Maharashtra Caves
Dating
back to the 2nd BC and artistically built over a few centuries, the Caves of
Maharashtra have an extraordinary appeal and aura. Nestled in the formidable
Sahayadri Mountain Range, these caves have been home to monks of different religions.
Be it the paintings in the Ajanta caves or the sculpture of the Ellora caves,
or the divine presence in the Elephanta caves, the visitors have always and
will always continue to be spellbound. These caves offer a visit that is truly
unforgettable. A visit that will induce a sense of discovery, a discovery of
the self, and of the divine.
Ajanta
Caves
Ajanta Caves, Way back in1819, a party of British army officers on a tiger hunt
in the forest of western Deccan, suddenly spotted their prey, on the far side
of a loop in the Waghora river. High up on the horseshoe- shaped cliff, the
hunting party saw the tiger, silhouetted against the carved facade of a cave.
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Ellora
Caves
Ellora Caves, Nestled in the crook of the Charanadari hill in Deccan is a series
of ancient temples and monasteries hewn out of the moutainside. Situated on
the ancient north- south trade route or the dakshinapatha, the tiny mountain
village of Verul - mutated today to Ellora -was a well- known stopover for traders,
priests and pilgrims who plied the route to the western ports.
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Elephanta
Caves
Elephanta
Island was known in ancient times as "Gharapuri" or The Place of Caves.
The Portuguese took possession of the island and named it Elephanta after the
great statue which they found on the seashore. There are seven caves of which
the most important is the Mahesha-Murti Cave. The main body of the cave, excluding
the porticoes on the three open sides and the back aisle, is 27 m square and
is supported by rows of six columns. The gigantic figures of Dvarapalas, or
doorkeepers are very impressive.
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Aurangabad
Caves
Aurangabad Caves are artificial caves, dug out of the rather soft rock during
the 6th and 7th century. This caves are found on two separate locations, called
Western Group Caves (caves 1-5) and Eastern Group Caves (caves 6-10), about
1km from each other.
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Maharashtra Caves