Ajanta Caves, Aurangabad

I remember my school days when I studied about Ajanta  Caves -  a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Since then I had fantasised to see the caves which depict the story of Buddhism, spanning the period from 200 BC to 650 AD.

Our journey began from Aurangabad city at around  9.00 am. From there on it was just wide roads, songs, and absolute merry making.  A two and half hours journey from Aurangabad will take you to Ajanta caves, Maharashtra, India.

The road journey from Aurangabad to Ajanta caves is very scenic. The  travel through wide and almost empty roads, paddy fields on both sides and rolling hills was really exciting. Stop to take a few pictures before you drive to the next place.

Enroute a pit stop for break fast.  After two and half hour journey which covered 104 kms from Aurangabad, we reached the Ajanta Caves. Ample car parking is available in the parking area.

Then a short walk towards busbay through the market. The market has food joints and stalls selling handicrafts, paintings etc. No private vehicle is allowed to reach caves. You can catch shuttle bus which is running between market and caves. The journey will take around 10 minutes and will cost only Rs.15 per ticket. They will drop you near the caves ticket counter.

EXPLORING AJANTA CAVES

The entry ticket to Ajanta is Rs 10 for Indian Nationals and Rs 250 for foreign nationals. After taking entry ticket, we were all set to explore Ajanta caves. The caves are carved out of  basalt rock of a cliff. There are a total of 30 caves dug into the Satmala range of mountains.  There is a paved pathway running across the cliff over the U-shaped river gorge to reach  the caves.

Cave 1  has a front-court with cells fronted by pillared halls on either side. This cave features superb murals and imperial quality paintings. Cave No.1 has the most famous of all Ajanta images, the Bodhisatva Padmapani, with lotus flower in hand. Another one is the picture of Avalkoteshwara in shades of gold and the pearl necklace around his neck looks beautiful. The ceilings are also painted with sophisticated and elaborate decorative design.

Cave 1, Ajanta Caves, Aurangabad

Cave 2 is similar to Cave 1 but in better state of preservation. The cave has robust pillars-ornamented with designs.

Cave 2, Ajanta Caves, Aurangabad

Cave 3 is merely a start of an excavation. Cave 4 boast of some of the most divine sculptures. It consists of a verandah, a hypostyle hall, sanctum with an antechamber and a series of unfinished cells.

Cave 4, Ajanta Caves, Aurangabad

Caves 5 and 6 are viharas. Cave 6 is two viharas, one above the other, connected by internal stairs, with sanctuaries on both levels.  The upper floor of the cave has many private votive sculptures, and a shrine of Lord Buddha.

Cave 7 has  two porticos, a shrine room and a small room leading to the main one. This cave has no central hall.

CAVE 9,10

Both the caves are stupa containing worship halls of chaitya-griha form. Both the caves have lot of mural paintings both on the walls and the pillars.

Entrance of cave no. 9.( left)

Cave 10 is similar to cave 9. The cave consists of a central hall, pillars, paintings on walls and ceilings and a stupa.

Cave 10 tempera ( left from the 2nd raw)

Caves 12, 13, and 15A are viharas.

Cave 16, 17 have two great stone elephants at the entrance. The image of the Buddha preaching,  couples and their everyday life,  the 'coming of Sinhala' are some of the art in Cave 17.

Scenes from the Jataka tales ( 2nd from 2nd row), The prince (Prince Vijaya) is seen in both groups of elephants and riders. ( mid photo on the second row).

Other notable paintings on  cave 17 include the flying Apsara painting, a princess applying makeup, lovers in scenes of dalliance, and a wine drinking scene of a couple with the woman and man amorously seated, while attendants watch them.

Ceiling outside cave 17 ( 2nd from raw 1)

Cave 19 have high ribbed roofs carved into the rock with stupa, idols and paintings.

Cave 21 is a a partially built vihara.



Like Cave 21, Cave 24 is also a partially built vihara.

Cave 28 is an abandoned incomplete cave.

Cave 26  has a second period Mahayana style worship hall with stupa and idols. It has complete chaitya halls. Sleeping Buddha is one of the best carving in this cave.

At the end of the cave complex, you will get a full view of the Ajanta caves which is a landmark for the development of Buddhism in India.

Then we climbed  the top of the hills from where one can see entire caves in 120 degree view.

I got a beautiful view of  Waghora River falling down the hill and it was really marvelous.

We continued our walk  on the top of the hills. I noticed marble  layers in between the rocks.  And I tried to collect some marbles stones. Small pieces of stones with different colors look attractive. I watched few people collecting those stone pieces and selling them for high prices.

Soon we came out of the cave complex. MTDC canteen facility is available.

Monks walking in cave area

It was truly an archaeological class excursion for us.

THINGS TO REMEMBER

Entry time is restricted from 9 am to 5.50 pm
Use of additional light is not allowed inside the caves
Eatables not allowed in the caves premises
Video shooting is not allowed inside the cave
Photography with camera stand and flash light is not allowed inside the caves

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Daulatabad Fort : The lost kingdom of Aurangabad

On our way back from Ellora caves, we stopped at Daulatabad Fort, which is also known as the Hill of Gods or Hill of Lord Shiva (Devagiri). This 14th centuary Fort was first built and used as a fortification by the Yadava dynasty.

The fort stands on a high conical hill having stood the test of time and harsh weather and is surrounded by big moat and steep hills on all the sides. There are three concentric lines of fortification between the outer wall and the citadel. The entrace has a series of gateways.

One of the interesting features of the Fort is that it has only one gate for entry and exit, which is quite unlikely for a fort. As you enter, you can see a big door and clever architecture built to prevent enemies from attacking the fort.

Daulatabad Fort Gate

A large number of cannons were found at Daulatabad Fort, some in their original places like bastions on fort walls and circular towers while others were collected from various locations and displayed in the courtyard near the entrance gate.

Also lying nearby is the big tank. It  used to be part of the water supply system of the fort.

The next gateway is protected by strong towers. Next up is Chand Minar, a replica of Qutab Minar of Delhi which was constructed by Hasan Goangu Bahmani. It is said that he employed Iranian architects to built the Minar who used Lapis Lazuli & Red Ochre for coloring.

Chand Minar

To the right of the third gate, is the Chini Mahal, a VIP prison built by Aurangzeb . In it, he kept Abdul Hasan Tana Shah of the Qutb Shahi Dynasty of Hyderabad.

Chini Mahal

The third wall is much higher and an entrance with a trench below and a bridge over it. 

The only entrance to the citadel is through a devious tunnel, which in times of siege was rendered impassable by an ingenious contrivance. This sub- terrain passage is indeed mysterious and in spite of several  attempts, all the mystries are not known.

The long ascending tunnel rises rapidly and tortously by a flight of steps, which are uneven in width and height, difficult to climb in the absence of light.The labyrinthine passage coupled with the darkness confuse the enemy army to kill themself along a tunnel containing numourous chambers cut out of solid rock which were used in the olden times as guard rooms and store houses. 

I also learnt that the turns and twists lead to a window, now covered with grills, but was originally a trap set for enemy intruders, who on entering would tumble down the slope to meet a watery grave  in the moat below. The tunnel was impassable when  great obstacles come in the form of darkness, caltrops, barrier of smoke and a splash of hot oil or ater from above.

The steps in the courtyard are newly constructed in 1952 for the convenience of tourists. It is a hard climb up to the top of the fort. It is from this spot that you will get a long view of the fort.  There was a structure from where you can have  a beautiful view of the surroundings.

Daulatabad fort was surrounded  by a moat filled with water in ancient times. Crocodiles were said to have been kept in the moat for protection from enemy attack.

From the top you will get a good view—you’ll be faced with a great vista to the day.   At the  top, there is a pentagonal citadel with a canon.

I ended my trip by walking on the never-ending wall fortifications. I tried to imagine how this place would have been a few centuries ago - during the kindom of Yadava dynasty and later a secondary capital of the Ahmadnagar Sultanate.

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Ellora Caves, Aurangabad

Situated 30 kms from Aurangabad, Ellora caves - a UNESCO World Heritage Sight -  has a total of 34 caves and are carved into the sides of a basaltic hill. The cave complex houses Hindu, Buddhist and Jain temples and are the finest examples from the Chalukya, Kalachuri and Rashtrakuta periods.

17 Hindu Caves (13-29)

The Kailasha temple known as Cave 16, carved from a basaltic rock in a structure which symbolises Mount Kailash is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The entrance features a low Gopura.

The Kailas temple is also  the biggest monolithic rock-cut structure in the world. When you enter  the temple premises, you can see the sculpture of Shiva's mount Nandi (the sacred bull).  The temple premises consists of two structures, one is the Shiva temple and the second is the Nandi Mandapa. A rock bridge connects the Nandi Mandapa to the porch of the temple.

The stories related to Ramayana, Mahabharat, Lord Vishnu and Lord Siva are carved beautifully on the walls. The images of Goddesses and Gods sculpted on the walls are representations of the female and male principles.

Stone Sculptures From Ellora caves

Here each and every carving is unique. Watch the sculpture of Parvati and Lord Siva with Parvati holding the hand of the Lord while he has placed his left hand on her shoulder during their wedding. The sculptures with their sensuous poses and pouting expressions are a way of giving importance to the wellbeing and love of life.

Stone Sculptures From Ellora caves
Terrace outside the main shrine with sculpture of Flying DemiGod (first from 2nd row)

The basement level of the temple houses artwork of Shaivism, Vaishnavism and Shaktism.

Stone Sculptures From Ellora caves

Cave 29

The carvings in Cave 29 are large .

Cave 29, also called Dhumar Lena is integrated with natural waterfall called "Vale Ganga". You can watch these waterfalls from the southern balcony of the rock cliff.

A natural pond is formed near the cave area.

View from Cave 29, Ellora

5 Jain Caves (30-34).

Jain monuments are far from Ellora caves entrance. Visitors can reach these caves by bus or private vehicles.

Cave 30 shows a dancing Indra. The  panels at the entrance also feature other deities, musicians and dancers.

Cave 33 is a two storeyed cave with twelve massive pillars and elephant heads projecting towards the porch, all carved out on a single  rock. This cave is also known as Jagannatha Sabha.  Cave 32 also known as Indra Sabha is a two storeyed cave complex.

Stone Sculptures From Ellora caves

12 Buddhist caves (1-12)

The Buddhist caves are located  on the southern side of the Ellora cave collection. Cave 1-9 are monasteries or viharas. The rock cut caves consists of viharas (praying halls), living quarters, kitchens etc.

Caves 11 and 12 are three-storied Mahayana monastery caves with idols, mandalas carved into the walls, and numerous goddesses and Bodhisattva-related artwork belonging to the Vajrayana Buddhism.

Cave 10 is called the Visvakarma Cave, a major Buddhist prayer hall. It houses a Buddha statue and  a prayer house. Multi storey entry is possible into this cave.

Cave 5 is unique because it is designed as a hall with two parallel refectory benches in the center with a Buddha statue in the rear.

This is a lifetime experience to stand amongst such incredible ruins. If you are a fan of history and love to travel, then Ellora Caves must be in your list.

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Bibi Ka Maqbara, Aurangabad

Bibi Ka Maqbara is the burial place of Aurangzeb's wife, Rabia-ul-Daurani and was built by their son Azam Shah. It is also known as Mini Taj or Poor Man’s Taj.

Having heard so much about it, I was curious to see if the monument was really similar to the Taj Mahal or not. After taking visiting pass and crossing the main gate, you are lead to the Main entrance.

The carvings made of marble on the roof of the main entrance is marvellous. As I entered, I was surprised to see the symmetrical patterns on the ceiling of the main entrance.

Ceiling of the main entrance

An inscription found on the main entrance door mentions that this mausoleum was designed and erected by Ata-ullah, an architect and Hanspat Rai, an engineer respectively. The main entrance door has foliage designs on brass plate on wood covering from the exterior.

Once you cross the entry gate, you can see the main structure. At the first glance you are reminded of the Taj Mahal. Due to its resemblance to the Taj Mahal, the Bibi ka Maqbara is also known as "Taj of the Deccan". After passing through the entrance, you can see a small tank.

I walked through one of the passages inside to approach the octagonal enclosure where the tomb of Rabia-ul-Daurani lies. The mortal remains of Rabia-ul-Daurani are placed below the ground level surrounded by an octagonal jali pierced marble screen with exquisite designs, which can be approached by a descending flight of steps.

Sanctum with the tomb of Dilras Banu Begum

The mausoleum is built on a high platform. The lower body and the dome of the building are made up of marble where as the middle portion is of basaltic trap, covered with fine plaster, which gives a marble-like finish. Because of the use of such alternatives of marble, it is also referred to as the ‘Poor Man’s Taj’. The marble for this mausoleum was brought from mines near Jaipur.  A mosque  to the west of the main structure is  a later addition by the Nizam of Hyderabad .

A closure look at the tomb

Then I walked through the surrounding lawns. The Mughal garden with the mountain ranges in the background is a sight to behold.

The garden is enclosed by high crenelated walls with fortress set at intervals and open pavilions on three sides.

Am sure that Bibi Ka Maqbara is worth visiting if you are in Aurangabad.

Location: 5 kms from Aurangabad via Nagpur-Aurangabad-Mumbai Highway and Maqbara Road and 6 kms from Station Road.

Getting there:
By Train: Aurangabad is the nearest railway station, which is approximately 12 kms from Bibi-ka-Maqbara.
By Road: If you are in Aurangabad, the best option is take an auto rickshaw to visit Bibi-ka-Maqbara. You can also avail the city buses or hire a private car.
By Flight: The airport at Aurangabad is well connected with all the major cities of India. It is 11 kms away from Bibi-ka-Maqbara.

Timings: 8am to 8pm on all days.
Entry Fees: Rs. 10/person for Indians and Rs. 250/person for foreigners.
Best Time to Visit: October to March would be the best time to visit this place as the weather remains very pleasant.

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Diwali : Mumbai When it Twinkles

This year, I was fortunate enough to be in Mumbai as it was the grand five-day holiday known as Diwali (Deepavali) also referred to as the ‘Festival of Lights’.

I walk through the streets of Vashi in Navi Mumbai, looking at the Diwali celebrations. Street markets is the best place to get the Diwali vibe. Shops were busy selling festive colored lights, jewelry, cloths and sweets.

Diwali is spiritually known to signify the triumph, or victory, of light over darkness. You can see streets shining brightly with millions of  festive colored lights. It was dark when I reached Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus station. I was excited to see the special lightning given to the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus building on the occasion of Diwali.

And I headed to Marine Drive. The Marine Drive provided a stunning canvas for Diwali celebration. The pathways of Marine Drive was filled with people celebrating Diwali with fireworks and the area were completely filled with smoke.

It is believed that on this auspicious day, Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and good fortune, roams about and visits the houses of people. Therefore, people arrange their homes and shops and decorate them lavishly to welcome the goddess. Rangoli is commonly used to decorate homes.

In the evening everyday, during Diwali, people light small lamps made of small earthen pots with a cotton wick and oil popularly known as diyas.

Often you can see diyas being placed outside the  homes.

During this festive season, people eat, shop and burst crackers a lot. Friends and relatives visit each other’s homes to exchange gifts and the sweets . Poojas  are organized at homes to spread the blessings of good fortune and prosperity for the New Year ahead. Often people organize pooja in their offices and sweets and gifts are distributed to employees. On this occasion, people wear traditional dresses.

I was very happy to have had the chance to spend this festival season  in Mumbai.

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