Ajanta Paintings

Context: The Department of Heritage Telangana and Iran’s Noor International Microfilm Centre are collaborating to restore Ajanta paintings in the Telangana State Museum’s Ajanta Gallery. 

The Ajanta Gallery of the Telangana State Museum in Hyderabad houses early 20th-century copies of Ajanta Caves paintings created by artists like Christiana Herringham, Nandalal Bose, and Syed Ahmad.

The project aims to use reversible and natural materials and herbs for conservation.

Ajanta Caves

1. The Ajanta Caves, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, feature paintings and sculptures created during the Satavahana rule between 200 and 100 BCE.
2. The Ajanta Caves, located in Aurangabad, Maharashtra, were discovered in the 19th century.
3. These caves are built on a perpendicular cliff, so chaityas (4) are less compared to viharas (25).
4. The paintings in these caves are outlined in red colour, followed by the application of other colours.
5. The main themes are Jataka stories and mentions of Chinese travellers Fahien and Hiuen Tsang.
6. Of the 30 Ajanta Caves, 5 are dedicated to Hinayana Buddhism and 25 to Mahayana Buddhism.
7. The Ajanta Caves’ fresco art involves applying pigments to fresh, damp lime plaster, allowing the colours to bond with the surface as it dries, creating vibrant and durable paintings.