The Ajanta Caves are the ancient Buddhist cave complex in Maharashtra famous for painted murals, sculptures and rock-cut monasteries. They form a curved group of caves excavated into the wall of a gorge in the Deccan.
The complex contains 30 caves created in two broad phases: an earlier phase beginning around the second century BCE and a later phase flourishing mainly in the fifth century CE. Its viharas, or monasteries, provided residential spaces for monks, while chaitya halls served as congregational and devotional spaces. Many paintings illustrate Jataka stories about the Buddha’s previous lives.
Ajanta’s best-known murals are valued for expressive faces, gestures and richly detailed scenes of courtly and religious life. The site was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983. A frequent mix-up is with nearby Ellora: Ajanta is especially celebrated for Buddhist paintings, whereas Ellora includes Buddhist, Hindu and Jain monuments.