Ajanta Caves

The story of this place

The story of Ajanta runs in two great chapters. The first caves were excavated between the 2nd and 1st centuries BCE, in the time of the Satavahana kings, when monks of the early Buddhist tradition cut simple prayer halls and monasteries into the rock. Then, after a gap of about four centuries, a second and far richer wave of work came in the 5th and 6th centuries CE under the Vakataka dynasty. In all there are 30 caves. Five of them are chaityagrihas, that is prayer halls with a stupa inside, and the rest are viharas, the halls where the monks lived and studied.

After Buddhism declined in this region, the caves were slowly forgotten and the jungle closed over them. On 28 April 1819, a British officer named John Smith, out hunting a tiger, noticed the arch of Cave 10 through the trees. What came back to the world that day is now counted among the greatest treasures of Indian art. UNESCO placed the Ajanta Caves on the World Heritage List in 1983, and scholars trace the influence of Ajanta's style far beyond India, even to the island of Java.

For a monk of that age, this quiet bend of the river was a retreat for the rainy season. For you today, it is the closest you can come to seeing how ancient India painted itself, in its own hand and its own colours.

What you will see

The caves run in a long curve along the cliff, joined by a walkway, so you move from one to the next as if turning the pages of a book. Cave 1 is the one everyone waits for. Here is the famous painting of Bodhisattva Padmapani, holding a lotus, his face full of gentle compassion. These murals were made in the tempera technique on prepared rock walls, and even after fifteen centuries the expressions are alive.

Cave 10 is the oldest prayer hall, from the 2nd century BCE, and it is the cave John Smith first saw in 1819. Caves 16 and 17 hold some of the richest painted stories from the life of the Buddha and the Jataka tales. Cave 19 and Cave 26 have grand carved facades with the horseshoe shaped chaitya window, and inside Cave 26 you will stand before the great reclining Buddha, shown at the moment of his final passing away. A few caves were left unfinished, and they are worth a look too, because they show you exactly how the ancient workers cut a cave out of a mountain.

If your legs allow, also ask your driver about the viewpoint across the gorge. From there you see the whole horseshoe of caves at one glance, the same first view that greeted the world in 1819.

Best time to visit

October to March is the best season, with pleasant days and clear light. This is what the Archaeological Survey of India itself suggests, and we agree fully. April to June is very hot in this part of Maharashtra, with the temperature often near 40 degrees, so summer visits should start early in the morning. In the monsoon, from July to September, the gorge turns green and the river comes alive, and if you do not mind some rain it is a beautiful time.

Remember the most important rule: the Ajanta Caves are closed every Monday. Within the day, reach at opening time. The light is kinder, the painted caves are less crowded, and you will have the walkway almost to yourself for the first hour.

How to reach

Ajanta sits about 100 km northeast of the city of Aurangabad, now officially called Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, and the drive takes about 2 to 2.5 hours. The nearest airport is at Aurangabad, with flights from Mumbai and Delhi. The nearest big railway station is actually Jalgaon, about 60 km from the caves on the other side, so if you are coming by train from the north, Jalgaon is the smarter railhead.

Private vehicles are not allowed up to the caves. All visitors stop at the T-point near Fardapur, and from there official eco friendly shuttle buses take you the last stretch to the ticket gate. Keep this change in mind when you plan your timing.

Most travellers see Ajanta and Ellora on the same trip with a stay at Aurangabad. The two sites are on different sides of the city, about a two to three hour drive apart, so give each one its own day.

Tips from our travel experts

Give Ajanta a full day, or at least five to six hours including the drive from Aurangabad. There is walking and climbing here, with steps up to the cave level, so wear comfortable shoes and carry water. Porters with carrying chairs are available at the entrance for elders, and the monument has ramps and wheelchairs, so do not let age stop a darshan of this great art.

There is an entry fee, with different rates for Indian citizens and foreign nationals, and online booking is available on the official ASI portal. Rates change from time to time, so please check the current rate before you go.

Inside the painted caves the light is kept low to protect the murals, and the rules on photography are strict. Follow the signboards and the guards' instructions, and never touch the painted walls. A good licensed guide is worth the money here; the paintings are full of stories that you will simply walk past without one.

For our NRI and OCI travellers

If you hold an OCI card, carry it at the ticket counter; ASI monuments have had special provisions for OCI card holders, and the staff will guide you as per the current rule. Foreign passport holders without OCI pay the foreign national rate.

The practical gateway from abroad is Mumbai, followed by a short flight or an overnight train towards Aurangabad or Jalgaon. Many of our overseas guests pair Ajanta and Ellora with the Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga darshan near Ellora, so the same trip serves both the heart and the eye. If your parents are travelling with you, plan Ajanta for the cooler months and keep the visit for the morning.