A UNESCO World Heritage Site
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east by the Atlantic Ocean; North America and the Caribbean Sea lie to the northwest.
South America ranks fourth in area after Asia, Africa, and North America and fifth in population after Asia, Africa, Europe, and North America.
The caves are located in the state of Maharashtra, just outside the village of Ajanta and 104 km (64 miles) from the city of Aurangabad. They are 100 km (62 miles) from the Ellora Caves, which contain Hindu and Jain temples as well as Buddhist caves, the last dating from a period similar to Ajanta.
The Ajanta caves are cut into the side of a cliff that is on the south side of a U-shaped gorge on the small river Waghora and they were originally reached by individual stairs or ladders from the side of the river 35 to 110 feet below. These caves include five sanctuaries or Chaitya-grihas (caves 9, 10, 19, 26 and 29) and monastic complex of viharas.
The caves are now along and above a modern pathway
running across the cliff. These caves were discovered by an officer in the
British Army in 1819 during one of his hunting expeditions. Instantly this discovery
became very famous and Ajanta caves achieved its recognition as an important
tourist destination in the world.
Aurangabad Airport is located in Aurangabad, Maharashtra, India.