Aurangabad Caves

The Aurangabad caves are 12 artificial rock-cut Buddhist shrines located on a hill running roughly east to west, nearly 2 km north from Bibi Ka Maqbara in Aurangabad, Maharashtra. The first reference of Aurangabad Caves is cited in the big Chaitya of Kanheri. The Aurangabad Caves were dug out of comparatively soft basalt rock during the 6th and 7th century. Caves are divided into three separate groups depending on their location. Sculptural carvings of Aurangabad Caves reached belong to highest achievements of Indian classical art and can be compared to the best paintings of Ajanta.

Caves I and III
Caves I and III of Aurangabad and last caves of Ajanta co-existed as is apparent from striking parallels which we come across while examining both the sites. Again at Aurangabad after a careful study of both caves I and III, the conclusion the Historians have come to is that cave III was earlier to cave I. In Cave III the artist seems to have decorated with surprisingly neat and organized designs of fretwork, scrolls, panel of couples, tassels, flowers, geometrical designs, and highest point of perfection and consummation."