Ellora and Ajanta Caves

Next up were the Ellora and Ajanta Caves. These are a series of Buddhist, Jain and Hindu caves that were carved completely out of the sheer stone faces of cliffs in the Indian state of Maharashtra, near Mumbai.



The Elora Caves were created between the 5th and 10th Centuries, and reflect the shifting of religions in the area over time. The Buddhist caves came earlier, in the 5th to 7th centuries, and then the Hindu ones were created later, as Hinduism resurged and largely wiped out Buddhism in India. These caves were used as monasteries to live and worship in, and the craftsmanship is incredible. All of the statues, columns, etc were carved directly out of the rocky cliffs.




All of the caves are pretty awe-inspiring to imagine how they were created, but the main Hindu temple, called Kailasanatha Temple, is just out of control. It looks similar to other Hindu temples around the country, but it and everything inside of it is carved out of a single piece of rock. It's difficult to get your mind around how the carvers could plan and execute such a feat.




The Ajanta caves were a bit further north and are famous for having paintings on the walls and ceilings that have survived since ancient times. Some of the earlier caves are dated back to the 2nd Century BC.