An exploration trip towards Ajanta, Ellora, etc.

Thanks to the changed leave policy at my office, I was forced to take off from office before March end, else my earned leaves will lapse!(something similar to the savings invested in the stock market shrank last year!). It also reminded me to visit some of my relatives staying in Maharashtra, especially the one, staying in Aurangabad since past two decades (I had given send off to my cousin sister to there just before I was going to join DRDO).
I chose March last week for my trip and landed in Pune by flight (to be a guest of my relatives there). I could spend some time with one of my ex-IRDE colleague and his family too, ruminating my Doon days. I caught a bus to Aurangabad on a Monday noon called ASIAD bus (I Believe they were introduced during ASIAD 1982). The highway to Aurangabad from Pune is quite good (though construction work is going on at some places), takes 5Hrs to travel 220KMs.
Tuesday (24th March) morning I started to Ajanta from Aurangabad by a bus, which is 100KM away & reached there around noon time. It was quite hot & dusty. The bus dropped at a place called 'Ajanta T Junction' from where the Caves are around 4KM away. There are Maharashtra tourism department green buses(with low emissions) which will ferry the tourists near the caves to avoid pollution near the caves which may harm the paintings in the caves, I believe. After getting off from those green buses I could see some aged folks gasping for breath while climbing few steps towards a hill. But the steps weren't many, though little tiresome. Just after half a KM trek, you will be welcomed by the vast panoramic view of horse shoe shaped valley surrounded by rocky hill range containing series of caves.

I started exploring the caves one by one. Archeological department has put boards in front of most caves giving details about them. They have completed restoration work on majority of caves. Work is still going on on some caves. Most of the caves contain tiny focusing lights fitted (I did carry my torch though). Photography without flash is allowed.



My camera was not good enough to capture the wall paintings clearly in that low light! Most of the paintings have deteriorated or damaged. Due to restoration work, one sees cement patches where the paintings have worn off/fallen off. But ..., by hearing the fact that those paintings are more than thousand years old, one gets thrilled! It's acclaimed that some of those paintings are treated as the best ones available from such a long history.
Last year when I was in Rome, was wondering how could things (like Colosseum) from two thousand years can still stand so strong withstanding centuries of onslaught of weather extremities. I was also reasoning that - it may not be raining so harsh there (unlike my coastal region!) Here I was witnessing the creations of an era, even earlier than the ones in Rome. It is also believed that some of the paintings in the caves have survived, because the caves were buried and hidden for long (until rediscovered, excavated in  last century by Britishers). One thing heartening to notice here is that most of the sculptures are not damaged (unlike, in many other temples in Ellora, Humpi etc.)

Could only spend around 2Hrs visiting around 26 caves (total 28 caves)since I was hungry too. (My stomach hunger overpowers curiosity hunger!)
Caught a shared taxi (Indica) while returning, since the guy was promising that he will get me Aurangabad faster than bus and  for bus fare. An Italian lady tourist too sat in front seat. The guy was overloading on the way back (forcing the lady to share the front seat with another passenger too,ignoring her protest!) The only soothing thing happened on that journey leg by the taxi was, it drizzled, cooling hot dusty weather.

Next day morning, I started to Ellora. It's around 35KM from Aurangabad. Daulatabad is en route. I caught a diesel jeep (called 'kaali-peeli' - due to black and yellow paints on them). The taxi guy was making me shunt between back and front seats depending on the changing passenger load on the way! It was again quite hot and dusty. It was reminding my days in Rajasthan deserts (where I had spent three summers during my DRDO days!).
Just when we were passing down a small ghat region, I could see some series of caves on the right side of the road. Later I realized that they were the Ellora caves.

The moment I went near the first cave near the entrance, it took some time for me to realize the enormity of the Great Kailash temple built from a monolithic rock. I also realised that unlike other cave temples, here, the top is opened up; thus making it quite sunny inside and it's quite huge! I tried switching on my camera to capture the enormity, but it didn't switch on! (It said 'enough of all your rough handling for past 5 years!') Well, I had to rely on my volatile memory of my head from now on, I realized! The idols in Kailash temple are quite huge. Unfortunately, many have damaged limbs. It is believed to be built by Raashtrakoota King Krishna. One of his successors is credited with - one of the earliest Kannada poetics work, called 'Kaviraajamaarga' in which it claims - even illiterate 'Kannadigas' are expert poets!("kuritoedadeyum kaavya prayoega parinata matigal")
Two - three more caves along Kailasanaatha temple on right side were depicting Hindu gods. After that rest all are Buddhist cave temples, similar to Ajanta caves. But, there are hardly any paintings in them (or paintings have gone off, may be). These caves were exposed to people since long, perhaps (I mean Indians:). There are no lighting provided inside caves (one need to depend on their own torch). I visited around 16 caves.(I wasn't knowing about remaining caves including the ones related to Jainism, which were on left side of Kailash temple). The lunch at Tourism Department canteen wasn't that bad. I could also buy a CD on Ajanta, Ellora there(to supplement my volatile memory).
I caught another 'kaali peeli' to Daulatabad to judge the wisdom of Tugalak!!
[Again the jeep was jam packed. The guy next to me was asking me in Marathi to remove my hand which was on his shoulder. My Hindi knowledge didn't help in understanding what he was saying. In the end, my Japan experience helped to practice sign language.]
It's hailed as the most invincible fort of the country since it's structure was engineered with complex sophisticated warfare techniques.
The Daulatabad fort has several layers. The central part is on top of a hill. There are deep ditches between layers (containing water too). There are dark spiraling tunnels to reach the central hill top called 'bhul bhullaiya' (Maze). There are many traps and different openings they say. I could land up only on an intermediate top. Gave up the effort of climbing the hill top (like the many kings who returned unconquering the fort!) since I was a bit tired too in the hot sun.

Returned to Aurangabad in the evening and went to see "poor man's Taj Mahal"- 'Bibi Ka Maqbara'. It makes you believe that you are seeing Taj Mahal (If you haven't seen Taj Mahal!) But it doesn't have that majestic charm of Taj Mahal. White marble is used only at some places, I think. Aurangajeb's son (built it on the memory of his mother) didn't have enough budget like Shah Jahan had, I presume (or perhaps built during recession time ;). (You can get more details here)
Returned back to Pune next day, ruminating on those rich memories on the way back ...

Some more pictures from my belligerent camera are here.