We went on a trip in January 2025 with our classmates from IIM Calcutta. The itinerary was as follows:
Day 1 - Fly into Nashik and stay at The Source by Sula with a morning visit to the Pandav Leni Caves
Day 2 - Relax at Sula
Day 3 - Drive from Sula to Aurangabad via Shirdi
Day 4 - Ajanta
Day 5 - Ellora
Day 6 - Aurangabad local sightseeing and fly out
The much maligned Mughal Emperor, Aurangzeb spent many fruitless years in the Deccan trying to subdue the unruly Marathas. He was largely unsuccessful and after his death in 1707 he was succeeded by various nondescript rulers till the dynasty finally petered out in 1857 when the British exiled the last monarch, Bahadur Shah Zafar, to Burma.
Given Aurangzeb's iconoclastic tendencies, it is a blessing that Ajanta and Ellora remained undiscovered by the Mughals until the rather unimaginatively named British Cavalry Officer, John Smith stumbled upon Ajanta while hunting tigers in 1819. Even as late as 1956, the caves were inhabited by local shepherds who were blissfully unaware of the civilizational gold mine that they were using so casually. In a sense, that is one of the amazing things about India. The remote past coalesces with the present in such a natural way.
There are anywhere around 1200 - 1500 caves in India that were used for congregation and worship. Most of them are Buddhist but there are Jain and Hindu caves also. A very large number of these caves are in Maharashtra. Perhaps because of the rocky hills around, the climate or whatever reason. At the Pandav Leni caves (carved between 1st Century BCE to 3rd century CE in the Hinayana Buddhist tradition) near Nashik where we started our explorations we were told that monks were not supposed to stay for more than 3 days in a particular location so that they would not develop an attachment to the place. This meant that they needed shelter every 15 Km or so as they wandered around which led to a spurt in cave carvings being sponsored by local rulers and wealthy merchants. The 3 day rule was later relaxed as Hinayana gave way to Mahayana practices. The Pandav Leni caves are very close to Nashik but there is a climb of about 200 steps to reach them.
The Sula Vineyards have put up a nice resort in their vineyards. Well appointed rooms, 3 restaurants (all serving Sula Wine, of course!) an outdoor pool and a nice wine tasting and experience tour. To build a wine culture in a strongly whisky drinking country like India is an onerous task but Sula has made a great start. They also had a nice Cabernet Sauvignon named Rasa that I have not seen in wine shops outside the vineyard. This is a great place for a chilled out 2-3 days
We then drove from Nashik to Aurangabad. Shirdi lies on the way, so we stopped for a darshan. Fortunately, a member of our group had arranged for a VIP darshan otherwise the crowds have grown considerably. When we had last visited in the 1990s, we drove up to the mandir, parked our car outside and just walked in. Religious places have become far more crowded now.
After a pleasant evening in Aurangabad at the Fern residency hotel, we left for Ajanta the next morning. I am sure that everyone has seen photographs of the Ajanta paintings. However the real impact for me was the depiction of life as it was in the Ajanta period between 200 BCE and 450 CE. Indians clearly had a refined and sophisticated lifestyle even in those days, The depictions of the clothing, jewelry, and leisure pursuits apart from the Buddhist themes are very interesting. Later this year, I saw a presentation by Benoy Behl at the Jaipur Literary Festival. Behl is the definitive authority on photographing the Ajanta paintings and his work in restoring the images is simply spectacular. His book is well worth a read.
Please note the stylish socks and the wine carafe!
The painted ceilings at Ajanta are spectacular too. As good if not better than the Sistine Chapel.
There are 30 caves at Ajanta and the walking around can get a bit tiring. The best season to go there is winter so that the walking is easier but I hear that the monsoon season is spectacular too. There is no doubt that a glimpse of life in ancient India will leave you dazzled and hungry for more.
We returned to Aurangabad after an amazing visit. It is sad that the road is not in very good shape. For such a spectacular world heritage site, surely we can do better!
The next day was a visit to Ellora, This is closer to Aurangabad and the road is also better.
There are 34 caves open to the public at Ellora. These comprise of Jain, Buddhist and Hindu caves pointing to a syncretic culture in the period 600 ACE to 1000 ACE.
The Jain caves are more austere with less adornment than the Hindu ones. However in all the caves, the degree of detailing and ornamentation will leave you awestruck.
The main highlight, of course is the Kailasa Temple, the largest single monolithic rock excavation in the world. This is an amazing feat of sculpture. The artists have literally excavated an entire mountain from the top down. To imagine the planning and the sheer labour involved is mind boggling especially as a single mistake could wreck the entire design.
We returned to the hotel, exhausted but exhilarated.
The next day was some local sightseeing in Aurangabad before flying out to our respective destinations. The highlight was Bibi Ka Maqbara. Built to commemorate Aurangzeb's wife by her son, the monument bears a striking resemblance to the Taj Mahal minus the exquisite marble inlay work and without the perfect proportions of its more famous forbear.
A satisfying visit indeed! Starting with a few sips of good wine. A visit to the birthplace of a saint. Ancient Indian art and places of worship and traces of a Mughal emperor!
Such is the diversity of India.
Photo Credits
Shyam Malhotra
Ravi Pisharody
Divyaroop Bhatnagar
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