Ajanta Caves

Cave 1, the most beautifully decorated of the Ajanta caves, has some of the best preserved paintings. Magnificent array of colours, hairstyles, poses and costumes can be seen in the paintings. A verandah surrounded by several smaller cells and porches at either end, has three doorways leading into a pillared hall which has sculptures and narrative murals. The  paintings of women, jataka scenes etc cover the hall walls. Paintings of Bodhisattvas with headdresses flank the antechamber doorway in the middle of the rear wall. The most popular among them is of  Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara and Bodhisattva Padmapani in a pose of spiritual detachment, (one with lotus in his hand). These paintings reveal  the true mastery of the artist and a relief carving of four deer's is also a wonder of this cave. Bodhisattva Vajrapani with a crown jewels on his head is another well known portrait of cave 1.  

Cave 2 is a late 'Mahayana' vihara remarkable for its ceiling decorations and murals narrating the birth of Buddha. The painted ceiling is decorated with murals as well as geometric and floral patterns. The mural scenes include a number of 'jatakas' and events surrounding the Buddha's birth such as a scene of Buddha's  mother standing in the garden at Lumbini showing his birth, Gautama being held by his mother and taking his first steps, and '1000's of Buddha's', a large painting which illustrates the miracle when the Buddha multiplied himself to confuse a heretic. 

Cave 3 was never completed. 

Cave 4 is the largest monastery at Ajanta and is supported by 28 pillars. The verandah has eight octagonal columns, with cells at both ends. Although it was never completed, the cave has some fine sculptures, including scenes of people fleeing from the eight great dangers to the protection of the Buddha's disciple Avalokitesvara and depicts a man and woman fleeing from a mad elephant, a man giving up his resistance to a tempting woman etc.  An inscription records that Buddha image in Cave 4 was the gift of some Abhayanandi who hailed from Mathura. There are large unfinished Buddha images in the cave. 

Cave 5 is also unfinished but the door was completed. The  door points to an early date with heavy, curvilinear figures and low-relief 'makaras'.