The Ajanta and Ellora caves are two sites in Maharashtra state in western India. They are religious cave monuments located about 50 miles (80 kilometers) away from each other. Both cave complexes are culturally very important, so they were designated UNESCO World Heritage sites in 1983.
The Ajanta Caves are a group of 30 Buddhist temples and monasteries. The caves were dug out of granite cliffs between the 100s bce and the 600s ce. Many of the caves contain paintings and sculptures. They are considered masterpieces of Buddhist religious art. The paintings are the main interest at Ajanta. This is because the paintings depict colorful Buddhist legends in a way that is not seen in other Indian art.
The Ellora Caves are a group of 34 temples and monasteries cut into the walls of a high basalt cliff. They are spread out over a distance of 1.2 miles (2 kilometers). The Ellora Caves were carved by followers of three different religions: Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism. The 12 Buddhist caves contain the simplest decoration and date from the 400s to 700s ce. The 17 Hindu caves have the most dramatic designs and date from the 600s to 900s. The 5 Jain caves include finely made carvings and delicate sculptures. They date from the 800s to 1100s.
The most impressive cave temple at Ellora is called Kailasa. It was named for the mountain where the Hindu god Shiva is said to live. Unlike the other temples, Kailasa was built so that it is exposed to sunlight. It is huge and has four levels. It contains carved halls with stairs, doorways, windows, and sculptures. There are life-size sculptures of elephants and other animals along the second-story walls.
