Faces of the Divine

December 25, 2007 1:16 PM

India's Ancient Art. "Fifth-century painters created stunning murals in dim man-made caves. A gifted photographer brings them to light."

Ajanta was also mentioned in this post.

posted by homunculus (13 comments total)

whoa... my Great Aunt and Uncle traveled India and I believe that they visited this place. I remember an outside picture that looks familiar on that page. Of course, they had no pictures of the inside. I think this is that place.

Thanks!
posted by Sam.Burdick at 2:34 PM on December 25, 2007

yes. very good.
posted by milestogo at 2:41 PM on December 25, 2007

Riveting.
posted by Jikido at 3:43 PM on December 25, 2007

Good lord, these really are stunning. Exquisite. Beautiful.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 4:20 PM on December 25, 2007

Too full of Christmas ham, hors d'oeuvres, rum and ginger ale to say anything more articulate about these divine images than ahhh.
posted by nickyskye at 8:52 PM on December 25, 2007

I was fortunate enough to visit Ajanta. The caves are really dark and very difficult to photgraph (no flashes). There are about 30 different caves and I remember you have to take off your shoes at each one but the pavement between the caves was too hot to bear walking on, damn I wish I'd brought flip flops. These caves were completely lost to the modern world for 1400 years until some locals led a couple of British soldiers to them. Real Indiana Jones kinda stuff. There's not much left in India of their Buddhist history so these are an absolute treasure.
posted by Slarty Bartfast at 9:26 PM on December 25, 2007

I loved the Green Buddha alcove. Great find. Thanks.
posted by RussHy at 4:46 AM on December 26, 2007

I had the pleasure of visiting Ajanta about 15 years ago, and the memories have grown dim. Thanks for refreshing them. It really is an incredible complex, not just for the paintings and stone carving but the whole concept of carving out the temples is pretty mindblowing.
posted by adamvasco at 5:11 AM on December 26, 2007

If you like Ajanta, you'd love Tabo (and cave-y environs).
posted by DenOfSizer at 6:33 AM on December 26, 2007

Thanks DoS. I've corrected the link.
posted by adamvasco at 3:35 AM on December 31, 2007

I've seen similar caves in Western China and Christian, Jewish, Baalist, Zeusist, ect. in Syria.

What is it about caves that attracts hermits?
posted by Pollomacho at 5:36 AM on December 31, 2007

What is it about caves that attracts hermits?

Bat meat. Mmmmmm... bat meat!
posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:28 AM on December 31, 2007

That and, you know, not getting wet when it rains.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:28 AM on December 31, 2007