South India: Aurangabad post-tour Extension

Enjoy a buffet lunch at a local restaurant, transfer to the airport for your late afternoon flight for Aurangabad.  Upon your arrival in Aurangabad transfer you to your hotel and check-in.  B/L/D Taj Residency (5-star)

Note: Aurangabad is the most convenient point from which one can visit the renowned Ajanta and Ellora caves.  This city gets its name from Aurangzeb, the last of the great Mughal emperors.  Following his death the city continued to be governed by the Nizam Shahi dynasty.   Dug and carved by hand with only pick, hammer and chisel, these gigantic cave temples of Ajanta & Ellora are really sculptures worked into whole mountainsides.  Here, from the 2nd century onwards, exquisite cathedrals and chapels, temples and monasteries were carved in the rock-face.  Sculpture of the highest quality became part of the architectural design.

After buffet breakfast enjoy a full day excursion to Ajanta caves (WHS). Carved 2000 years ago by Buddhist artist-monks, these astounding masterpieces trace the life of Buddha in rock art temples & monasteries that are architectural marvels, many vividly painted in incredible detail – considered some of the wonders of the ancient world. Natural light brightens the caves at different times of the day leaving visitors awe-struck by the sheer brilliance of those ancient masters who created this magnificent art & architectural splendor.

Note: It was only in the 19th century, that the Ajanta group of caves, lying deep within the Sahyadri hills, cut into the curved mountain side, above the Waghora river, were discovered. A group of British officers on a tiger hunt, stumbled on these ancient works of art. They depict the story of Buddhism, spanning the period from 200 BC to 650 AD.

The 29 caves were built as secluded retreats of the Buddhist monks, who taught and performed rituals in the Chaityas and Viharas, the ancient seats of learning, and nerve - centres of the Buddhist cultural movement. Using simple tools like hammer and chisel, the monks carved out the impressive figures adorning the walls of these structures. Exquisite wall - paintings and sculptures speak volumes of the India of yore. Many of the caves house panels depicting stories from the Jatakas, a rich mine of tales of the several incarnations of the Buddha. Images of nymphs and princesses amongst others are also elaborately portrayed.

Cave 1 houses some of the best - preserved wall paintings, which include two great Boddhisattvas, Padmapani and Avalokiteshvara. Caves 2, 16 and 17 also contain amazing paintings, while Caves 1, 4, 17, 19, 24 and 26 boast of some of the most divine sculptures. The flying apsara, of Cave 17, and the image of Buddha preaching in Cave 17, are a couple of unforgettable works of art. The Ajanta caves and the treasures they house are a landmark in the overall development of Buddhism.

Packed lunch will be provided during the sightseeing tour.  B/L/D Taj Residency (5-star)

Today, enjoy a half-day excursion to Ellora Caves (WHS), representing the sheer magnificence of Indian sculpture at its best.  A repository of Buddhist, Hindu and Jain religious express, the 34 shrines synthesize Indian religion and passion for sculpture - priceless pages out of history.   The awe-inspiring, mammoth Kailash Temple carved out of solid rock is dedicated to Mount Kailash of the Himalayas, the abode of Lord Shiva, whose many-faceted personality is depicted here in carvings.  The Ramayana & Mahabharata are depicted in carvings here as well.

Notes: The 34 Ellora caves are carved into the sides of a basaltic hill, 30 kms from Aurangabad. The finest specimens of cave - temple architecture, they house elaborate facades and exquisitely adorned interiors. These structures representing the three faiths of Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism, were carved during the 350 AD to 700 AD period. The 12 caves to the south are Buddhist, the 17 in the centre dedicated to Hinduism, and the 5 caves to the north are for Jainism.

The sculpture in the Buddhist caves accurately conveys the nobility, grace and serenity inherent in the Buddha. Caves 6 and 10 house images from the Buddhist and Hindu faith, under the same roof, the latter dedicated to Vishwakarma, the patron saint of Indian craftsmen. The Vishvakarma cave is both a Chaitya and a Vihara, with a seated Buddha placed in the stupa.  Its two - storied structure sports a colourful pageant of dwarfs, dancing and making music.

The Kailasa temple in Cave 16 is an architectural wonder, the entire structure having been carved out of a monolith, the process taking over a century to finish. This mountain - abode of Lord Shiva, is in all probability, the world's largest monolith, the gateway, pavilion, assembly hall, sanctum and tower, all hewn out of a single rock. What is amazing about it is the fact, that unlike other temple structures, which are built base upwards, the sculptor or architect involved here, started carving from the very top and the sides. Gigantic, though it is, it remains one of the most delicate and intricate ancient works of art. The Dumar Lena cave resembles the famous cave - temple at Elephanta, and is dedicated to Lord Shiva.

The Jain caves are about a mile away from the Kailasa temple.  Cave 32, houses a beautiful shrine adorned with fine carvings of a lotus flower on the roof, and a yakshi on a lion under a mango - tree, while Caves 32 and 34 contain grand statues of Parasnath. The other Jain caves sport the images of Tirthankaras, and one of them, also, has a seated figure of Mahavira.

Return to your hotel after the excursion for buffet lunch.  Transfer to the airport for your flight departing from Aurangabad for Mumbai at 5:30 pm

Upon arrival at the Mumbai Airport, transfer to a hotel where you may relax at the lobby before dinner.  After dinner transfer you to the international airport for your flights back home  B, L, D