In ancient times, Buddhist monks, known as bhikshus, did not have a permanent residence. They lived under trees or in caves, or would construct viharas, simple shelters made of twigs and leaves, near populated areas. Gradually, it became customary to place these viharas next to each other, giving rise to monasteries, called sangharamas, which were more or less spacious structures made of wood, stone, or brick. They were inhabited only during the rainy season, while the rest of the year was dedicated to pilgrimage.
The original Buddhist temple was nothing more than a simple wooden shelter with a semicircular roof covered in thatch. Later on, temples were built from stone, with two rows of columns dividing them into three sections, of which only the middle section had a horseshoe-shaped window, so that very little light reached the sanctuary located at the deepest part of the temple. Such twilight, silence, and peace truly encourage prayer and meditation.
However, the uniqueness of early Buddhist architecture lies in the caves carved into the rocks, which were used only for meditation and retreat. Stop and temples. The oldest of these caves are the Barabar caves in Bihar, about twenty kilometers from Bodh Gaya, which were created during the Maurya empire (322-185 BC) under the patronage of the famous Ashoka and his successors.
From around the 2nd century BC to the 7th century AD, about eight hundred such caves were created in western India. These caves, carved into living rock, are a magnificent and lasting symbol of the worship of Buddha and his path, with the most impressive ones being in Ajanta.
Ajanta is located in the remote hills of the Sahyadri mountains, in the present-day Indian state of Maharashtra, overlooking the winding Waghur River. In these basaltic cliffs, Buddhist monks carved a complex of temples and monasteries, which was named Ajanta after the nearby village.
The construction of Ajanta probably began in the 2nd century BC and was completed in the 7th century AD. The construction took place in two phases, with a hiatus of almost four centuries between them. I will divide you into two phases. All the caves from the first phase were created before Christ, with the oldest cave being cave no. 10 from the 2nd century BC. This period is called the Satavahana period, named after the ruling dynasty that enabled the construction of these buildings, as well as the Hinayana period, characterized by the fact that Buddha was not depicted in human form, but only symbolically – with the wheel of law, footprints, and the like, so there is an obvious absence of statues and generally modest ornamentation in this period. The later phase lasts from the 5th to the 7th century and is called the Mahayana period, when it was allowed to depict Buddha in human form. This phase is also called the Vakataka period, named after the rulers who were contemporaries of the Gupta dynasty, during which India reached its golden age in art and culture in general. Inscriptions in the caves state that this dynasty was the main patron of construction in Ajanta during this second period. Thus, cave no. 16 was donated to the Buddhist sangha by Varahadeva, the minister of King Harishena from the dynasty. The dynasty of the Vakatakas, and cave number 17, was one of the king’s vassals. The period of the most active architectural and artistic activities in Ajanta, from the second half of the 5th to the first half of the 6th century, coincides with the time of the greatest rise of the Vakataka dynasty.
The central sculpture on the walls of cave 26 is a huge lying figure of Buddha depicted at the moment of death (parinirvana). The statue of Buddha is about 7 meters long, beneath him are his earthly disciples mourning his death, and above are celestial beings rejoicing in it.
However, as Buddhism slowly declined in India in the 7th century, the Buddhists abandoned this residence. The stone dwellings were covered with lush vegetation and Ajanta disappeared from people’s memories. It was only in 1817 that a few British soldiers, while tiger hunting, were led by a shepherd to the hidden structures. Surprised and amazed, they entered the forgotten holy city and thus returned its beauty hidden in the caves to the world. Since then, Ajanta has occupied a unique place in world culture. The Ajanta complex is unique primarily because it includes a whole set of buildings consisting of 5 cave temples (chaityas) and 24 cave monasteries (viharas) carved into a cliff at a height of 75 meters and a length of 500 meters. During its heyday, Ajanta could accommodate several hundred monks, which speaks to the size of the complex.
As these are true halls and temples carved into living rock, their construction required exceptional skill and perseverance. The stonecutters likely descended into the canyon using ropes. First, they would roughly outline the shape of the future structure and then get to work. After removing the top layers of stone with chisels and creating an entrance hall, they would begin shaping the facade. This was followed by further carving into the canyon and shaping the halls, sanctuaries, and columns. Additionally, each cave had steps connecting it to the river at the base of the canyon. Over time, these steps were destroyed, and the caves The caves are interconnected by modern terraces and stairs because they are not all at the same level.
The entrance to Cave 9, dating back to the 1st century BC, features a large horseshoe-shaped window. During the construction of the cave, such a window would often be hollowed out first to let in light and serve as an outlet for excavated materials.
Viharas
Viharas, cave-monasteries intended for the residence of teachers and students, consisted of a spacious central hall surrounded by small rooms used as dormitories with two to four stone beds. Over time, they were expanded to accommodate a growing number of monk-students. That’s why Ajanta is also called the first Buddhist university.
Cave 10, dating back to the 2nd century BC, is the oldest in Ajanta. It measures 30.5 x 12.2 m and consists of a large central hall separated from the side naves by a series of 39 octagonal pillars. The interior is lavishly decorated. The walls are adorned with paintings, some of which date back to the construction period, while others were created between the 4th and 6th century. From the first period, two jataka tales were identified – Shama jataka and Chhaddanta jataka, while the later paintings mainly feature various depictions of Buddha.
An interesting fact is that the artists, due to painting in dark spaces, used torches, as well as vessels with water, mirrors, and white canvas to reflect sunlight for illumination.
They meticulously prepared the surface before applying the paint (similar to the technique found in ancient Egypt, and the painting phases are also quite similar). A mixture of clay, crushed rice husks, and cow dung was applied to the roughly prepared wall surface. Once this layer dried well, a layer of plaster was added. The outlines of future depictions were then traced onto this surface, followed by the application of paint. Plant and mineral-based colors provided a wide palette, including six shades of red and four shades of yellow. Purple, blue, black, white, and several shades of brown color.
As the colors are of natural origin, they are susceptible to the action of microorganisms, insects, and also weather influences. Nowadays, a great deal of damage is also caused by numerous visitors whose breath and camera flashes further damage the paintings. The oldest depictions are now barely discernible due to deterioration.
Cave 4, dating back to the first half of the 6th century, is the largest vihara in Ajanta. Only traces remain of the former murals.
Buddha depicted with hands in a teaching position, Cave 1.
Chaitya
Chaitya is a temple, a place for prayer and meditation. Unlike viharas, chaityas have a richly crafted facade with a distinctive large horseshoe-shaped window above the entrance door. Inside, their main feature is a vaulted ceiling. The main chamber is divided by rows of columns with elaborately adorned capitals into a central nave with an apse and two side aisles that continue behind the apse. This enables easy Entering the holiest part of the temple, which in its early stages was represented by a pillar, as it was considered inappropriate to paint or depict Buddha’s image. The ceiling has a semicircular vault, which is a copy of the original vault made of intertwined branches.
Figurative sculpture is extensively used in temples, especially on the capitals of pillars and on the facade. The oldest figures depict human couples, sometimes playing, sometimes riding on animals, and later, figures of Buddha and smaller deities appear.
The caves marked with numbers 9 and 10 are the earliest built temples (2nd and 1st century BC). They have a semicircular vault that was originally reinforced with wooden beams, and their slots can still be seen. The main hall of cave number 10 is 28.5 m x 12.3 m wide and 11 m high. In the center, there is a pillar, a sanctuary that was gradually evolved from a tumulus – a burial mound-shaped tomb under which there is a small room with relics of Buddha or some other Buddhist saint.
The usual way of paying homage Respect in Buddhism involves visiting shrines or stupas, always with the pilgrim on the right side. This is paradakshina, a ritual that symbolizes the gradual path of human progress towards perfection.
Boddhisattva Vajrapani, also known as Prince Ajanta.
Murals for eternity
One of the youngest viharas is located in cave number 1, and was created at a time when Ajanta painting reached its peak (475-550 AD). It was built under the direct patronage of King Harishena. At that time, the function of the vihara expanded, and besides accommodating monks, it also served as an auxiliary shrine; another room is opened in the back wall, which houses a statue of Buddha. The Buddha is seated, his hands in the teaching position (dharmachakrapravartana mudra), and his facial expression changes when observed from different angles.
The surface of the interior walls spans 12 x 6 meters; a rectangular colonnade of 12 pillars supports the ceiling and leaves a wide space. A passage for circulation. The walls have openings in some places, while the rest is meticulously adorned with motifs from the stories of Buddha’s previous and last lives, and the trials before enlightenment. The paintings are relatively well-preserved, and two of the most significant ones depict two Bodhisattvas. One is Avalokiteshvara, the most famous Bodhisattva, also known as the Compassionate One or Padmapani, and the other is Vajrapani. Padmapani is situated to the left of the entrance and holds a lotus (padma) in his hand, with an image of Amitabha Buddha on his head, whose incarnation he is. They say that those who suffer will not pray in vain for his help. He is a symbol of boundless compassion. On the right side of the entrance is the Bodhisattva Vajrapani, holding a thunderbolt (vajra) in his hand; due to the great popularity of this portrayal, he is known as the Prince of Ajanta. Vajrapani is a symbol of Spirit. Both of these depictions seem to emanate sublime peace and are considered masterpieces of Indian art.
Bodhisattva Padmapani.
Indian painters were especially careful in depicting emotions through the eyes because the eyes are Windows of the soul. As stated in the Chitrasutri, there are five types of eyes for a painter: chapakara or meditative eyes; matsyodara, the eyes of a woman or unrequited love; utpalaptrabha, calm or peaceful eyes; padmapatranibha, frightened or tearful eyes; and sankhakriti, angry or deeply pained eyes. The eyes depicted in the Ajanta caves have become a sort of canon that spread throughout Asia.
In general, the creative impulse of Ajanta traveled south to Sri Lanka, and from there to Java and other countries in Southeast Asia. It also followed trade routes and inspired Buddhist painters in Afghanistan, Central Asia, and China, from where it reached Korea and Japan.
The secret of the ancient masters of Ajanta was that they turned their eyes inward because Buddhist philosophy taught them that the material world is like a veil of illusion. They were the ones who needed to lift the veil and look behind it into eternity and show it to the world. The cave murals in Ajanta give us a glimpse of this brilliant vision that leaves a sense of great. The art given by India is characterized by a sense of peace and tranquility.