The best time to visit the Ajanta Caves is between November and March, when the weather is pleasant and ideal for exploring the ancient rock-cut caves. During this period, temperatures range from 12°C to 30°C, making it comfortable for sightseeing without the scorching heat of summer. British officers called the site - Ajanta - after Ajiṇṭhā - a village 14 kms from cave -site. Closest village is actually ‘Lenapur’ - village of caves - which is only 1 km from the site, where Satavahana pottery was recently discovered and may have been connected to the cave site. We do not know the ancient name of the sanghārāma or monastery at Ajanta . The Ajanta caves are located in the Aurangabad district of the state of Maharashtra. These are a group of Buddhist caves which were carved and sculpted from the 2nd Century BCE. to 5th century CE. The caves were declared as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1983. The site is a horseshoe shaped escarpment which overlooks the Waghora River. The 79 m high hill served as an ideal location for a monsoon retreat for the Buddhist monks. The funding for the construction was provided by kings ... There are about twenty-five caves from this period of extensive activity at Ajantā . These include two chaityagṛhas (Cave 19 and 26) and a new kind of cave type at Ajanta - a type of vihāra that also includes a Buddha shrine. Caves 1, 2, 16 and 17 have the best preserved paintings from this period.
