Ajanta Art

Ajanta Art
Ajanta art refers to all the art forms of Ajanta i.e. cave architecture, sculpture and painting
located in Maharashtra.
It was mainly created in 2 phases:
First under the Satavahanas during 100 BC – 225 CE and
under the Vakatakas during 4th – 6th century CE (during Gupta period).
The first Buddhist cave monuments at Ajanta date from the 2nd and 1st centuries B.C. During
the Gupta/ Vakataka period, many more richly decorated caves were added to the original
group.
Ajanta Cave architecture and sculpture ornamentation:
The Buddhist site of Ajanta consists of several caves nestled in a curving section of the
Sahyadri hills, overlooking the Waghora river. Caves were built from the Basalt
accumulated in the form of igneous rocks.
There are 30 caves at Ajanta.
The workers carved pillars, roofs, and idols out of the rocks. Along with this, painting work
was also done.
There were two phases of activity at this site – 5 caves were excavated in the Satavahana
period, while rest belong to the Vakataka period.
Two (Caves 9 and 10) of Satavahana period were chaityas (prayer halls) and rest
viharas (monasteries).
Caves 9 and 10 are the two chaitya or worship halls from the 2nd to 1st century BC.
The cave has a distinct apsidal shape.
Above the pillars and also behind the stupa are colorful paintings of the Buddha.
Three (Caves 19, 26 and 29) of Vakataka period belonging to the late 5th and early 6th
century were chaityas, the rest viharas.
Caves, particularly of later period, have richer sculptural ornamentation, both inside and
outside, and the profusion of figures from the Mahayana pantheon.
Generally Caves are of one storey but few Caves are of two storeys like Cave 6 and Cave 27.
Viharas (monastery):
Most of these caves were built during the second phase and were shifted from
Hinayana sect to Mahayana sect.
They consist of a colonnaded porch and three entrance doors leading into a hall.
The center of the viharas are in the form of a square having rectangular aisles on each
side.
There are number of small monastic cells/ square dormitories arranged around the
central hall which can be entered through the doors.
Cave 12 with monk cells:
Cave 12 plan (early Vihara without internal shrine):
At the back side of the caves, a sanctuary was built and each sanctuary has a statue of
Lord Buddha in the center.
Cave 4 internal shrine:
The introduction of a shrine room into the vihara is an innovation of this period.
Many other deities are also carved on the pillars and near the large statue of Buddha.
Cave 1:
The plan of Cave 1 shows one of the largest viharas and its patronage is attributed
to Harishena.
The main hall of Cave 1 is a square in plan, with aisles along all four sides.
Adjacent to these aisles are doorways leading to fourteen small chambers.
Cave 1 contains twenty painted and carved pillars.
Above the pillars are reliefs depicting tales from the life of Buddha (Jataka tales).
Located at the rear of the hall is a large shrine of the Buddha.
The most famous painting on wall is the Bodhisattva Padmapani.

Viharas like Chaityas display a profusion of sculptural ornamentation.
The sculpture artists likely worked at both excavating the rocks and making the intricate
carvings of pillars, roof and idols
The columns and doorways of the viharas show great variety. Some are rather plain, others
richly decorated with sculptures (as shown in pics).
Carvings of elephants, horses, bulls, lions, apsaras, naga (snake), meditating monks,
flowers etc. on door frames, pillars.
The Buddha in a preaching pose flanked by bodhisattvas, Cave 4 shrine:
Cave 7 shrine:
Cave-7.jpg 23 kB
Fluted columns make their appearance for the first time.
From Hinayana to Mahayana:

The viharas of the earlier period are much simpler, and lack shrines.
A vast majority of the caves were carved in the second period, wherein a shrine or
sanctuary is appended at the rear of the cave, centred on a large statue of the
Buddha, along with exuberantly detailed reliefs and deities near him as well as on
the pillars and walls, all carved out of the natural rock.
This change reflects the shift from Hinayana to Mahayana Buddhism. These caves
are often called monasteries.
Chaiyta Griha (worship halls):
It has narrower rectangular plan with high arched ceiling type
This hall is longitudinally divided into a nave and two narrower side aisles separated
by a symmetrical row of pillars, with a stupa in the apse
The stupa is surrounded by pillars and a concentric walking space for
circumambulation.
Some of the caves have elaborate carved entrances, some with large windows over the
door to admit light.
There is often a colonnaded porch or verandah, with another space inside the doors
running the width of the cave.
The oldest worship halls at Ajanta were built in the 2nd to 1st century BCE, the newest
ones in the late 5th century CE.
Caves 9 and 10 are the two chaitya or worship halls from the 2nd to 1st century BC.
The cave has a distinct apsidal shape.
Above the pillars and also behind the stupa are colorful paintings of the Buddha.
On the walls are friezes of Jataka tales, but likely from the Hinayana phase of early
construction.
Cave IX plan:
Cave IX entrance:
Cave-9-Ajanta-Entrance.jpg 22 kB
Cave IX interior:
Buddha statue on the porch of Cave 9:

Cave-9-Buddha.jpg 22 kB
Cave X plan:
Cave 19 consists of a rectangular hall rounded into an apse at the rear.
The hall is divided into a central section and two side aisles by a number of richly
carved pillars that go down the entire length of the hall and around the central
image of worship – a stupa with a high, almost spherical dome within which a
standing Buddha is carved in high relief.
A stupa is a hemispherical structure having the remains of Buddhist monks and
nuns.
Apse, at the rear, is a semi-circular structure having a vault or semi-dome.
The roof is vaulted and ribbed.
The cave has an elaborately carved façade, with Buddha figures, attendants, and
various ornamental devices.
The unique feature of the facade is Chandrasala (large semicircular window).
The upper part of the interior has sculpted panels representing Buddhas.
Other sculpture includes Naga figures with a serpent canopy protecting the Buddha, Yaksha
dvarapala images on the side of its arches, flying couples, sitting Buddha, standing Buddhas etc.
Cave 19 entrance:
cave-19_2.jpg 25 kB
Cave 19 interior:
Cave 26 has more elaborate and detailed sculptural decoration.

Builders focussed on sculpture, rather than paintings.
The cave consists of an apsidal hall with side aisles for circumambulation (pradikshana). This
path is full of carved Buddhist legends, seated Buddhas in various mudra etc.
It enshrines a huge stupa with a seated Buddha carved in high relief, adorned with richer
ornamentation.
The walls, pillars, brackets and the triforium are extensively carved with Buddhist themes.
The inner walls of the cave have many carvings, including a 7 m long Buddha in a reclining pose
on the left wall, representing the Parinibbana, surrounded by figures in mourning.
Cave 26 Mahaparinirvana of Buddha:
Ajanta mural paintings:

The exquisite sculptures at Ajanta are complemented by beautiful murals on the walls,
ceilings, door-frames, and pillars.
Originally, most of the caves had paintings. Today paintings survive in only six Caves 1, 2, 9,
10, 16, and 17. Out of these, Caves 9 and 10 seem to belong to the 2nd/1st century BCE. The
second phase of painting corresponds to the Vakataka period.
The technique of painting is known as fresco secco.
A thick layer of mud, mixed with vegetable material, was applied on the rock surface.
A thin coat of plaster was applied on top of this.
Paintings were made on this prepared surface, using pigments mixed in a glue or gum
medium.
The artists must have used brushes made of animal hair.
The artists used and blended six colours—
white made from lime, kaolin, and gypsum;
red and yellow from ochre;
black from soot;
green from a glauconite (a mineral); and
blue from lapis lazuli.
All these materials, except for lapis lazuli, were available in the vicinity of Ajanta.
Scenes:
Apart from narrative scenes connected with the Buddhas, bodhisattvas, and Jatakas
(fine scenes related to birth, life and death of Buddha, several scenes from Jataka
stories), the Ajanta frescoes depict yakshas, gandharvas, and apsaras.
In addition to the ‘religious scenes’, there are many scenes of everyday life in cities and
villages.
The artists’ deep and sympathetic understanding of nature is evident in the
representations of trees, flowers, and animals such as elephants, monkeys, deer, and
hares.
There is also a great variety of decorative patterns.
In the narrative paintings, episodes flow from and into each other in different
directions, without any clear demarcations.
Ajanta paintings are not conceived in terms of depth; rather, they come forward
towards the viewer.
The artists knew the technique of foreshortening.
Paintings are marked by ‘multiple perspective’—objects are painted as if seen
simultaneously at eye level, from above, as well as from below.
The paintings are marked by a fine balance between the material and the spiritual.
The artists used shading and highlighting to great effect, giving parts of their
compositions a luminous glow.
The paintings display some stylistic differences, reflecting the different hands that
made them.
Human figures:
The human figures are slender, well-proportioned, and elegant.
Women have narrow waists and full breasts, their faces are marked by highly arched
eyebrows and elongated, lotiform eyes.
There is an intricate range of sophisticated costumes, jewellery, and hairstyles.
The beautiful Ajanta murals themselves point to a long tradition of mural painting in India.
The cave architecture, sculptures and paintingsof Ajanta are considered masterpieces of Buddhist
religious art which have had a considerable artistic influence in later period also.

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Ajanta Art

The most famous painting on wall is the Bodhisattva Padmapani.

Fluted columns make their appearance for the first time.

From Hinayana to Mahayana:

Buddha statue on the porch of Cave 9:

Cave 19 consists of a rectangular hall rounded into an apse at the rear.

Cave 26 has more elaborate and detailed sculptural decoration.

Cave 26 Mahaparinirvana of Buddha:

Ajanta mural paintings:

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