Tourist places in and around Ajanta - Ellora

The jain Cave Temples

The Jain Caves. (AD 800-1000) are as complexly carved as one would expect. Cave 31 is very small and really only an adjunct to Cave 32, which borrows a lot of ideas from the Kailasha temple. In the courtyard are a Dravidian-style temple with a four-faced Mahavira, a pillar again with a four-faced Jain figure, and an elephant. The main hall at the lower level is unfinished. Climbing the steep stairs the figure on an elephant is Matunga, the Jain god of wealth; facing that Sidaika the goddess of generositysits on a lion. These figures are not as well preserved as smaller ones on the ground floor.

Quite a bit of the ceiling painting has survived in the porch above these two figures. To therightof the shrine is Gomateswara, the figure depicted at Sravana-Belgola. Vines twine around his legs, a common Jain symbol, alos a scorpion and at his feet a deer. The matching figure is Parsvanatha shaded by cobras. At the feet of the female to the left are what appear to be two mermaids. The figure in the sanctum is Mahavira. Take a food look at the door surrounds which have traces of painting and rich decoration. The ceiling of the hall has a colossal lotus. In the side chapels just below this level quite a lot of ceiling painting has survived in front of the sanctum, faded but clearly discernible.

Steps beside 31 lead up to a small and unfinished temple, and the path continues to Cave 30 which is called ChhotaKailasha (Little kailash) by the locals. This is of interest only because it isunfinished, allowing the successive stages of cutting to be seen,

Ellora (30 km)

The rock - cut cave temples of Ellora nestles amidst the chandragiri hills and have been designated as world Heritage site by UNESCO. In all there are 34 cave temples, 12 Mahayana Buddhist caves (600-875 AD), 5 caves of Jain faith (800-1000AD) and 22 caves dedicated to Lord shiva, which were recently discovered. The caves were excavated between 5th and 11th century and are adorned with splendid sculptures. The kailasa temple (cave 16) has been hewn out of a single rock and is considered to be the most gigantic monolithic rock cut temple in the world.

Ghrishneshwar

The sacred site is just half kilometre from Ellora and enshrines one of the 12 Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva.

Khuldabad (3 km)

It is the Karbala town or holy shrine of Deccan Muslims. Mughal emperor Aurangzeb was buried here.

Paithan (56 km)

The pilgrim site on the banks of river Godavari is the birthplace of the Marathi poet – saint, Eknath. Several temples dot this pilgrim centre. The Dnyaneshwar Udyan located nearby is laid out on the lines of Mysore's vrindavan Gardens and is perhaps the largest garden of Maharashtra. The town is also famous for zari work sarees, known as Patithanis.

Pitalkhora Caves (78 km)

The 13 rock - cut caves at Satmala ranges were excavated between 2nd century BC. And 5th century AD. And are said to be the oldest cave temples in India.