Cave 21:
The interior view towards left aisle shows
mature sense of the use of space. The pillars are well carved and the
remains of plaster show that there were paintings on the ceiling. Equally
interesting is the view from the right front corner.
CHAITYA HALL:
This is also a Chaitya gathering hall of the 5th-6th century A.D. The
verandh opens in to a court. There is a colonnade inside, composed of
26 pillars. This forms the aisles. One can go round the cylindrical
stupa in circumambulation. The walls have relief carvings. Also, the
round stupa is decorated.
BUDDHA IN PARINIRVANA:
On the left wall, by the verandah, is the large statue of dead Buddha.
The Buddhist calls this sleeping figure the Buddha in parinirvana.
TEMPATION OF BUDDHA:
On the same wall, further ahead is a relief sculpture of Temptation
of Buddha by the demon mara.
Cave 24:
PILLAR STYLE:
Unfinished pillars of the front aisle are worth nothing for the evolution
of the pillar style. The earliest pillars are simple, roughly shaped
on four sides. Later the Mahayana period they were tapered into octagonal
form.
PILASTER:
The pilaster at right end of porch elaborate piece of work, even though
the cave 24 remained unfinished. There are small groups in the medallion.
PORCHED DOORWAY UPPER RIGHT CORNER:
The splendid T-shaped doorway came very late in the 7th century. The
interior of the cave was left unfinished because patronage at Ajanta
had ceased by that time.
Cave 26:
CHAITYA HORSESHOE ARCH:
The Chaitya Horseshoe arch of this 5th century cave is imposing. There
are various fine images of the Buddha sculpted with rare skill.
SRAVASTI MIRACLE:
The circumambulatory passage is full of them. Mostly they represent
the sravasti miracle. This miracle was based on the legend when the
Buddha revealed himself in all his various forms on the skies above
the village of sravasti.
NAGAS, NANDA, ANUPANANDA:
At the bottom of the relief, the Nagas, nanda, and anupananda are shown
holding the stem of the lotus. This lotus is the cosmic axis on which
the Buddha is seated.
GODDESS:
There is a goddess on the bracket of the first pillar on left in the
interior. She is standing under a fully blossomed tree. Underneath is
a lunette of a family group
BUDDHA HEAD WITH CURLY HAIR:
There is a vital Buddha head with curly hair and large ear lobes in
this cave.
FAMILY GROUP:
There is a family group with profuse floral decoration around it, which
shows the ideal human family of that time.
Cave 27:
NAGA DWARPALA:
There is a Naga Dwarpala on the outer flank of the shrine. This cave
follows many elements from cave 20. For instance, the Naga here is similar
to a Naga Dwarpala in cave 20.
In the late 6th century work, the carving is not as firm as in cave
20.
PORCHED DOORWAY:
The porched doorway of cave 27also derived from the shrine doorway of
cave 2. the decorations show the new fashion for splendor of the later
centuries