Today involved an early start from our very quirky hotel – we had been given a flute and drum recital throughout our dinner last night by two musicians sitting cross-legged on a swing – to get to the Ajanta caves.
The Ajanta Caves are about 30 rock-cut Buddhist caves dating from 2nd century BC to about 480 AD, and they are astonishing. The first photo gives you a sense of the landscape and the second is inside one of the caves which were carved out of the stone starting at the top, and at the front, and then working back and then down. The last lot are details from paintings from within the caves – lots more where those came from!
In the third, the men are wearing socks – we thought they looked very fetching; the fourth looked very African to us; and we just loved the detail not the fifth – look carefully for the person being bathed.
The caves look amazing and those two men do have an African look although probably more likely Dravidian.
I suspect you’re right though I like to think that Africans somehow pitched up on the Deccan plateau..
They really are amazing. Great photos too.
I know M will appreciate that comment Claire!
Amazing!
Indeed they were! I’ve never seen paintings like this – so lustrous and gorgeous – and the setting was really beautiful.
I loved the paintings We had an inexhaustible guide who toold us most of the stories for most of the paintings. I can’t remember them now – or five minutes afterwards to be frank.
Ditto – seems to be the way with guides, the stories are always long and complicated, though the one at Ajanta would sum up the moral of each one which was a bit helpful ( if no more memorable really)
The caves look amazing and the paintings are fantastic. So – our question is, just how much hassle is it worth undergoing to visit from TAmil Nadu and are they worth foresaking a fortnight in Goa to see these and the Allora ones? They look a bit like the caves we saw near Mumbai but more sublime and the ones in Sanjay Gandhi NP only had sculptures, no paintings. Your trip sounds really adventurous and interesting!
Diana and Bob x
Hi there Diana. I think this means you are back in the land of communication. Hope Andamans were fabulous and you were able to swim. Will send you a separate email in response to your question.