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Photo: Photo by Anushka14 via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
ArchaeologyUNESCO World Heritage Site
Ajanta Caves
AddressAjanta Caves, Ajanta
Managed byArchaeological Survey of India (ASI)
Today's hoursOpen today 9 AM – 5 PM
Tickets fromFrom ₹35
TypeArchaeological Site
Time needed4-5 hrs
Location
About
A series of 30 rock-cut Buddhist cave monuments carved into a horseshoe-shaped cliff face, dating from roughly the 2nd century BCE to 480 CE, containing some of the finest surviving examples of ancient Indian painting and sculpture. The caves include both chaityas (prayer halls) and viharas (monasteries), their walls covered in elaborate murals depicting the Jataka tales of the Buddha's previous lives. Abandoned for over a thousand years, the site was rediscovered by chance in 1819 by a British officer on a tiger hunt. The paintings' sophisticated use of shading and perspective make Ajanta a foundational reference point for the history of Indian art.
Did you know? The caves were forgotten for over 1,000 years until a British cavalry officer, John Smith, stumbled upon them in 1819 while hunting a tiger — his signature, scratched into a pillar, is still visible today.
Good for
ArtHistory
Opening hours
| Monday | Closed |
| Tue–Sun | 9 AM – 5 PM |
Tickets
Adult Indian
₹35Foreigners Adult/Kid
₹550Kids/Students Indian
FreeFacilities
RestroomGuideShopCafé (Basic canteen near the entrance)Parking (Private vehicles park at the base; shuttle bus to the caves)
