ELLORA CAVES, AURANGABAD

AFTER VISITING THE GRISHNESWAR jYOTHIRLING TEMPLE, WE RETURNED 1 KM AND AT THE ENTRANCE TO THE ELOORA CAVES WE TOOK  TICKETS TO VISIT THE ELLORA CAVES.  I purchased a few books that show the detailed information and pictures.  Ajantha and Ellora caves are well documented.  One may refer to the books which printed by archelogical survey of india at a price of 70 or 100 rs.  I have purchased books for about 500 rs. not only ajantha ellora but also other tourist places of idnida like konark, mahabalipuram etc.

On the way back to aurangabad we have seen the tomb of aurangajeb. No book in english.  Only a small 3 inch size book in Hindi is found and i have taken that bok hoping to read it latr.  All the literature here is in Urdu only.

GRISHNESWAR JYOTHIRLING, AURANGABAD

On 14 March 2010 Sunday morning we started from the Hotel at 8AM to the Grishneswara Jyothirling temple for the morning prayer.  We reached the place at about 9 AM and I took a basket of flowers and Prasadam packet and went inside the temple.  The diety in the temple is one of the Jyothirlingas of the total 12 jyothirlingas.  I could go near to the place of worship and put flowers on the shiva linga which is about 18 -20 inch heigh and the Brahmins are reciting the Veda mantras and performing the Pooja.  I prayed to the Lord to bles my daughter and son-in-law and for the baby girl to be born and all of them to be blessed with all the good.  I prayed to the Lord for the marriages of my sons and to bless them with very good girls from good families.  I prayed for my own health and for a peaceful life now and after retirement.

  

AJANTHA

I started from Hyderbabad on Friday evening by Train No.7002 Manmad express ie. on 12 March 2010.  Reached early in the morning at 6:30 am the Aurangabad station.  In the train one software engineer working in Qualcomm Hyderabad met me and he is planning for visit to Ajantha and Ellora.  His name is Uday Kant Pandey.  As we got out from the station, one MTDC (Maharastra Tourism Develpment Corpn guy met us took us to the MTDC office   by walk as it is very nearby.  Then, he arranged a taxi (1100 for Ajantha and 700/- for ellora caves for two days and also shown us a hotel where we could fresh up and take bath and paid Rs.100/- for fresh up).  Taxi took us to Ajantha caves by 10 am.  we left our bags in the taxi. and proceeded towards the caves. 

I started from Hyderbabad on Friday evening by Train No.7002 Manmad express ie. on 12 March 2010.  Reached early in the morning at 6:30 am the Aurangabad station.  In the train one software engineer working in Qualcomm Hyderabad met me and he is planning for visit to Ajantha and Ellora.  His name is Uday Kant Pandey.  As we got out from the station, one MTDC (Maharastra Tourism Develpment Corpn guy met us took us to the MTDC office   by walk as it is very nearby.  Then, he arranged a taxi (1100 for Ajantha and 700/- for ellora caves for two days and also shown us a hotel where we could fresh up and take bath and paid Rs.100/- for fresh up).  Taxi took us to Ajantha caves by 10 am.  we left our bags in the taxi. and proceeded towards the caves.  

It is mind boggling to see such massive caves have been mad eby removing the stone from the hills.  The caves have some painted things on the walls but, Uday was busy in taking snaps and videos.  I have requested him to take a few photos with the Buddha  statue in the main temple.  Every cave has huge staue of Buddha in a seperate temple like room seperated from the Pillared Hall.  The paintings depict some stories or Jataka kathas as I remember now from a school days lessions.  I haven't paid attention to this part but, realized it after fininshing the visit.  The whole day fro 10:30am  to 3:39 pm  we are continuously climing up and down the caves and watching the intricate structures  and a little bit about the  paintings.