During a tourism familiarization trip to the Indian state of Maharashtra, jointly organized by the Embassy of India in Vietnam and the Directorate of Tourism under the Government of Maharashtra, an international delegation of journalists and travel businesses spent an entire day exploring the Ajanta Caves-an ancient Buddhist cave complex recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

More than just an architectural
wonder carved into a mountainside over 2,000 years ago, Ajanta is also regarded
as a “museum of ancient painting,” preserving invaluable Buddhist murals that
reflect the life, beliefs, and artistic achievements of ancient India.

A
Buddhist Cave Complex Over Two Millennia Old

The Ajanta Caves are located in the
state of Maharashtra, about 100 kilometers from the city of Aurangabad. From a
distance, the caves appear almost hidden within the basalt cliffs of the Deccan
Plateau, overlooking a horseshoe-shaped gorge carved by the Waghur River.

That morning, the delegation
departed early to reach Ajanta under the soft morning light. From the visitor
center, access to the caves is carefully managed-vehicles are not allowed
beyond a certain point, and visitors continue on foot along a path hugging the
hillside, a system designed to minimize environmental impact.

At the first panoramic viewpoint,
the entire complex gradually reveals itself: a sweeping arc of cave entrances
carved into the cliff face, perfectly echoing the curve of the gorge below. The
scene feels less like a man-made monument and more like a natural formation
shaped over time.

The majestic yet tranquil landscape
gives many visitors the feeling that they are looking at a creation of nature
rather than a monument made by human hands.

Ajanta Caves are among the oldest
Buddhist cave complexes in India, comprising around 30 caves hewn directly from
basalt rock and dating from the 2nd century BCE to around the 5th century CE.

Researchers believe that Ajanta was
built in two main phases. The first began around the 2nd century BCE when the
earliest monasteries and prayer halls were created under the patronage of the
Satavahana dynasty. Construction then paused for several centuries before
entering a second phase in the 5th century during the Vakataka dynasty, when
many new caves and the famous murals were completed.

The caves at Ajanta mainly consist
of two characteristic types of Buddhist architecture. The first is the vihara,
or monastic residence where monks lived and meditated. These caves usually
feature a square central hall surrounded by small cells for monks.

The second type is the chaitya, or
prayer hall, which contains a stupa at the far end. In these chaitya halls,
visitors can walk around the stupa in a ritual known as circumambulation – an
important practice in Buddhism.

Ancient craftsmen began carving from
the top downward, removing rock layer by layer to create complete architectural
spaces-an approach that required extraordinary precision and planning.

An
Ancient Art Museum Inside the Mountain

What truly distinguishes Ajanta in
the history of world art is not only its architecture but its extraordinary
system of murals and relief sculptures.

These paintings, created more than
1,500 years ago, cover walls, ceilings, and pillars, depicting scenes from the
Jataka tales-the stories of the Buddha’s previous lives-as well as court life,
nature, and daily activities in ancient India. The level of detail, emotional
expression, and compositional sophistication continues to impress scholars and
visitors alike.

Most of the paintings depict stories
from the Jataka tales – legends describing the previous lives of the Buddha. In
these stories, the Buddha appears in many forms, from human beings to animals,
embodying noble virtues such as compassion, sacrifice, and wisdom.

Ancient painters did more than
simply illustrate the narratives; they captured subtle emotions through the
characters’ eyes, gestures, and postures. Processions of people, royal palaces,
forests, and animals are all rendered with dynamic composition and remarkable
detail.

One of the most surprising aspects
for visitors is that, despite more than a millennium having passed, many
paintings still retain clear colors and lines. Historians believe this
demonstrates the highly advanced techniques of ancient Indian craftsmen, from
preparing the rock surfaces to mixing pigments.

Among the caves, numbers 1, 2, 16,
and 17 are considered to house the most beautiful murals. The paintings here
are illuminated only very gently to protect their original colors, giving
visitors the feeling of stepping into a mysterious and ancient world.

From a Forgotten Monument to a
Famous Tourist Destination – and a Lesson in Heritage Conservation

For the international delegation,
exploring Ajanta was not a brief visit but a full-day journey through history.
Moving from one cave to another along the cliffside, the experience unfolds
gradually, each space revealing a different layer of artistic and spiritual
expression.

By the end of the day, what remained
was not only admiration for the scale and craftsmanship of the site, but also a
sense of quiet reflection. In the dimly lit interiors, where ancient murals
have survived for over two millennia, visitors can feel a rare connection to
the past-one shaped by faith, artistry, and human perseverance.

From intricately carved pillars to
sacred stupas deep within the caves, each space reflects the architectural and
spiritual life of ancient Buddhist communities.

Walking along the cliff, visitors
can see that each cave features its own architectural and decorative style,
reflecting the development of art over several centuries. Many members of the
delegation were particularly impressed by how ancient craftsmen combined
sculpture and painting within the same space. Stone pillars, ceilings, and
walls served both as surfaces for carving statues and as “canvases” for
murals. This integration creates a unified artistic composition, making Ajanta
not merely an archaeological site but a complete work of art.

After religious activities declined
around the late 5th century, Ajanta gradually became overgrown with jungle and
was largely forgotten for many centuries. It was not until 1819 that a British
officer named John Smith accidentally rediscovered the caves while
participating in a tiger hunting expedition in the area. The discovery quickly
attracted the attention of archaeologists and European scholars.

Throughout the 19th and early 20th
centuries, numerous research and restoration projects were carried out.
Scholars reproduced many of the murals for study and preservation purposes.

After India gained independence, the
government of Maharashtra continued to invest in infrastructure and heritage
management. Ajanta was later recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in
1983. Today, together with Ellora Caves, Ajanta has become one of the most
important heritage destinations in Maharashtra, attracting millions of visitors
each year.

One issue that particularly
interested the international delegation was how India preserves the Ajanta
heritage while still developing tourism. Conservation remains a central
concern. The preservation of Ajanta is carried out in close coordination with
the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), with strict measures in place,
including controlled lighting, humidity regulation, limited visitor capacity,
and restrictions on flash photography.

At the same time, authorities have
introduced innovative solutions such as life-size replicas of selected caves at
the visitor center, allowing tourists to appreciate the artwork without putting
additional pressure on the original structures.

After a full day exploring Ajanta,
many members of the delegation realized that the value of this cave complex
lies not only in its millennia-old age or its rare murals. Ajanta also
represents the intersection of art, religion, and nature in the history of
India.

Amid basalt cliffs and quiet
forests, ancient craftsmen created a world of color and emotion. More than two
thousand years later, that world continues to tell the story of human history,
faith, and creative talent. For first-time visitors, Ajanta is not just a
tourist attraction but a journey back into the past – where every brushstroke
and every carved stone bears the imprint of time.

From a monument once lost to time,
Ajanta has become one of India’s most significant cultural tourism
destinations. Millions of visitors each year not only help preserve its
historical and artistic value but also support the development of local tourism
and livelihoods.

The story of Ajanta demonstrates how
heritage, when carefully preserved and responsibly developed, can become a
sustainable driver of economic growth.

For many first-time visitors, it is
not just a destination, but a rare encounter with the enduring legacy of
Buddhist art and human creativity.

Tác giả-Bùi Trọng Thoan