The Ajanta Caves are situated in Aurangabad district of Maharashtra. There are about 30 rock-cut Buddhist cave monuments which dates from the 2nd century BCE to about 480 or 650 CE. There are 34 caves at Ellora dating from between the 6th and 11th centuries AD. Ajanta caves also have paintings and sculptures that are masterpieces of Buddhist religious art, with figures of the Buddha and depictions of the Jataka tales(the stories of Buddha).These were built in two phases starting around the 2nd century BCE, and with the second group of caves built around 400–650 CE. This site is now a protected monument of the Archaeological Survey of India. The place is recognoized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983. The caves in Ajanta are all Buddhist & Ellora caves a mixture of Buddhist, Hindu and Jain.
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Ajanta Ellora Caves[/caption]
The Ajanta caves are closed on Mondays, and the Ellora caves on Tuesdays. Both these caves are open on national holidays. The Ajanta caves are rich in paintings and sculpture, whereas the Ellora caves are renowned for their extraordinary architecture.
Entrance fees for travelers from outside India are $US10 for the Ajanta caves. The Ellora caves are free to enter.
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KailashTemple[/caption]
To enter the magnificent open air Kailasa temple you have to pay $US 5. You can get an excellent view of inside the Kailasa temple by climbing up the hill around it. No admission fees for children younger than 15 years. You should also bring a torch with you to the Ajanta caves as many of the caves are quite dark and lighting is poor.
The nearest railway stations are in Jalgaon for the Ajanta caves and Aurangabad for the Ellora caves. The nearest airport is in Aurangabad. The best time to visit is from November to March.