Ajanta: History and the Mystery

The Buddhist Caves of Ajanta, located in Maharashtra, India, were built between 200 BC to 600 AD almost 300 years after the death of the Buddha. The caves and their sculptures were developed over a period of 800 years, but went abandoned and forgotten until rediscovered in 1819. The isolation of the caves account for the excellent preservation of the remarkable structure and paintings.

Initially conceptualized to house Buddhist monks, the caves developed as a part of a highly sophisticated, graphically rich culture. Moving through the caves, one can experience the time warp and the evolution of story telling through the visual medium. Ajanta is a three-dimensional canvas, capturing the changing forms of art, culture, architecture, attires, jewelry, fashion and culinary rituals painted in the most earthen Indian colors.

This rare documentary explores the historical, technological and ecstatic value of the caves and their contents. The caves are now closed to photography due to the sensitivity of light, so the footage and images on this program are truly unique and a must-have for all lovers of art and history. The Ajanta Caves are listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.



56 mins

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