The principle reason people go to Aurangabad is to see Ellora and Ajanta. Both are World Heritage Sites, and for good reason. Elephanta would have been less impressive. These are truly remarkable. They are caves and recesses in granite hillsides that Buddhists, Hindus and Jains carved out and painted from the 5th-11th centuries A.D.. The Buddhists were in there during their heyday in India in the 5th-7th, the Hindus mostly from the 7th-9th but for a couple of centuries more to some extent, and the Jains have a few caves until the 11th.
First I went to Ellora.
Bear in mind as you look through these pictures that none of the statues, friezes, pillars, facades, ceilings or anything are built up. They are all wittled down from the rocky hillside. This waterfall gushes and is very beautiful during the monsoon season.
Many of my inside pictures are blurred because it is dark or dimly lit. I took them with my shapshooter propped against something. this prayer hall was lit by an opening over the doorway and the doorway itself. It’s very intersting the way they make the ceiling look like it’s really arched construction, not just carved out that way.
Some of these pseudo-pillars still have good detail. Some of the pillars, especiall in Ajanta are even better preserved. This bunch of pics are still of Ellora.
This is from one of the more recent Jain caves. the next picture is of the hair of the woman on the left.
The single most important reason Ellora is a World Heritage Site is because of the following kailash, this temple which was reduced from granite hillside. It is the largest such kailash in the world. It’s Hindu, and dates from the 7th-9th centuries, taking 150 years to make.
I know many of you aren’t fascinated with antiquities but you’ll just have to live with this. I’m on a roll. Here are some shots of the inside. In the first one, you can see that not every square inch is carved. For me, that adds to the awareness of how it was made.
I wish it didn’t take so long to publish these pictures. You’d think the connection here in Cyberbad (Hyderabad) would be faster, but it isn’t really.
On to Ajanta…
Here are just a few of the things to see in there.
I know one thing. If I ever get enlightened it’ll be while I’m lying down.
Ajanta is also famous for it’s paintings inside. Again, it was too dark to do these justice, but I’m putting a couple on here anyway.
This is Prince Siddhartha before he left the palace to seek enlightenment.
There are actually a few other things to se around Arangabad. About the only photogenic thing is this tomb Aaurangazed built for his fourth wife. My guess is that she was his favorite. It’s called, here, the “mini-Taj Mahal”. The base, much of the inside and the dome are marble, while the walls are stone and plaster. The real Taj is all marble. This one doesn’t look fantastic up close, but it makes for a nice view from a distance.
Whew, that’s it for now. I’ve been in Hyderabad for a couple of days. I’m off to see some stuff. Until later….