The enormity of it all
From a distance it appears as though innumerous dark windows have been cut into the sweeping curve of a sheer cliff. We are high above the Waghora River. We see the horseshoe-shaped gorge far below us.
We are following the undulating path following the shape of the cliff, negotiating rock-cut staircases of various heights that connect the different levels. We enter dim caves, acclimatise ourselves to the dark and exuberantly pick out details.
As we start to explore we are even more stupefied by the magnitude of it all that reflects the ingenuity and skill of the followers of Buddhism in creating magnificent caves for the monks.
Windows into the past
As I enter each man-made cave ( 30 in all), sometimes squinting to see, sometimes rubbing my eyes in wonder, I become even more overwhelmed by the carvings, pillared halls, vaulted ceilings, murals, and sculptures.
Austerity
Some of the caves seemed to have been abandoned mid-carving. Several are austere. These quiet stone halls in a remote gorge speak of the early followers of Hinayana Buddhism. Here the Buddha does not take on a human form. He is symbolized through sacred motifs and stupas. The vaulted ceilings,the further end that is apsidal and the central stupa are all carved straight from the rock itself. A horseshoe shaped window lets in rays of light to naturally and softly light the whole. Obviously these were prayer halls.The evidence suggests that these caves are dated 1st and 2nd centuries BC.
Then there are caves with a central prayer hall with cells, again carved out of rock, lining three sides of the hall. The cells housed monks and therefore the inference is that these caves were monasteries.
Opulence of sorts
Other caves contain images of the Buddha appearing in human form with the majestic, serene and compassionate face that exudes inner peace.. There are colourful paintings on the walls and ceilings depicting stories from the Jataka ( recounting the previous births of the Buddha). There are also intricate carvings on pillars and walls and facades.. These have been dated to the 5th and 4th centuries. That is when Mahayana Buddhism thrived.
Revelations
The unfinished caves tell a story. They reveal the process of rock excavation. The incomplete carvings on the walls and the pillars also tell a story of evolution that is further developed in the completed or modified caves in terms of beliefs,architecture, artistic expression and social developments over eight centuries.
Ajanta Caves are an indelible record of changing Buddhist beliefs. After the immersive experience I virtually hear the chants and smell the incense of the days of you emanating from the rocks.
