About Pitalkhora

The Pitalkhora Caves, in the Satmala range of the Western Ghats of Maharashtra, India, are an ancient Buddhist site consisting of 14 rock-cut cave monuments which date back to the third century BCE, making them one of the earliest examples of rock-cut architecture in India. Located about 40 kilometers from Ellora, the site is reached by a steep climb down a flight of concrete stairs, past a waterfall next to the caves.
Greek scroll supported by Indian Yaksas, Amaravati, 3rd century AD

Indian Buddhist sculptures – The sculptural art of enlightenment

Buddhist sculptures originated in the north of the Indian subcontinent with the earliest survivals dating from a few centuries after the historical life of Siddhartha Gautama from the 6th to 5th century BCE. In India, Buddhist sculptures flourished and co-developed with Hindu and Jain sculptures, with cave temple complexes built together, each likely influencing the other. Although India had a long sculptural tradition and a mastery of rich iconography, the Buddha was never represented in human .
A view of Ajanta caves after monsoons

Buddhist caves in India – An achievement of craftsmanship

The Buddhist caves in India form an important part of Indian rock-cut architecture, and are among the most prolific examples of rock-cut architecture around the world. There are more than 1,500 known rock cut structures in India, out of which about 1000 were made by Buddhists, 300 by Hindus, and 200 by Jains. Many of these structures contain works of art of global importance, and many later caves from the Mahayana period are adorned .