30 pictures drawn by Robert Gill (the general of British East India Company) on the frescoes of Ajanta were put on display in 1866 in Sydenham Palace. 25 of these pictures were burnt but 5 are still exhibited in Kensington Palace. Getting interested by the frescoes of Ajanta Caves, a number of eminent personalities had visited Ajanta during British period to make transcriptions. The wonderfully designed and carved frescoes were demonstrated to the entire world by these transcriptions. A number of looters in the meanwhile had targeted the multihued frescoes. Ajanta already had lost a lot of its excellent creations. Along with the historical frescoes, a number of caves are now in ruins as well.

According to the construction mechanisms of these immensely popular Ajanta Caves, these can be divided into two subdivisions, such as, Chaitya and Monastery (Vihara). There are 5 chaityas (cave no: 9, 10, 19, 26, 29) where as rests of the 24 caves are known as Viharas.

All these caves show a class-apart commingling of carvings, sculptures and portraits. Here it is different from Ellora caves. Innumerable tales of Buddha along with the lifestyles of that period are depicted marvelously on the walls through the pictures and carvings. Most numbers of portraits can be seen in the caves 1, 2, 10, 16 and 17. Purchase a ticket to watch the grandeur of the cave 5 with the help of artificial lights.

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