Spiritual glory - A monastic retreat for the monks, Ajanta is any visitor's delight.

Set amidst lush greenery along the face of a mountain with a small stream cascading through the valley below, Ajanta is any visitor's delight. A monastic retreat for the monks, these stupendous structures embellished with some of the most lovely paintings and splendid sculptures took 800 years to be carved out.

About 200 monks worked relentlessly on the hillside hanging over the tiny streamlet, chiselling and drawing into the heart of the rock, digging deep into the hillside, some going 100 feet deep. It is believed that the caves were strategically located along the trade routes so that the monks could travel safely with traders to far flung areas to spread their faith. For many years the caves functioned as a perfect retreat for the monks but around the 8th century AD they were abandoned for the nearby Ellora caves. The reason for the shift is shrouded in mystery but once past its days of glory, Ajanta slipped into oblivion. The caves lay hidden for over a 1,000 years under dense forest overgrowth before being discovered by sheer chance by a hunting team in 1819.

There are 28 caves at Ajanta, two chaityas or prayer halls and three viharas, a place for the monks to rest, study and meditate. The walls and ceilings on the inside are adorned with sculptures and murals depicting stories from the life of the Buddha and the more popular tales from the lives of Buddha's previous incarnations. Some paintings also contain scenes from the royal court and popular life of the ancient times. The paintings on the walls are of the highest craftsmanship and depict a mastery of forms, positions and gestures that had never been seen before in ancient India. And like many say, it's hard for anyone who has not been to Ajanta to imagine the charm of the caves.