Ajanta and Ellora: Cave Temples of Ancient India

by Pushpesh Pant

Editorial Review Ajanta & Ellora enclose grand, mysterious and awe-inspiring cave temples, located in a horseshoe-shaped hillside in the state of Maharastra in India. Some of the world's most beautiful frescos and sculptures encompassing Buddhist, Hindu and Jain beliefs have been found here. Beautiful photographs capture the richness of an ancient ethos.

80 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

About the author

Pushpesh Pant is a noted Indian academic, food critic and historian. He retired as a Professor of International relations from Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi.

Reviews

[Ludo-Van · Rating 3 out of 5]

The background information on these two historical sites is ok, the real problem is with the description of the caves themselves.
I brought this book with me at the two sites hoping to guide me, but often it is hard – or even impossible – to link the descriptions with the actual sculptures of paintings (this is particularly true for the Buddhist caves of Ellora). It would go “in cave 22 we find a magnificent depiction of this god doing this”, but considering that in each cave there can easily be hundreds of scenes, painted or sculptured, the scene that the book refers to is impossible to find.
In addition the nice illustrations do not refer to the text. You would find a picture of Shiva rising from the lingam, while the text would talk about an incarnation of Vishnu. Why the did author decide not to add the pictures described in the text?
I guess if you want to read it at home is ok, but do not expect to guide you at the actual sites