Ajanta, a UNESCO world heritage site, is famous for its Buddhist rock-cut cave temples and monasteries with their extraordinary wall paintings. The temples are hollowed out of granite cliffs on the inner side of a 20-meter ravine in the Wagurna River valley, 105 km northeast of Aurangabad, at a site of great scenic beauty. About 30 caves were excavated between the 1st century BCE and the 7th century CE and are of two types, caityas ("sanctuaries") and viharas ("monasteries"). Although the sculpture, particularly the rich ornamentation of the caitya pillars, is noteworthy, it is the fresco-type paintings that are the chief interest of Ajanta. These paintings depict colorful Buddhist legends and divinities with an exuberance and vitality that is unsurpassed in Indian art
They are situated near Aurangabad in Maharashtra. They are both chaityas and viharas. They are cut out of a large rocky plateau. These historical structures are related to Jainism, Buddhism and Hinduism. The caves at Ajanta have 24 Buddhist viharas and five Hindu temples. These are carved out of a rock of about 80 metres high and about 380 metres long. The caves of Ajanta are related to both Hinayana and Mahayana sect of Buddhism. Some of the finest sculptures and paintings are in the caves at Ajanta. Paintings are found in only a few of these caves, which were created between 100 B.C. and the A.D. 400's.
