An Introduction to the Ajanta Caves: With Examples of Six Caves

by Rajesh Singh

You will find in this book the history of the caves as well as the Buddhist legends painted on the walls. The history section includes the chronological development of four Ajanta Caves 1, 2, 16 and 17. This is a new account of the chronology of the Ajanta caves based on the latest research carried out by the author.  The narrative sections include short summaries of 84 Buddhist legends that are painted on the walls of the Caves 1, 2, 9, and 17. This is for the first time that a small book like this includes 84 Buddhist legends. The short summaries are based on the pioneering research work carried out by D. Schlingloff and his predecessors. The descriptions follow the nearest known versions of the stories, many of them from still very obscure Buddhist scriptures.  At least one photograph of each of the preserved painted legends has been reproduced. In total there are 284 colour photographs, which also include some examples from architectural details, sculptures, inscriptions, ground plans, and motifs.  A short introduction of our current understanding about the prevailing political and cultural background is also given. The book is intended for the advanced researchers, educators, students, and such general readers who seek an in-depth understanding of the history of the Ajanta caves and the paintings.

Genres: History

260 pages, Paperback

First published November 4, 2012

Reviews

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this book from Amazon because it was free and it sounded interesting. And indeed it was!

The book details the lengthy construction effort in the caves, which ebbed and flowed through the years according to the availability of patronage. In a way, it resembled the construction of a western cathedral, only the Ajanta shrines were carved and sculpted, not erected.

The detailed architectural descriptions, and the explanations of what was carved and at what time, can get dry at times. Still, I enjoyed the deductive work which followed the spread of architectural ideas from each cave to the next and explained a cave's features based on the constraints faced by the builders.

But what I enjoyed the most were the narrative descriptions of the murals in each cave. Some wild and fascinating stories there! Also there are lots of images to accompany the text.

At the risk of trivializing the cultural significance of the site, I would say that if you are are a dungeon master (of the "Dungeons & Dragons" kind, not of the "Fifty shades of Grey" kind) looking for ideas for your next playing session, you can find inspiration in this book for some mysteryous and long-abandoned temple in which to set an adventure.

[Pratik Sheth · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I was a post-graduate student at M. S. University, I referred some books by pioneer scholars of Ajanta. Very good books but with dry description without photographs of related description which was very difficult for students and researchers to understand the text. This publication provides through research along with high-quality photographs and very comfortable in size to carry anywhere.