta border (1.5 hours from there). Travel time from Mumbai to Aurangabad
by Indian Railways train 6-7 hours.
There is also an airport in Aurangabad, so it
is possible to fly from many Indian cities.
Using Aurangabad as a base, it is very easy to
rent a taxi and drive between the two caves. It takes about three hours from
Ellora to Ajanta.
Don't have the time or money to visit both
caves? Ellora receives twice as many visitors as Ajanta, as it is easily
accessible. If your trip forces you to choose between these two sites, they
will support you in deciding whether you are interested in art in Ajanta, or in
the Ellora buildings. And consider the fact that Ajanta has a beautiful view of
the gorge near the Waghora River, which makes it a pleasure to explore.
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