India is well-known for the Taj Mahal, but it also has two fascinating Unesco World Heritage sites in the southern state of Maharashtra (whose capital is Mumbai). The Ajanta & Ellora cave temples were built between the 2nd century BC and 6th century AD. (For reference, Egypt's Valley of the Kings where King Tut was buried dates to the 16th-11th centuries BC and Angkor Wat in Cambodia was built in the 12th century AD.)
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| Ajanta Cave Temples nestled in the hillside |
Arriving at Ajanta, I was greeted by a panoramic line of temples built into the crescent-shaped hillside. Americans think of India as a primarily Hindu country, but the Ajanta temples are Buddhist. All the temples were adorned with sculptures, paintings, or symbols of Buddha.
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| Erica in a tree pose as Buddha looks on |
I also learned a new art term during my visit to Ajanta. I'd heard of frescos and associated the term with paintings on walls and ceilings. Our guide explained that frescos are painted on wet plaster, and the color seeps into the plaster as it dries. But the Ajanta temple paintings are actually temperas, painted after the plaster had dried. Ajanta is renowned for its temperas, which highlight the creative ability of the artists and remain relatively well-preserved.
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| A ceiling tempura fades away over Erica's head |
After Ajanta, we visited the Ellora cave temples. Arriving at Ellora's showcase Kailasa temple, I was immediately reminded of Angkor Wat and the temples of Siem Reap. I'm not an archeologist or a historian, so I have no background on the technical similarities or differences between the two temple sites. But the look and feel were similar for me.
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| Erica showcases the Kailasa temple courtyard |
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| Kailasa viewed from beneath a cave overhang |
When finished with exploring the temple interior, we climbed a trail to view it from above. This view was equally impressive, and tinged with the exhilaration of peering over the unfenced edge to view the ant-sized humans walking around below us.
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| Erica & Will laugh away the fear of falling to their deaths. |
After climbing back down, it was soon time to leave the temples and return to Delhi, full of fresh air and fun photos from our trip.
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| Erica & friends outside Kailasa Temple |
