Location : In the state of Maharashtra in the western coast of India.
Major Tourist Attractions : Ajanta Cave Temples, Ellora Cave Temples
Nearby Tourist Destinations : Aurangabad, Mumbai, Nagpur, Pune.
When to Visit : October to March

About Ajanta Ellora
Nestled in the hills near the city of Aurangabad in Maharashtra are two magical locations displaying the artistry of the yore, cut out of rock, by hand, and rank amongst some of the most outstanding specimens of ancient Indian architectural heritage. These caves are none other than the famous caves of Ajanta and Ellora. This city is all geared for tourists who flock in from all over the world to see these exceptional beauty. The brilliance of their imagery and the fact that they were carved between the 2nd century BC and the 8th century AD is highly inspiring.

At Ajanta, more than 2,000 years ago artists literally carved monasteries and temples out of solid rock. There are sculptures and fabulously preserved frescoes that monumentalize a 2,000-year-old civilisation by displaying its daily life as well as the epic stories of its religion. Around the 7th century AD, Ajanta was abandoned by its creators for some unknown reason, and they moved to Ellora (30 km from Aurangabad). At about this time Buddhism was fading in India. The cave temples that were found in the hills of Ellora over the next six centuries exhibits Buddhist as well as Hindu and Jain mythology.

Ellora Caves
The Ellora caves, 34 in number, are carved into the sides of a basaltic hill, 30 kms from Aurangabad. The finest specimens of cave - temple architecture, they house elaborate facades and exquisitely adorned interiors. These structures representing the three faiths of Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism, were carved during the 350 AD to 700 AD period.

The 12 caves to the south are Buddhist, the 17 in the centre dedicated to Hinduism, and the 5 caves to the north are Jain. All of Ellora's cave-temples are awesome in size and detail; the most breathtaking of them is the Kailasa Temple, the world's largest monolithic structure, sculptured as intricately as if it were an ivory miniature.

Getting There

Air : Aurangabad (99 kilometres from Ajanta and 30 km from Ellora) is the ideal base to visit Ajanta and ellora, is directly linked to Delhi, Udaipur, Jaipur, and Mumbai.
Rail : Aurangabad is directly linked to Mumbai and Pune. Jalgaon, a railhead on the Central Railways line, is 59 kilometres from Ajanta.
Road : The excellent road network in Maharashtra links the caves of Ajanta and Ellora with Mumbai, Pune, Ahmednagar, Jalgaon, Shirdi, Nasik, Dhule, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Indore, Bijapur, and Aurangabad.

Accommodation
In order to make your travel tour to Ajanta-Ellora memorable you need to choose the right kind of accommodation for you and your family or friends. Aurangabad makes for a convenient base for a trip to the caves of Ajanta-Ellora. The various hotel available in Aurangabad offer you the best of facilities and services. You may take your pick from a range of luxury and budget hotels in Aurangabad, besides the star categorised accommodations around the landmarks of Ajanta-Ellora that offer fabulous views from their suites.