Ajanta Caves Paintings are Like Graphic Novels...!

Ajanta Caves Paintings are Like Graphic Novels…!

In Indian Historical map the Ajanta caves (Near Jalgawn, Maharashtra) is placed second after the Taj Mahal (Agra, U.P.). The Ajanta Caves are set in horse-shoe shape and were carved out from 275 Meter rock hills, excavated out by Buddhist Monks.

Ajanta caves remained unknown for thousand years, hidden behind thick bushes, until AD 1819. When some British travelers, discovered it by a chance, and helped to restore back its glory.

There are total 29-caves. Some are small and some are larger by size and nearly all the caves have beautiful wall paintings called wall frescos. This has been restored back to their original colours in recent years.

In Ajanta caves you can see many chapters of Lord Buddha’s life (Jatak-Kathas) in quite Graphic Novel style. You can see Scenes of Sickness, Old age and death which led Lord Buddha to renounce the world, are vividly depicted.

In other Ajanta Paintings you find birds, animals, trees, flowers, fruits, and soldiers, Kings, queens, royal procession, Darbars (Courts), Singers and dancers. In one particular painting, you can see- the   enticement of Buddha by Mara and her three daughters-Tanu, Rati, and their failure.

 

In some of Ajanta paintings you get to see people and culture of other foreign countries like- Turks, Seythians, Chinese, Persians and Parathians. There are also other stages of Lord Buddha’s life. Many caves consist of galleries of cells in which the Monks used to live and study.