Question

The caves of Ajanta and Ellora belonged to _________.
a. Jains
b. Hindus
c. Buddhists
d. Sikhs

Answer 1

Hint: The Ajanta-Ellora rock-out caves are situated in Aurangabad, Maharashtra. The creative use of colour and freedom of expression used for depicting the human and animal forms makes the cave paintings at Ajanta as one of the best watermarks of artistic creativity. The Ellora caves are a unique artistic creation along with an excellent example of technological exploitation.

Complete answer: The paintings and sculptures in the caves of Ajanta and Ellora depict the time starting from the second century BC to sixth century AD. They are inspired by Buddhism and its compassionate ethos. These caves are ornately carved but seem quiet and meditative while exuding divine energy and power.
The Ajanta caves comprise Chaitya Halls or shrines which are dedicated to Lord Buddha and Viharas used by Buddhist monks for meditation and study of Buddhist teachings. Among the best paintings are the Jataka Tales relating to Bodhisattva. On the other hand, the most imposing excavation of the Ellora caves is the magnificent Kailasa Temple which is the largest monolithic structure in the world.
Now, let us look at the given options.
Option a- While the Ajanta and Ellora caves do depict some aspects of Jainism, they are primarily dedicated to Buddhism and its religious art. This is the wrong answer.
Option b- The paintings and architecture at Ajanta and Ellora caves represent various incidents of the life of Lord Buddha and various Buddhist divinities. However, they do have sanctuaries devoted to Hinduism illustrating the spirit of tolerance of ancient India. So, this is an incorrect option.
Option c- The elaborate sculptures and paintings at Ajanta and Ellora caves are inspired by diverse stories of Lord Buddha and various aspects of Buddhism. They are regarded as one of the finest representations of religious art of Buddhism. Hence, this is the right answer.
Option d- The Ajanta and Ellora caves have displays of sculptures and paintings related to diverse aspects of Buddhism and not Sikhism. Thus, it is an incorrect answer.
Hence, option ‘c’ is the right option.

Note: The Ajanta and Ellora Caves have been declared as World Heritage Sites by UNESCO since the year 1983. The entrance of the caves has a tall image of Buddha. The caves are decorated with sculptures and art forms of Bodhisattva Padmapani and Vajrapani as well as carvings of princesses, lovers, maids and dancing girls.