Surprisingly carved into the rocky hillside in the middle of nowhere are the Ajanta and Ellora caves. Both are important UNESCO World Heritage sites. There are 34 caves at Ellora dating from between the 6th and 11th centuries AD, and 29 caves at Ajanta dating back to between the 2nd century BC and the 6th century AD. The caves at Ajanta are all Buddhist, while the caves at Ellora are a mix of Buddhists, Hindus, and Jains. Funds for the construction of the cave were provided by various rulers.
The extraordinary Kailasa Temple (also known as the Kailash Temple), which forms part of the 16 caves in Ellora, is undoubtedly the most famous attraction. This temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and his holy abode on Mount Kailash. Its massive size covers twice the area of the Pantheon in Athens and is one and a half times as tall. The size of a highlight elephant statue. The most incomprehensible thing about the Ajanta and Ellora caves is that they are made by hand, with just a hammer and chisel. The Ajanta caves have some of the most sophisticated paintings in ancient India. The Ellora caves are renowned for their outstanding architecture.
It is located in Northern Maharashtra, about 400 kilometers (250 miles) from Mumbai. The nearest railway station is in Aurangabad, 45 minutes away from Ellora caves and 1.5 hours away from Ajanta caves. The travel time from Mumbai to Aurangabad is 6-7 hours by train. There is also an airport in Aurangabad, so it is also possible to fly from various cities in India. From Aurangabad, you will find it easy to get a taxi and drive between the two cave locations. It takes about 2 hours to get from Ellora to Ajanta.
The best time to visit the caves is from November to March, when it is very cold and dry. Ellora Cave is open from sunrise to sunset (around 5:30 am) every day, except Tuesdays. The Ajanta cave is open from 9 am to 5 pm every day except Monday. Both caves are open on national holidays. Visiting Ajanta caves and Ellora caves is expensive for foreigners. Each site requires a separate ticket and the price increased to 600 rupees in August 2018. India only pays 40 rupees per ticket at each site. However, in both places, it is free for children who are less than 15 years old.
Two new visitor centers opened in Ajanta and Ellora in 2013. The visitor centers provide information about the two heritage sites using audiovisual media. The Ajanta Visitor Center has five museum rooms with replicas of the four main caves (1, 2,16, and 17). The Ellora Visitor Center has a replica of the Kailasa Temple. The two visitor centers also have restaurants, amphitheaters and auditoriums, shops, exhibition halls, and parking.
There are several inns, one of which is the Kailas Hotel, which is located on the right side of the Ellora cave. It is relaxing, quiet, with stone walls and beautiful views, although the accommodation is simply furnished. The rates are 2,300 rupees for non-AC, 3,500 rupees for air-conditioned huts, and 4,000 rupees for cave-facing AC cottages. The hotel has many facilities for guests, including a restaurant, internet access, a library, and games. You can also go paragliding. Quality accommodation in Ajanta is limited, so if you need to stay in the area, we recommend the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation Ajanta Tourist Junction Guest House (2,000 rupees per night) or the Ajanta Tourist Resort near Fardapur (1,700 rupees per night). If you prefer to stay in Aurangabad, Hotel Panchavati is a good choice and is also closer to the train and bus stations.
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