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Case Study

Ajanta caves:
1. Introduction
In the middle of a forest range stands a steep horse-shoe shaped coffee brown rocky hill. The hill overlooks a ravine and a stream traces the arc of the horse-shoe valley. A chain of spacious rock cut caves made with unique architectural zeal on the vertical face of the hill overlook the green valley beneath. Many of the caves are generously decorated with sculptures and other patterns. Some of them are gigantic while the other shows the dexterity of the artist with its intricate details. On the flat walls of the inside are the paintings. You can small a touch of mystery filled mildly cold air of Ajanta.

In artistic terms Ajanta represents the high water mark of Indian mural art, rock cut architecture and sculpture, in that order.

From a historic perspective, Ajanta exemplifies the evolution of Buddhism in India, especially its footprints in the region during the 2nd century BC, its feverish comeback after four centuries and the eventual decline by the turn of 7th century . In terms of heritage, Ajanta is one of the finest showpieces of Indian ethos, with its UNESCO World Heritage Site status. This site is under the management of Archeological Survey of India, the federal agency responsible for the preservation of such monuments in India.

2. How they were constructed.


Ajanta caves were excavated by scooping into the vertical surface of the rocky hill. Some of the caves are unfinished. That gives a good idea of various stages and method by which the excavation was done. From the tool marks on the walls archeologists could even deduce the types of chisels and pickaxes the Buddhists used to construct rather carve the Ajanta caves. Pickaxes were used first to cut into the rocky mass. Block by block they removed the unwanted rock to a general shape of the cave. The work started from the roof and finishes with floor. Then the chisels work to finish the surface straight or curved. And finally a few layers of lime coats. The walls are Ajanta caves were ready to execute some of the surviving ancient paintings in the world.

Iron ingot, blacksmiths tools and iron objects

Maplewood scoop

Pickaxe

3. The Caves: For the sake of easy identification the caves are primarily identified with a number. There are a total of 30 caves located in the form of an arc. About 6 of these were places of worship known as chaityas or sanctuaries. The rest of it were Montessori and residential quarters where the monks lived, prayed and contemplated. Though the caves are located one next to another, was neither executed during the same period nor they were part of a single architectural master plan. In scale and details too the later period caves are more ambitious. The sanctuaries are characterized by its vaulted (arched) halls and a stupa at the center of the semicircular quarter. A giant horseshoe shaped window stands above the porch of the sanctuary. Monasteries are built keeping in mind the functional aspects of the residents. Some of them are multistoried and with multiple chambers inside. All the caves face the valley and the river that flows along the arc. Originally all the caves did have some kind of a porch facing the valley separate stairways to access the river beneath. Much of it is damaged and not traceable.

First period
The first sanctuaries known as chaytia-grihas were built during the Satavahana dynasty in the canyons of the Waghora River. Murals preserved from this time belong to India

Second period
Some 20 cave temples were simultaneously created, for the most part viharas: monasteries with a sanctuary in the structure's rear center. The Ajanta Caves appear to have been abandoned shortly after the fall of Harishena c. 480 CE. Since then, these temples have been abandoned and gradually forgotten. During the intervening centuries, the jungle grew back and the caves were hidden, unvisited and undisturbed.

Phase 1
2nd century AD2nd century BC

Phase 2
3rd century AD7th century AD

Chaityas
Cave # 9,10 Cave # 19,26,29

Viharas
Cave # 12,13 Cave # 1-7,11,14-18,20-25 27,28,30

Basic SITE PLAN

Cave One
The first cave was built on the eastern end of the horse-shoe shaped scarp. A two pillared portico, visible in the 19th-century photographs, has since perished. The cave has a front-court with cells fronted by pillared vestibules on either side. These have a high plinth level. The cave has a porch with simple cells on both ends. The absence of pillared vestibules on the ends suggests that the porch was not excavated in the latest phase of Ajanta when pillared vestibules had become a necessity and norm. Most areas of the porch were once covered with murals, of which many fragments remain. There are three doorways: a central doorway and two side doorways. Two square windows were carved between the doorways to brighten the interiors. Each wall of the hall inside is nearly 40 feet (12 m) long and 20 feet (6.1 m) high. Twelve pillars make a square colonnade inside supporting the ceiling, and creating spacious aisles along the walls. There is a shrine carved on the rear wall to house an impressive seated image of the Buddha

Cave Two
The facade Cave 2 has a porch quite different from Cave one. Even the facade carvings seem to be different. The cave is supported by robust pillars, ornamented with designs. The size and ground plan have many things in common with the first cave. The porch The front porch consists of cells supported by pillared vestibules on both ends. The cells on the previously "wasted areas" were needed to meet the greater housing requirements in later years. Porch-end cells became a trend in all later Vakataka excavations. The simple single cells on porch-ends were converted into CPVs or were planned to provide more room, symmetry, and beauty. The porch's rear wall has a doorway in the center, which allows entrance to the hall. On either side of the door is a square-shaped window to brighten the interior. The hall The hall has four colonnades which are supporting the ceiling and surrounding a square in the center of the hall. Each arm or colonnade of the square is parallel to the respective walls of the hall, making an aisle in between. The colonnades have rock-beams above and below them. The capitals are carved and painted with various decorative themes that include ornamental, human, animal, vegetative, and semi-divine forms.

Cave Four

It consists of a verandah , a hypostylar hall, sanctum with an antechamber and a series of unfinished cells.

Cave Five
The T-shaped porched doorway is the only feature because the scooping did not go beyond it. The exuberant carvings are evident here and the jambs and the lintems seem to be of later century.

Cave Six
The sculptors were probably copying wooden prototypes, or wanted stable supports, so they included one central pillar in their lower story. The simple octagonal pillars are bare, unlike the pillars of other caves, which have capitals and bases. There extensions at the end of the front and the rear aisles to enable pilgrims to circumambulate the Buddha's throne.

Cave Seven
The verandah of this cave must at one time have been elaborate. The ceiling was obviously painted. The carving is simple.

Cave Nine
This cave has a Chaitya gathering hall. There is a Giant Horse-Shoe Window on the faade. The carving of this window suggests that it copied a wooden structure of the same time. The pillars and the slanting eight-sided columns are also copied from wooden structures of earlier times.

Cave Ten
This is of about the same time as cave 9. It has a similar shape. The large chaitya gathering hall is 28.5m X 12.3m wide and 11m high. It has a stupa shrine at the ambulating passage around the symbolic stupa.

Cave Sixteen
The porch doorway of cave 16 set a pattern for the later doorway. This cave gives a good view of the ravine. From the large verandha we enter a hall. There are six cells on each side.

Cave 21:
The interior view towards left aisle shows mature sense of the use of space. The pillars are well carved and the remains of plaster show that there were paintings on the ceiling.

Chaitya Hall: The verandha opens in to a court. There is a colonnade inside, composed of 26 pillars. This forms the aisles. One can go round the cylindrical stupa in circumambulation. The walls have relief carvings. Also, the round stupa is decorated.

Cave 24:
Pillar style: Unfinished pillars of the front aisle are worth noting for the evolution of the pillar style. The earliest pillars are simple, roughly shaped on four sides. Post Mahayana period they were tapered into octagonal form. Pilaster: The pilaster at right end of porch elaborates piece of work, even though the cave 24 remained unfinished. There are small groups in the medallion.

Cave 26:
Chaitya Horseshoe Arch: The Chaitya horseshoe arch of this 5th century cave is imposing.
Sravasti Miracle: The circumambulatory passage is full of them. Mostly they represent the sravasti miracle. This miracle was based on the legend when the Buddha revealed himself in all his various forms on the skies above the village of Sravasti.

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