Although it is more famous (in tourism circles) as the nearest major city to Ajanta & Ellora, Aurangabad is one's of India's main commercial centers and a bustling metropolis. It has an interesting history, and a culture (and monuments) that are worth exploring. The city was founded, in the early 16th century, by Malik Amber (a former Abyssinian slave who was, at that time, prime minister to the Moghul rulers of nearby Ahmadnagar). Scattered over a large industrial sprawl are remains of various monuments, some of which can be explored between your visits to Ajanta & Ellora.
Aurangabad's brocade creations (the finest silks combined with gold and other threads) have been long acknowledged as the best in the world. The city is also a bustling center of manufacturing and other commerce.
The Chowk area retains it's Islamic flavor from the days of the Nizams. Visit the Bibi-ka-Maqbara, the Pan Chakki, or the Dargah of Baba Shah Muzaffar. You can also choose to explore the Buddhist Caves as a prelude to your visits to Ajanta & Ellora. Aurangabad is easily accessible from most major cities in India.


Ajanta

AJANTA is world's greatest historical monument recognised by UNESCO located just 40kms from Jalgaon city of Maharashtra, India. There are 30 caves in Ajanta of which 9, 10, 19, 26 and 29 are chaitya-grihas and the rest are monasteries. These caves were discovered in AD 1819 and were built up in the earlier 2nd century BC-AD. Most of the paintings in Ajanta are right from 2nd century BC-AD and some of them about the fifth century AD and continued for the next two centuries. All paintings shows heavy religious influence and centre around Buddha, Bodhisattvas, incidents from the life of Buddha and the Jatakas. The paintings are executed on a ground of mud-plaster in the tempera technique.
Conjures before one's vision, a dream of beauty- of caves, hidden in the midst of a lonely glen with a streamlet flowing down below, caves that were scooped out into the heart of the rock so that the pious Buddhist monk, out on mission to spread the tenets of Buddhism could dwell and pray, caves that the followers of Lord Buddha, embellished with architectural details with a skilful command of the hammer over the chisel, with sculpture of highest craftsmanship and above all, with the paintings of infinite charm.


Ellora

The cave temples and monasteries at Ellora, excavated out of the vertical face of an escarpment, are 26 kms. north of Aurangabad. Extending in a linear arrangement, the 34 caves contain Buddhist Chaityas, or halls of worship, and Viharas, or monasteries, Hindu and Jian temples.
Spanning a period of about 600 years between the 5th and 11th century AD, the earliest excavation here is of the Dhumar Lena (cave 29). The most imposing excavation is, without doubt, that of the magnificent Kailasa Temple (Cave 16) which is the largest single monolithic structure in the world. Interestingly, Ellora, unlike the site of Ajanta, was never 'rediscovered'. Known as Verul in ancient times, it has continuously attracted pilgrims through the centuries to the present day.
Ellora has been designated as a World Heritage Site, to be preserved as an artistic legacy that will continue to inspire and enrich the lives of generations to come.


Kailash Temple
Kailash Temple is situated at Ellora and is believed that it was constructed by excavating approx. 200,000 tones of rock and is possible the world's largest monolithic structure. Representing Shiva's Himalayan home, the temple is exquisitely sculpted and is considered as one of the most astonishing 'buildings' in the history of architecture. A crowning glory of the art, Kailash temple at Ellora is indeed unique. Instead of carving down into the face of a cliff and creating underground halls which had been the practice, the sculptors/architects set aside all convention and created a full temple, identical in every detail to a structural, 'built-up' example, by carving vertically down into the living rock.