Ancient India
Thirty rugged mountain caves were transformed into monasteries and prayer rooms a long time ago. Two centuries before our era, the murals were applied as a finishing touch. These jatakas and stories about the past lives of Buddha, have passed the time and are still visible. These Ajanta caves disappeared from the radar for over a thousand years. Since they were rediscovered in 1819, they have an honorable place on Unesco's World Heritage List. A landscaped path takes you through the cave system. In addition to the paintings, ancient Buddha statues have also been preserved. For centuries, they have been staring quietly in front of them.
Even older are the emaciated elephants, people and gods on the facades of the Ellora temples. This two-kilometre cave complex was carved into the Charanandri hills between 600 and 1,000 BC. Over the years, 34 temples were created decorated with detailed figures. Monks' work. Performed by believers of various religious backgrounds. Because in the Ellora complex, Buddhist, Hindu and Jainist temples stand together. According to a neat division: the Buddhist monasteries on the right, the Jainist group on the left and the Hindu temples in the middle.
Most impressive here is the Kailasa temple,dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. The temple is chiseled from one boulder, its construction took more than a hundred years. Patience was also an indispensable feature for the builders of this monument. It's certainly paid off. In Ellora, the civilization of classical India comes to life.