Ajanta, Ellora—the doors to Indian culture

Ajanta, Ellora—the doors to Indian culture Ajanta and nearby Ellora caves are monuments of immense cultural significance in India. Located in the Maharashtra, the site is about 300 kilometers northeast of Mumbai. It is said that caves were built by Buddhist, Hindu and Jain monks, who worshiped and meditated in the caves. The structure depicts the life of Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism. They were built during 350 AD to 700 AD period. There are 12 caves that are dedicated to Buddhism, 17 dedicated to Hinduism and five dedicated to Jainism. The most illustrated structure of Ellora caves is the Kailasha temple. It is the largest monolithic construction in the world. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and named after his home ‘Kailash mountain’.