What is the History of Ajanta Caves?

This includes those hand signals known as mudras which are core to yoga, meditation and Indian dance drama.

The art of Ajanta is that of a school. It is important to remember that pursuit of art for art’s sake did not constitute the sole aim and search for beauty was not an end in itself.

The great religious art of Ajanta through all its sincerity and refinement acts as crucial markers towards the journey within.

The rugged surface of the cave walls were made further uneven to provide a firm grip to the covering plaster made of ground ferruginous earth, rock grit, sand, vegetable fibres, paddy husk and other fibrous materials of organic origin. A second layer of mud, ferruginous earth mixed with pulverised rock powder or sand and fine vegetable fibre helped to cover the whole interior of the cave.

The surface was then treated with a thin coat of lime wash over which pigments were applied. Except for the black which was obtained from kohl, all other pigments were of mineral origin. Terra verda or glauconite for green, lapis lazuli for blue, kaolin, gypsum or lime were of frequent use.

Jataka tales, consisting of narratives related to different incarnations of Buddha, form an abundant wellspring for a magnificent project of the scale of Ajanta.

The quaint humour, distinguished gentility and earnestness which characterise these lore was a part of an oral tradition and followed irrespective of creed or allegiance. Their extensive adoption in Ajanta demonstrates an already wide acceptance among priests and populace alike.

The parallels between the murals on cave walls and sculptures and sculptural motifs that adorn Ajanta are manifold. Both undergo remarkable transformation during different phases of development, both draw inspiration from magnanimous Jataka tales and both are equally eloquent through expressive gestures or lack thereof.

Buddha as the seated yogi is the epitome of repose and stability and Buddha in abhaya mudra encourages dignified self assurance. Besides seated forms, standing poses of no less variation and significance abound, for such subtle movements of hands and limbs communicate the impelling thought itself much more than the subsequent performance or act.

Hinayana Buddhism with its rationalistic philosophy and express prohibition of pictorial depictions of Buddha could not have inspired a metaphysical art comparable to the grandeur of the later phase.

Sculptures in Ajanta were both plastered and painted though any trace of the latter is invisible to the naked eye today. The garbha griha (sanctum sanctorum) of each vihara contains almost invariably in seated posture the figure of Buddha in dharma chakra pravartana mudra (Buddha in preaching attitude delivering his discourse).

The colossal figure of Buddha in Cave 26 or the statues of Buddha that flank the entrance to Cave 19 showcase versatility in scale and narrative structure which is equally supported by delicate features and delineated forms.

The façade of Cave 19 with its intricately carved pillars and pilasters, decorative motifs on rows of chaitya arches and other structural peculiarities are wonderful examples of the unison of sculpture and architecture into a harmonious whole.

Much like the murals and sculptures, architectural elements too evolved continuously under differing influences and motivations. In as much as Ajanta was an application of hereditary knowledge, it was also informed by a process of constant discovery and learning

incorporation of new ideas and forms from other sites such as Bagh, and an ever evolving artistic vocabulary. The architecture of the cave complex is unique because it reflects the ever improving proficiency of the craftsmen, educated in an architectural style already highly developed but unfamiliar with the rock-cut medium.

Ajanta in its full flourish therefore represents a successful integration of the splendour of contemporary structures with the peculiarities and potentials of basaltic medium.

As previously alluded to, there are five chaitya in the cave complex with the rest being vihara. A chaitya is apsidal or rectangular in form with aisles on either side of a nave with a barrel roof.

The nave contains a stupa, the object of worship, at the terminal end. The early chaityas meticulously imitated contemporary wooden structures as can be seen on the vaulted roof decorations and pillars.

A vihara, otherwise called sangharama, was a monastic abode consisting of a central hall with adjoining residential cells. Caves 1 & 17 may be taken as the most representative example of a vihara in full development.

Natural weathering agents and scarp retreat in the order of 5-7 m over the centuries have left their devastating impact on the frontispiece of many of the caves and managed to eliminate all of the stairs (except some below Cave 17) that connected each cave to the stream below.

The sudden discontinuation of activities in Ajanta inevitably coincides with the untimely death of Vakataka Emperor Harisena. But the seeds for disruption were sown much earlier.

The provinces of Asmaka to the south of Ajanta, Anupa (where Bagh caves lie) to the north and Risika, which included Ajanta were inherited domains of Harisena; he did not have to conquer them. This explains the fact that within a few of years of his accession to the throne excavatory work started at the site under patronage of different vassals.

All work at Ajanta had stopped by 472 CE and this suspension continued until late 474 CE when the Asmaka emerged victorious from the battle. From then on until the sudden death of Harisena in late 477 CE, much effort was afoot.

Ajanta is again thriving with travellers, scholars and devotees alike from across different continents. Though it no longer serves the purpose for which it was originally built, it has something to offer anyone who can spend a few moments in quiet contemplation indoors.