About a thousand of these Buddhist caves are known in India today, ranging from huge, elaborate clusters of multiple caverns to tiny grottoes too small to be found on a map.

Life stories Throughout the Ajanta Caves are paintings of the Jataka tales, stories of the Buddha’s early incarnations in human or animal form. In Cave 17, elephants play a prominent role.

A nearby cluster of caves that date from about 600 AD are adorned with vibrant frescos. These mostly narrate stories of the Buddha’s previous incarnations, known as the Jataka tales.

Cave 7 Mandapa: Magic and Protective Deities -- 5.4. Female Deities in Cave 7 -- 5.5. The Shrine of Cave 7: The Dancing Vidya -- 5.6. Cave 9 -- 5.7. Colossal Parinirvana and Four-Armed Avalokitesvara ...

Archaeology & History More Than Two-Dozen Ancient Buddhist Temples and Murals Have Been Found in an Indian Tiger Reserve Archaeologists had to face off with wild animals to make the discovery.