Introduction of Cave Tradition in Western India 

Exploring Cave Tradition in Western India: A rich cultural and architectural legacy, including the Cave Tradition in Western India, featuring ancient rock-cut caves that served as homes, monasteries, and temples. Notable examples include Ajanta, Ellora, and Elephanta caves, showcasing intricate sculptures, paintings, and religious significance.

Cave Tradition in Western India: Architectural Marvels from the Second Century BCE Onwards

• In western India, many Buddhist caves dating back to the second century BCE onwards have been excavated. 
• There are mainly three architectural caves: 
  • Apsidal Vault-roof Chaitya Halls: Found at Ajanta, Pitalkhora, Bhaja; 
  • Apsidal Vault-roof Pillarless Hall: Found at Thana-Nadsur in Maharashtra; 
  • Flat-roofed Quadrangular Hall: Having a circular chamber at the back (found at Kondivita in Maharashtra). 

Features of Cave Tradition in Western India:  Exploring Architectural Marvels in India’s Cave Tradition 

• Description: In India’s Cave Tradition in Western India, the front of the chaitya hall is dominated by the motif of a semi-circular chaitya arch with an open front which has a wooden facade and, in some cases, there is no dominating chaitya arch window such as found at Kondivite. 
  • In all the chaitya caves a stupa at the back is common. 
• Apsidal Vault-roof Variety: In India’s Cave Tradition in Western India, the first century BCE, the standard plan of the apsidal vault-roof variety where the hall becomes rectangular like at Ajanta Cave No. 9 with a stone-screen wall as a facade. 
  • It is also found at Bedsa, Nashik, Karla and Kanheri.

Architectural Marvels: Understanding the Cave Tradition in Western India through Karla’s Chaitya Hall and Vihara Caves

• In Karla, the biggest rock-cut chaitya hall was excavated.
• Feature of Karla Chaitya Hall
  • Structural Features: In India’s Cave Tradition in Western India, the cave consists of an open courtyard with two pillars, a stone screen wall to protect from rain, a veranda, a stone-screen wall as a facade, an apsidal vault-roof chaitya hall with pillars, and a stupa at the back. 
  • Karla Chaitya Hall: It is decorated with human and animal figures. 
    • They are heavy in their execution and move in the picture space.
• The quadrangular flat-roofed variety became the most preferred design.

Viharas

• The viharas are excavated in all the cave sites. 
• Plan: The plan of the viharas consists of a veranda, a hall and cells around the walls of the hall. 
• Decoration: Many of the early vihara caves are carved with interior decorative motifs like chaitya arches and vedica designs over the cell doors of the cave. 
• Facade design in Nashik Caves 3, 10, and 17 became a distinct achievement. 

• Nasik Cave: In India’s Cave Tradition in Western India, the vihara caves at Nashik were excavated with front pillars carved with ghata-base and ghata-capital with human figures.
  • Ganeshleni: One such vihara cave was also excavated at Junnar in Maharashtra, which is popularly known as Ganeshleni because an image of Ganesha belonging to a later period was installed in it.
  • Junnar has the largest cave excavations— more than two hundred caves around the hills of the town— whereas Kanheri in Mumbai has a hundred and eight excavated caves. 
• The most important sites are Ajanta, Pitalkhora, Ellora, Nashik, Bhaja, Junnar, Karla, and Kanheri.

Ajanta Caves: Structural Diversity and Artistic Flourish

• Location: It is located in the Aurangabad District of Maharashtra State. 
• Structural Description: Ajanta has twenty-nine caves. 
• It has four chaitya caves datable to the earlier phase, i.e., the second and the first century BCE (Cave 10 and 9) and the later phase, i.e., the fifth century CE (Cave 19 and 26). 
• It has large chaitya viharas and is decorated with sculptures and paintings.
• Cave Nos. 10, 9, 12 and 13 belong to the early phase, Cave Nos. 11, 15 and 6 upper and lower, and Cave No. 7 belong to the phase earlier than the late fifth century CE. 
  • The rest of the caves belong to the late fifth century CE to the early sixth century CE. 
• The Chaitya Cave Nos. 19 and 26 are elaborately carved. Their facade is decorated with Buddha and Bodhisattva images. 
  • They are of the apsidal-vault-roof variety,  a characteristic architectural feature that aligns with the Cave Tradition in Western India. 
• Cave No. 26 is very big and the entire interior hall is carved with a variety of Buddha images, the biggest one being the Mahaparinibbana image.
• Many paintings have survived in Cave Nos. 1, 2, 16 and 17.

Patronage and Artistry: Ajanta’s Kings and their Contributions

• Varahadeva (patron of Cave No. 16), the prime minister of the Vakataka king, 
• Harishena; Upendragupta (patron of Cave Nos. 17–20) the local king of the region and feudatory of the Vakataka king, exemplifying the enduring support and influence of the Cave Tradition in Western India
• Harishena; Buddhabhadra (patron of Cave No. 26); and Mathuradas (patron of Cave No. 4). 

Evolution of Art: Typological Variations and the Cave Tradition in Western India through Ajanta’s Paintings

• Paintings have a lot of typological variations. Lines are clearly defined and are very rhythmic. Body color gets merged with the outer line creating the effect of volume. 
  • The figures are heavy like the sculptures of western India. 
• Phase of Paintings
  • The first phase of painting: Paintings in Cave Nos. 9 and 10 belong to the first century BCE. The figures are broad with heavy proportions and arranged in the picture space in a linear way in Cave No. 9. 
    • Lines are sharp. Colours are limited. 
    • Figures in these caves are painted with considerable naturalism and there is no overstylisation. 
  • The second phase of paintings: Can be studied from the images of the Buddhas painted on the walls and pillars of Cave Nos. 10 and 9. 
    • These Buddha figures are different from the figures painted in the fifth century CE. 
  • Next stage of development: It is observed mainly in the paintings of Cave Nos. 16, 17, 1, and 2. 
    • However, it does not mean that pictures had not been painted in other caves. In fact, in almost all the finished excavations, pictures have been painted but very few have survived. Paintings have typological variations in these caves.

Features of Paintings in India’s Cave Tradition in Western India: 

• Cave Nos. 1 and 2 Paintings: The paintings of Cave Nos. 1 and 2 are very orderly and naturalistic, well integrated with the sculptures in the caves. Half-closed, elongated eyes are employed.
• Unexaggerated Facial Features: Naturalistic postures and unexaggerated facial features are used as exceptional types. 
• Painted Themes: The themes of the paintings are the events from the life of the Buddha, the Jatakas and the Avadanas. 
• Large Wall Paintings: Some paintings such as Simhala Avadana, Mahajanaka Jataka and Vidhurpundita Jataka cover the entire wall of the cave.
• Chaddanta Jataka: In India’s Cave Tradition in Western India, it is worth noting that Chaddanta Jataka was painted in the early Cave No. 10 with many details and events grouped according to their geographical locations. 
•  Events that happened in the jungle and events that happened in the palace are separated by their locations.  
• Pali Text Depiction: In Cave No. 10, Chaddanta faithfully follows the Pali text, consistent with the Cave Tradition in Western India,  whereas the one painted in Cave No. 17 is very different.
• Padmapani and Vajrapani: The other important paintings are the famous Padmapani and Vajrapani in Cave No. 1. 
• Best Preserve Painting: However, it may be observed that the images of Padmapani and Vajrapani are very common in Ajanta but the best preserved paintings are in Cave No. 1. 
• Various Skin Colors: In India’s Cave Tradition in Western India, it may also be observed that various skin colors are used in the paintings such as brown, yellowish brown, greenish, yellow ochre, etc., which represent a multicolored population.  
• Attempts are also made to give highlights in the figural compositions. 
• Some figures in Cave No. 2 have affiliation with the Vengi sculptures and at the same time, the influence of the Vidarbha sculptural tradition is also observed in the delineation of some sculptures. 

Conclusion
In conclusion, the meticulous adherence to the Pali text in Cave No. 10, exemplified by Chaddanta’s portrayal, resonates with the rich Cave Tradition in Western India. Meanwhile, Cave No. 17 diverges significantly from this tradition, showcasing a distinct artistic interpretation. The enduring influence of the Cave Tradition in Western India is evident in the nuanced variations seen across these remarkable cave paintings.

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