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All these have been carved out of solid rock with little more than a hammer and chisel and the faith and inspiration of Buddhism. Here, for the Buddhist monks, the artisans excavated Chaityas (chapels) for prayer and Viharas (monasteries) where they lived and taught. Many of the caves have the most exquisite detailed carvings on the walls, pillars and entrances as well as magnificent wall paintings. Ellora caves, located at about a distance of 30 km from the Aurangabad city. Built by the Rastrakuta kings, the Ellora caves perhaps exhibit the highest examples of India’s rock-cut architecture. Noted for its exquisite carvings and illustrative figurines, the Ellora Caves house in its midst ­- temples and monasteries belonging to 3 distinct faiths including Hinduism and Buddhism, besides Jainism. The detailing of the intricate carvings actually makes one wonder that man is indeed capable of doing even the impossible.

The reason behind this is that both are rock-cut cave monuments, which feature beautiful paintings and sculptures. Nestled in the semi-arid Sahayadri Hills above the Waghur River, the caves at Ajanta are famous for beautiful paintings and sculptures that depict tales of Jatakas. Built using only hammer and chisel, these caves served as secluded retreats for Buddhist monks, who performed their rituals in the chaityas and viharas of these caves. A symbol of religious harmony of that time, the Ellora complex includes 12 Buddhist, 17 Hindu and 5 Jain caves. Caves 1 to 12 are Buddhist monasteries, chaityas and viharas, while caves 13 to 29 are the Hindu temples. Dating back to the 9th and 10th century, caves 30 to 34 are the Jain temples.