Ajanta Cave 26

INDIA, Maharashtra, Aurangabad

This caitya cave is found near the southwest end of the Ajanta Caves. It is one of the later caitya halls built at the site and dates from the mid-to-late 5th century to the early 6th century. According to an inscription, the monk Buddhabhadra initiated and oversaw the construction of the cave.
The hall has an apsidal layout and measures 11.5 m by 25.3 m. The portico has a large caitya window surrounded by elaborate motifs. Within the hall, there is a barrel-vaulted ceiling and a colonnade consisting of 27 columns. On the left wall are an exquisite relief carving of the Defeat of Mara and a 7.27 m relief of the Buddha’s Parinirvana. Rows of Buddha niches line the walls, with more relief sculptures filling the wall space around the niches.
The stupa, at the rear of the hall, is shaped like an inverted alms bowl at the top. There are apsaras carved on the stupa body, and a multi-layered canopy, now damaged, is mounted on the harmika. At the front of the stupa is a large Buddha seated with legs pendent. The stupa is further adorned with deities and other motifs.