188) SUNDAY, 1 JANUARY 1978 : 242KMS. - AJANTA
The first day of the new year 1978, a good start to do what is meritorious for life ...
We drove through KHANDWA, BURHAMPUR (where there are remains of very long city wall and fortresses) until EDELABAD. We crossed the flooded part of the road, where Tilo had to drive very carefully.
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| Ajanta Caves - Photo : wikimedia.org / wondermundo.com / Bing images search |
We were led to PHARDAPUR and AJANTA caves, a group of caves in a horseshoe like mountain cliff. It was discovered accidentally by a British officer John SMITH in 1819. There are about 29 caves in this area, which were excavated as temple caves since the 2nd A.D. until the 7th A.D.
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| http://munichtomadras1977.blogspot.com |
There are wall paintings of the Lord Buddha’s life and Jataka stories, which are colorful and very beautiful . Despite many chapped on different surface areas, we could see its beauty.
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| Mahajanaka Jataka, Ajanta Caves - Photo : wikipedia.org / Bing images search |
There are also beautiful relief carved Buddha statues at the entrance of a caved temple as well as in the cave.
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| http://munichtomadras1977.blogspot.com |
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| http://munichtomadras1977.blogspot.com |
There is a cave with a stupa inside and various Buddha statues. The carving patterns on poles are so different and also very beautiful.
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| Ajanta Cave 3 - Photo : kuriositas.com / Bing images search |
From the wall paintings of the Lord Buddha and Bodhisattva images as well as people, they all appear to be common in wearing large hoop earrings. I guessed that it might be popular in Hinduism.
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| Ajanta Painting - Photo : talktalk.co.uk / Bing images search |
The hanging loop earrings appear like earlobes. It is often said in Thailand that those having long ears would live a long life, cited the Lord Buddha as example. What I saw from those paintings should be interesting for Thai Buddhists.
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| BUDDHA - Photo : wikimedia.org / Bing images search |
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| VAJARAPANI - Photo : wikimedia.org /Bing images search |
The paintings of Bodhisattvas also show a look of a Bodhisattva like a female with a beautiful face. The Buddhist conept since the ancient time is believing that people, both men and women, in the Sri Araya Mettrai would have similar beautiful faces.
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| PADMAPAMANI - Photo : wikimedia.org /Bing images search |
At the rear end of the mountain bend, it is a spectacular waterfall, cascading down to many levels when it is viewed from the opposite hill.
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| Waterfall next to Ajanta Caves - Photo evilsunday.com / Bing images search |
In the area near the entrance/exit of the caves, there were villagers selling round and oval shaped stone balls…looking like wood apple or curd fruit. The small chain is used to entwine the stone ball and wrench to break the ball into two halves. The inner side is very beautiful , a white Quartz crystal and Amethyst Purple. These stone balls should be buried in the soil in this area or they can be found in a cave. I did not want to buy one, as I had to avoid carrying over weight luggage when flying back home.
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| Amethyst - Photo : minerals.net / Bing images search |
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