A Layman's Guide to Ajanta

A Brief Description of the Caves Ajanta
Jayram Poduval

The Buddhist cave cluster at Ajanta is situated 100Kms north of Aurangabad City in Maharashtra. Having 30 caves in a single complex, Ajanta can be ranked as the second largest cave cluster of India, surpassed in number only Ellora, hailing again from the same region. Ajanta can boast about 30 caves belonging to the Hinayana and Mahayana phases of Buddhism excavated in a horseshoe shaped gorge created by River Waghora. Among these, Caves, 9, 10, 19 and 26 are Chaitya caves housing the stupa at the rear of the apsidal interior. Caves 9 and 10 belong to the Hinayana phase and the rest to the Mahayana activity around 5th Century AD as evident from the absence [in the former] and the presence of Buddha image on the Stupa [as in the latter examples]. The numbering of the caves at Ajanta is no way an indication of their position in the chronological placement.

Cave 1, which display developed architectural decoration as the jutting out porch and the fluted pillars of the verandah betray its later chronological order compared to few of the caves in the complex. The outer portion of the abutting eaves of the cave has life of Buddha depicted in sculpture; a unique feature at the site. Entering the main hall through the nave door, the visitor will be welcomed by the figures of Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara and Bodhisattva Maitreya [also known as Padmapani and Vajrapani respectively] at the rear aisle of the cave, flanking the antechamber leading to the shrine. The walls have been adorned with the painted Jatakas.

On the left of the nave door is the story of Sibi followed by a probable depiction of the poem by Asvaghosa namely Soundarananda, the story of Buddha’s cousin Nanda and his beautiful wife Sundari. The Sankhapala Jataka occupy a minor portion the left wall of the hall, rest being painted with the story of Mahajanaka Jataka. Another version of the same story fills the space next to Padmapani. The Antechamber walls are adorned with the story of Buddha’s victory over Mara where Mara’s army along with his charming daughters surrounds Buddha for the ultimate test prior to the enlightenment. Rest of the antechamber walls are occupied by the seated Buddha images, recreating the Miracle at Sravasti, where Buddha multiplies himself. The Doorway is embellished with pilasters and intricately carved doorjambs. The carved image of Buddha occupies the inner shrine, seated in dhyana posture on the throne attended by couple of deer.

To the right of the rear wall is the episode from the Champeyya Jataka. The serpent king Champeyya is captured and made to perform by a snake charmer. Champeyya’s wife begs the ruler of Varanasi to release her husband; both kings are seen seated for the final deliverance scene. The figures on the right wall of the cave do not allow us to infer any story from it. Another important painted panel from Cave 1 is the celebrated Embassy scene on the right of the cardinal door. This scene has been identified as Persian Embassy in the court of the Calukyan king, Pulikesin II. The authenticity of this observation is questionable.

Cave 2, appears to be on the same chronological bracket as Cave 1 as the basic schema of the cave reveals. More ornate through painting and sculpture this cave has the sub-shrines at the lateral ends of the verandah. These shrines are preceded by anti-chambers adorned with slender columns and sculpted figures of Nagaraja with his retinue. The nave doorway has sculpted doorjambs flanked by riverine goddesses. The interior walls narrate the story of Buddha’s previous lives as well the present one. Hamsa Jataka occupies the space on the left end of the front aisle. The left wall of the aisle surrounding the central colonnade has the story of Buddha’s birth in hues and shades. The other important Jataka in the cave is that of Vidhura Pandita which occupies the entire right wall. The rest of the wall space in the cave has been filled with the seated figures of Buddha. The cardinal shrine houses the figure of Buddha in the meditation aspect. The sub-shrines, one dedicated to Hariti and the other to yaksha flank the main shrine. Both the sub-shrines have the sculpted figures of the respective deities, duly worshiped by the painted devotees.

Cave 4, probably the most ambitious project at the site remain unfinished except the poignantly sculpted nave doorway. The state of Cave 5 does not differ from that cave 4 where the termination of activity is more premature than cave 4. Cave 6, is the only cave at Ajanta with an upper level, though the upper level shows signs of later activity in relation to the lower level. The lower level has octagonal columns arranged in four rows unlike the other caves leaving no space for the large central opening. This cave was entirely painted as cave 1 and 2, but only few survived like that of Miracle of Sravasti [left] and Victory over Mara[right] on the antechamber walls.

Cave 9, 10 and 12, belong to the Hinayana phase of Ajanta among which cave 10 will be the earliest excavation. Both Chaityagrihas, cave 10 has a façade which belong to the “palace gate way” type with the arch of the nave opening encompass the whole façade, unlike Cave 9, where the chaitya arch has been separated from the small nave opening with a stone screen. The differences between these caves would persist in the ground plans too. Cave 10 retains the conventional apse shape for the colonnade and the overall plan, while Cave 9 alter the ground plan to square. The walls of the caves are embellished by mural paintings, though only the paintings of Cave 10 can affirm its contemporeinity to the architecture. Painted Buddha images on the octagonal columns of Cave 10 are of part of the Mahayana revamping of the cave. An interesting graffiti on the 13th column on the right reads the name John Smith, the British officer who brought back Ajanta to the limelight. Cave 12 is vihara or monastic dwelling place with a central hall and cells opening to it. The façade wall and the entrance door have been completely vanished. Cave 11, a Mahayana excavation, with a verandah and central hall, is squeezed into this Hinayana nucleus. The surviving paintings on the walls mainly deal with Buddha images. The ceiling decoration is closer to cave 2, though highly weathered.

Cave 16, excavated on the center of the horseshoe shape of the site has a ceremonial entrance flanked by elephants. This cave is considered as the earliest among the Mahayana excavations at Ajanta. The inexperience of the carvers can be observed in the over dependence on the Hinayana architecture tradition and the sloppiness of the detailing of architecture. The porch doorway has painted jambs with sculpted figures of riverine goddesses on the pilasters. The unique feature of this cave is the carved ceiling closely imitating the wooden ceilings. The columns on the front have flying couples and gana figures as bracket figures. The absence of antechamber and the shrine doorway added by the awkward positioning of the Buddha image, seated in the “European posture”, surely indicates these developments as an after thought. There are traces of paintings on the walls and ceiling of the verandah, though not up to the quality of Cave 1 or the next door monastery of Cave 17.

Cave 17, bearing the inscription of the Risika king Upendra Gupta, is a monastery as Cave 16. The verandah has profusely painted with well-configured natural motifs as gees and foliage. The painted nave doorway has jambs with creeper motif and sculpted pilaster bearing the riverine goddesses. The lintel is occupied by the Seven Manushi Buddhas seated under the trees associated with them. The doorway was once flanked by the Bodhisattvas, evident from the extant fragments. The Jataka depicted on the right of the wall probably that of Vessantara story. On the opposite side is story of the subjugation of the elephant Nalagiri by Buddha. The central hall has square shaped colonnade creating the central opening and aisles. The exquisitely carved columns have their facets and brackets painted. The walls of the cave narrate the stories from Jataka tales. The Chhadanta Jataka initiates the narration from space left of the nave door followed by Maha Kapi Jataka and Hasti Jataka where Bodhisattva as an elephant sacrifices his body to the hungry travelers. Vessantara Jataka utilizes the whole wall of the left aisle. Mahasutasoma Jataka on the rear aisle stand as a victim of an erroneous restoration attempts in the modern time. The antechamber has figure of Buddha, preaching in the Tushita heaven. The Inheritance Scene flanks the shrine door on one side, where Buddha gifts his begging bowl as the soul legacy to his son Rahula. The painters of Cave 17 seems to be interested in animals many of the stories depicted here are Bodhisattvas life as an animal like the Chaddata, Hasti and Matiposhaka, where he is the elephant. In Ruru, Nigrodha Mriga Jatakas he is born as a Deer. In the Story of Simhala Avadana enveloping the entire wall of the right aisle, Bodhisattva a white horse rescues the hero of the story from the island of ogresses. Ruru and Nigrodha Mriga Jataka follow Simhala Avadana on the corner and wall of the front aisle.

Cave 19, is probably the one mentioned in the inscription of Upendra Gupta at Cave 17 as Gandhakuti. It has a beautiful façade, with nicely carved Buddha images on either side of the porch doorway, proficiently decorated pillars. With stupendous grandeur there stand the nidhi figures flanking the chaitya window. The side shrines accommodate seated Buddha images. Apart from the fluted columns and the painted ceiling of aisles there hardly any decoration in this cave. The entablature has makara torana with padmapatra molding to flank the Buddha images and aquatic bulls and elephants to standing next to. An innovation is the introduction of Buddha image on the front of the cardinal stupa, placed beneath the makara torana. The tier of umbrellas with supporting figures that rises above the stupa are monolithic, which had been mentioned by Hue-Tsang as hearsay.

Caves 20 to 25 do not excite a visitor much though an extant demonstration of the carving technique of the caves can be observed at Cave 24. Cave 21 has few painted panels and the overall plan similar Cave 3 at Aurangabad, which is later than the Ajanta example.

Cave 26, the most important and interesting cave after Cave 17 for the inscription. The inscription on top of the right aisle door mentions monk Buddhabhadra and his long association with the minister of the Asmakan king. A chaityagriha quite akin to Cave 19, this cave had a columned verandah in the front with well-defined nave aisle doorways opening into the cave. This cave is in all likelihood the most sculpted cave at Ajanta. The scenes as Subjugation of Nalagiri, Litany of Avalokitesvara, Dipankara Buddha and the Inheritance scene are carved on the entablature. The right aisle was given space for the events from Life of Buddha as victory over Mara and Maha Parinirvana and the left aisle for the seated Buddha images. Moreover the cave introduces a new strategy of using the architectural motifs to embellish the stupa with seated Buddha image. Buddha images on the entablature are well placed in mandapas flanked by Bodhisattvas. Underneath the mandapa are hoards of ganas, semi aquatic creatures, keechakas and flying gandharvas. On top of the mandapa on the gavaksa motifs tiger cubs play hide and seek, unaware of the divine paraphernalia which they are part of. No space is left unembellished and this laborious work does succeed in achieving the exuberance the patron was aiming to.