Miles From Anywhere, A Massive Temple Complex At Ajanta Hewn Into A Horseshoe Basin

An isolated scrap of horse-shoe shaped rock, rising over a ravine to a steep height of 76 metres made the ideal site for a monastic Buddhist sanctuary – some 104 kilometres from Aurangabad city. Miles from anywhere, this massive temple complex at Ajanta, is a reminder how creative humans can be and the ingenuity of those who are determined to succeed.

The remoteness of the location made it an ideal setting for monks to practice meditation and spiritual enrichment. In total, 34 caves were hewn from the rock face.

The columns are acoustically tuned to produce a ring much like a bell.

Differing from the caves at Ellora, the Ajanta Caves included a third art-form : painting.

Many of the shrines house collosal statues of the Buddha in various poses.

In this particular cave, the columns are acoustically tuned to produce a ring much like a bell.

See there are four darker strips on each column, each of these produces a different pitched ring when struck with the base of the palm. Amazing!

This photo reminds me of Egypt (though I have not yet been there!).