Ajanta Cave 2

In Ajanta, Cave 2 is right next to Cave 1. It is one of the most well-known and popular tourist spots in Ajanta.

People know Cave 2 for the drawings that are still on the walls, ceilings, and pillars inside it. It is a place that all Ajanta tour groups must see. The layout of this cave is a lot like the one next door, Cave 1, and it is better preserved.

There are rooms, a sanctum sanctorum, and two pillared sub-shrines in this cave that date back to the sixth century AD. The front of this Mahayana temple cave has pictures of Naga kings and the people who follow them, making it one of the must-visit places to visit in Ajanta Caves.

Cave 2 Architectural design

Ajanta Cave 2 has a porch quite different from Cave 1. The cave is held up by strong pillars with drawings on them. There are rooms on the front porch, and pillared vestibules support both ends. This porch and its walls basically had their ceilings painted in publications. 

They depict the Jataka tales, which are stories of the Buddha's life in former existences as Bodhisattva. The back wall of the porch has an opening in the middle that leads to the hall. Each side of the door has a square window that lets light into the room.

Four colonnades carved the spaces of the ceiling and circled a square at the center of the hall. There are rock beams above and below the colonnades.

Buddhist Jataka Tales Depicted on the Walls

They show the Jataka stories, which are about Buddha's life as a Bodhisattva in past lives. Artists have carved and painted decorative themes like ornamental, human, animal, and half-divine shapes into the caps. In the sanctum, there is a statue of a sitting Buddha in the dharmachakrapravartana mudra. Two Yaksha figures, Sankhanidhi and Padmanidhi, stand to the east, while Hariti and her husband Panchika are on the right.

The Ornate Pillars and Sculptural Detailing

The most interesting thing about Cave 2 is the heavy-limbed but moving Avalokitesvara with a flywhisk standing on either side of the Buddha statue. They planned to add this feature much later at Elephanta.

A big picture on the wall that shows the Thousand Buddhas is hard to look at because it has so many details. This panel shows beautiful cylinder-shaped people from the late 4th century AD making their way to the shrine. It is a must-see attraction for those exploring Ajanta Caves tour packages.