CAVES

Ajanta caves are located 99-km away from Aurangabad district in the state of Maharashtra. Ajanta caves were carved out from the 2nd century BC to 6th century AD, and are ranked high as a world heritage site.
They were hidden in the midst of a lonely glen with a streamlet flowing down below. They were scooped out into the heart of the rock so that the pious Buddhist monk could dwell and pray. During this time, images of Buddha interpreting his different life stories and several types of human and animal figures were carved out of rock in-situ.All sections of people of the contemporary society from kings to slaves, women, men and children are seen in the Ajanta murals interwoven with flowers, plants, fruits, birds and beasts. There are also the figures of 'Yakshas', 'Kinneras' (half human and half bird) 'Gandharvas' (divine musicians), 'Apsaras' (heavenly dancers), which were of concern to the people of that time. The Ajanta caves are dedicated solely to Buddhism. The caves, including unfinished are thirty in number of which five (9, 10, 19, 26 and 29) are "Chaitya-Grihas" and the rest are "Sangharamas" or Viharas (monasteries). The caves 1, 2, 16 and 17 can be ranked high among the greatest artistic works of the contemporary world.
Ellora caves lay in the lap of the Chamadari hills extending over a mile and a quarter in the north-south direction and are situated 18 miles northwest of Aurangabad. Ellora represents some 300 years of great experiments carried out by different faiths with their very different iconography and structural compulsions. Ellora caves are finest specimens of cave temple architecture. They house elaborate facades and exquisitely adorned interiors. These structures representing the three faiths of Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism, were carved during 350 AD to 700 AD period. The cave monuments of Ellora were chiefly patronised by the Chalukya - Rashtrakuta rulers (7th - 10th century AD). These cave shrines are memorable for their invaluable contribution to the enormous wealth of Indian heritage. There are 34 caves in total. These can be divided into three groups belonging roughly to three periods: Buddhist, Hindu and Jain. Only 12 of the 34 caves are Buddhist, but even these caves incorporate the Hindu and Jain theme, demonstrating the gradual decline of Buddhism.It took over five centuries for the Hindu, Buddhist and Jain monks to chisel out these monasteries, temples, and chapels and decorate them with remarkable imagination and detail.Sixteen caves are the oldest in the group and were carved in the 5th century. As one enters these caves, one crosses graceful angles and steps in a high ceiling chamber where a 15 feet huge statue of Buddha is sitting in a preaching pose. In these caves the artist has tried an element of surprise by giving them an expression of wood. Most of these 16 caves are 'Viharas' but cave number 10 is a 'Chaitya'. The 10th cave has an impression of wooden beams on its ceiling and has a small decorated window, which illuminates the sitting Buddha. These caves are rightly called the "Vishvakarma" caves. This cave is considered to be one of the finest caves in India.The Buddhists believe that Buddha returns after every five thousand years, thus the 12th cave has seven images of Buddha depicting his seven incarnations. The Hindu caves exhibit a totally different league from the Jain and Buddhist temples in terms of style, creative vision and execution skills. These temples were built 'top to bottom' and the architecture of these caves show, that it required several generations of planning and co-ordination to give it the final shape. Cave 14 was initially a Buddha Vihar but in the 7th century it was turned into a Shiva temple. Here Shiva is depicted as "The Destroyer".The 16th cave in the group is one of the audacious feats in architecture ever achieved. The idea was to build Kailash from a single stone. Hence it got its name, Kailasnath temple. Mural paintings in Ellora are found in 5 caves, but only in the Kailasa temple are they somewhat preserved.
The Elephanta Island is the site of the magnificent Elephanta caves, containing beautiful carvings, sculptures, and a temple to the Hindu God, Lord Shiva. These caves are located at a distance of 11-km from Mumbai and are now designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The island of Elephanta, being a commercial, military and religious center for centuries has traces of early Buddhist culture. The Elephanta caves are thought to date back to the Silhara kings belonging to the period between 9th - 12th centuries. Legends and history suggest that the great warrior prince of Chalukya dynasty Pulkesin ll, raised the shrine to celebrate his victory. Some historians also suggest that these caves were built by the Kalchuri King Krishnaraja in 6th century AD. The entire cave temple complex covers an area of about 60, 000 square feet.
The World of Lord Shiva, Elephanta is the place where the main events in the mythology of Lord Shiva are depicted most powerfully, consistently and exclusively. At Ellora though other Gods appear on the panel with Shiva, but at Elephanta there is nothing but Shiva. According to Hindu Mythology three Gods govern their world : Brahma -- the creator, Vishnu -- the Preserver and Maheshwara -- the Destroyer. Elephanta has a story that there was a pillar whose end could not be found. Even the Gods failed to determine the length of the pillar. The temples in the Elephanta caves and the carvings on the walls show Shiva in different moods and shapes, Lord Shiva practicing Yoga, Lord Shiva meditating with snakes coiled around his neck, and at places Shiva is in the company of his wife, Parvati.Panel 6 of the caves represents the marriage of Shiva with Parvati with the rites being performed by Brahma and scores of other Gods attending the marriage. Panel 5 of the cave describes the coming of Ganga from heaven to Earth. As the great force of Ganga might have destroyed the Earth, she lands in the hair locks of Shiva who then gently releases her. The wise and righteous Lord before whom the forces of evil and ignorance, flee, and are terrified into submission is carved on the 7th panel. Similarly other wall panels narrate the story of Lord Shiva. On the western end is the sanctuary of Linga denoting the essence of creative power, in which Lord Shiva is worshipped as the Lord of Fertility and Procreation. The Monasteries of Ajanta lead us directly to Elephanta. It appears that the same families of craftsmen and sculptors who were working on the Kailasa temple of Ellora and adjoining Buddhist caves at Ellora were employed at Elephanta. An exquisite ensample of rock-cut artistry, can be found here. No doubt the cave was the creation of an unknown genius, a master architect, who having thoroughly absorbed and assimilated the magnificent contribution of his predecessors in the dual traditions of the independent free standing sculpture and rock-cut architecture, produced a monument which introduced a whole new world of form, quite distinct from any previous achievement. The sculptors carved out of solid basalt rock, a representation of the heavenly mountain residence of Lord Shiva. Opening out from three sides, the temple lets in light from many angles making the sculptures seem to move with the changing angles of light.
One of the earliest of Jain rock-cut shelters, the caves of Udayagiri command a unique position in eastern India in the fields of history, rock-cut architecture, art and religion.
The records, found incised on the walls of some of these caves, furnish the supreme evidence of the existence of a powerful dynasty, the 'Chetis' (Chedis). They reveal that some time in the 1st century B.C. or slightly earlier, the rulers of the Cheti dynasty, who called themselves 'Mahameghavahanas', came into power in Kalinga.
Of the rulers of the dynasty, only the names of 'Kharavela' and 'Kudepasiri' or 'Vakradeva', together with that of a prince, 'Vadukha', are known from the inscriptions in the Udayagiri caves, though their mutual relationship is not known. While Kudepasiri and Vadukha are known only as the donors of two of the cells of the lower storey of Cave-9 (Manchapuri) of Udayagiri, many details are available about Kharavela from his famous inscription engraved on the brow of the rock over Cave-14 (Hathi-gumpha) of the same hill. The inscription, in seventeen lines, is largely defaced and indistinct, with the result that its full text cannot be made out and its interpretation is not always above doubt. But the following facts seem to be well-established. The third king of his dynasty, Kharavela was a powerful ruler. As a prince, he acquired great proficiency in games and received good education. He was installed as 'Yuvaraja' (crown prince) when he was sixteen and succeeded to the throne when he was twenty-five. Almost immediately thereafter he launched Kalinga on an ambitious career of conquest, leading expeditions far and wide. In the second year of his rule he led his troops to the west without caring for the Satavahana king 'Satakarni' and reached the river Krishna, where he threatened the city of Asika.
Kharavela's chief queen is known to have been the donor of the upper storey of Cave-9 ('Svargapuri'). It is also almost certain that the majority of the caves originated during this period. At the same time, an earlier origin of the Jain establishment on the hills is not entirely ruled out. It is also not unlikely that the Kalinga-fina removed by the Nanda king and recovered by Kharavela had its original enshrinement on the hills and was reinstalled here by Kharavela. 7 kms from Bhubaneshwar are the twin hills of Udaygiri and Khandagiri. Twin hills honey-combed with Jain caves that reveal the sculptural art of the 2nd century BC makes an interesting study of the life and times of Jain ascetics. Built by Kharavela for Jain monks, these are fine specimens of Jain Cave art. The coarse -grained sandstone which forms Khandagiri and Udayagiri rises nearly 40m above the surrounding lateritic and infertile plain. Khandagiri has 19 caves and Udaigiri has 44 caves. The hills are literally filled with caves and over recent years the preservation of the rare carvings and general structure of the site has been the focus of a great deal of attention from the Archaeological Survey of India.Khandagiri caves can be reached via the steps next to the entrance to the Udayagiri caves. The caves 1 and 2 are known as the Parrot Caves because of the birds carved over the doorways. The Ananta Cave (cave 3), with its carved figures of elephants, and women which are worth a visit. It has the best sculptures of the Khandagiri Caves. A short but steep path leads to the top of the hill from where a panormic view of the city is obtainable. At the top also lies an 18th century temple that is dedicated to Mahavir, the 24th tirthankara (Jain teacher).
Formed by a large split in a huge rock, the two natural rock formations represent the world's richest pictographic gallery of its kind. The caves contain several paintings and pictorial writings of the New Stone-Age Civilization which speaks volumes of the bygone life and civilization.
Edakkal caves are located at a height of 1000 m on Ambukutty Mala near Ambalavayal. The New Stone Age pictorial writings on the walls of these natural caves at Edakkal are evidence of the civilisation that existed in these regions in prehistoric times. The caves can be accessed only by a 1 km trekking trail from Edakkal. Morning hours are the best time to visit the caves
Borra caves are located at a distance of above 90-95 km from Vishakhapatnam. Situated at 1400 metres above sea-level, they spread over the Eastern Ghats and occupy an area of 2 sq km. William King George of the Geological Survey of India discovered these caves in the year 1807. Tribals, for whom the caves are religiously significant, inhabit the whole surrounding area.Deep in the caves, there is a "Shivalingam", over which there is an idol of a cow "Kamdhenu", and the river Gosthani takes its origin from the udder of this cow. The mercury and halogen lamps lit inside, make the interior of the caves colourful and spectacular. There are mica mines in and around the village and it is believed that mining of precious stones like rubies is possible. The natural formations of the caves is unique and breathtakingly beautiful. Due to the pressure of the flow of the Gosthani river, the limestones in the area dissolved and gradually caves were formed. The dissolved stone trickled down drop by drop on the floor of the cave and solidified to form irregularly shaped stalagmites and stalactites. There are several interesting structures like a mushroom formation, a temple, a mosque, a church and others inside the caves.

Built Your Trip Ask our travel expert to work out itineraries made specific to your requirements and desires. We value your idea and opinion. * Compulsory fields Name : * Email : * Address : People Travelling :* Adults 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15+ Children 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15+ Your Country : * Tentative Date of Travel : * MM Jan Feb March April May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec YYYY 2010 2011 2012 Phone : * Tour Duration : * Days 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31+ Please Send Your Tour Details : * Please Enter Image code: