Ajanta Caves
- Location: Ajanta is a series of rock-cut caves in the Sahyadri ranges (Western Ghats) near Aurangabad in Maharashtra.
- Associated River: Waghora River.
- Number of Caves: There are a total of 29 caves (all Buddhist) of which 25 were used as Viharas or residential caves while 4 were used as Chaityas or prayer halls.
- Patronage: The Ajanta caves were inscribed by the Buddhist monks, under the patronage of the Vakataka kings – Harishena being a prominent one.
- Reference: References of the Ajanta caves can be found in the travel accounts of Chinese Buddhist travellers Fa Hien (during the reign of Chandragupta II) and Hieun Tsang (during the reign of emperor Harshavardhana).
- Paintings
- The figures in these caves were done using fresco painting.
- The paintings are generally themed around Buddhism – the life of Buddha and Jataka stories.
- Prominent Sculptures
- Mahaparinirvana of Buddha in Cave No. 26
- Naga King and his consort in Cave No. 19
- Protection: The caves were designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1983.
Ellora Caves
- Location: 100 Kms away from Ajanta caves in the Sahyadri range of Maharashtra.
- Number of Caves: It is a group of 34 caves – 17 Brahmanical, 12 Buddhist and 5 Jain.
- Patronage: The Hindu and Buddhist Caves were predominantly constructed by Rashtrakuta dynasty and Jain Caves by Yadava dynasty.
- Protection: The Ellora complex was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1983.
- Notable Feature: The most remarkable of the cave temples is Kailasa (Kailasanatha; cave 16), named for the mountain in the Kailasa Range of the Himalayas where the Hindu god Shiva resides.
Bagh Caves
- Location: Madhya Pradesh
- Associated River: Bagh river
- Development: Bagh Caves is a group of 9 Buddhist caves that were developed around the 6th Century C.E.
- Architecture: It is architecturally very similar to the Ajanta caves in terms of their design, execution and decoration.