Ajanta caves, whenever I heard anybody speaking about these, it was always full of surprises, admiration and followed by good quotations. This made me feel really excited, when I planned to visit the caves. It was going to be an opportunity to see something miraculous, which is identified as UNESCO’s World Heritage site. It doesn’t mean that, because Ajanta caves are included in World Heritage Site list, those are great. But If I look at the other sites included in this list, I can compare the greatness.
29 caves and all supposed to have wonderful paintings, in a day is definitely a tough task, and on top of that we landed there in early afternoon, left with just a couple of hours to finish the visit. Travelling from Aurangabad was bit long journey of around 100 km. You cannot take your own vehicle to the top, I don’t know the reason, and also I don’t want to make any wild guesses, but the truth is – park your nice comfortable vehicles at the bottom of hill, and board the state transport special busses to reach up to almost top. Super AC busses will also be available; I am calling those busses – super AC, because the AC is so strong that you can be frozen to an idol if you sit for an hour. After 10 to 15 minutes of travel, you reach to the top.

After a small climb, we reached to a place from where I got the beautiful view of valley and again I became eager to see the caves. Usual security check; and one additional unwanted warning- no flash photography in the caves, pack up your camera stands also. That means I will have to see those beautiful caves without my third eye. No photographs. But no one was stopping me to take photographs from outside. Also, I observed a strange behavior in the caves. No one would object you when you are focusing the camera and getting ready for a photo. But when you are almost ready, all of sudden, from nowhere, someone will come and say ‘No photography’. But I will also request you, the paintings will get damaged due to flash, hence there should not be any flash photography inside the caves.
First cave, and the usual mistake we did, spent considerable time there. After which, we realized that it would be impossible to finish all caves with this speed. We asked for a guide, and started with selected or important caves -  1, 2, 4, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 15, 16, and 26. There can be difference of opinion here, but I can assure you that this information was absolutely correct as far as our guides knowledge was considered. He delivered his speech with utmost confidence.

Many people tell what to see, but at this place if you are an artist, you will see the effort behind each painting, each Buddha idol and each carving. Just think – how those people would have reached here and spent so many years during that time of world doing this mammoth work. Each painting must have taken months, even years to complete. Also no color factories or advanced tools to do the work. Prepare natural colors with may be hands and do all hand work to paint or to carve. Absolutely unbelievable!!! Huge Buddha idols in different pose – sitting, sleeping, the Dhyan Mudra’s. It seems, these caves were center of worship and meditation for the Buddhist monks. These are the examples of dedication, persistent work, and the kind of art India must have possessed in those years. Also there is something special about most of caves. Some people were banging on each pillar in a cave, when we asked the guide, he told us that, this cave has few pillars, which create different musical notes. That’s unimaginable, keeping pillars hollow in such a way that one creates sound of Tabla while other of sounds like Mridanga (both Indian instruments). Walls are painted, pillars are painted and roofs are also painted. Painting a house wall with single color and spray painting available now a days, is no no job for me. But, so much of painting by hand on roof of a hall in these caves, Ok, I don’t have patience to imagine me working there also. But I can definitely see the work behind all this.
One day is not enough to finish seeing all caves, but we found that it was not enough to finish even these selected caves. Finally we had to rush back to the bus stop as the last bus was going to leave within half an hour after closure of the entrance to caves. As you will find this at most of the places, the hawkers surround you with the crystals in many forms. Yes! You can get good crystals here. Just that you need to be little choosy, in terms of quality and also in price.  Bargain works very well and you can count your success in terms of percentage of reduction in price you can achieve.
What I brought back from the caves, definitely these photographs and memories to share with you. In addition to that a picture in front of my eyes whenever I want and a desire to do such a kind of dedicated high skill work. These caves are really worth visiting and I would reckon to complete this task in this birth only.

Some people do the business of counting greatest wonders of world, I believe in the word great, ‘greatest’ may just two steps ahead. You call these caves with any adjective but these are simply awesome.

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