Maharashtra’s 5 UNESCO World Heritage Sites

The UNESCO World Heritage Sites are locations that are significant for more reasons than only their cultural or touristic significance. The privileges of special status are extended to the locations that can claim to provide exceptional service to people all over the world. UNESCO, for instance, offers protection and other benefits to the world heritage sites that are located in the Indian state of Maharashtra.

These locations additionally benefit from additional entitlements granted by the regional government. In addition, despite the fact that they are rich in cultural and historical significance, they frequently undergo refurbishment and restoration. These sites can only be accessed by visitors who meet certain criteria, and this includes both domestic and international tourists.

Ajanta Caves

In the Aurangabad district of Maharashtra state in India are located approximately 30 rock-cut Buddhist cave monuments known as the Ajanta Caves. These caves date back to the 2nd century BCE and continue on until about 480 CE. The caves contain paintings and rock-cut sculptures that are regarded as some of the finest examples of ancient Indian art that have survived. Of particular note are the caves’ expressive paintings, which convey feelings through pose, gesture, and form.

They are considered to be among the finest examples of Buddhist sacred art in the world. The caves were constructed in two stages: the first began around the second century BCE and the second took place between 400 and 650 CE, according to older accounts, or in a brief period between 460 and 480 CE, according to later scholarship. The first stage of construction began around the second century BCE. The location is a protected monument that is under the care of the Archaeological Survey of India. Additionally, the Ajanta Caves have been recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site ever since 1983.

Caves that were inhabited during the Satavahana period

The caves numbered 9, 10, 12, 13, and 15A are considered to be part of the earliest group. The Jataka tales are depicted on the walls of these caves in the form of murals. Although there is widespread agreement that later caves were influenced artistically by the Gupta period, historians cannot agree on the century in which the earliest caverns were constructed. According to Walter Spink, they were created between the years 100 BCE and 100 CE, most likely with the support of the Hindu Satavahana dynasty, which governed the region from from 230 BCE until approximately 220 CE. The time period of the Mauryan Empire is favoured by other dating methods (300 BCE to 100 BCE). Of these, caves 9 and 10 are stupas that contain worship halls in the form of chaitya-grihas, and caves 12, 13, and 15A are viharas. Caves 9 and 10 are located in the same area (see the architecture section below for descriptions of these types). Caves from the early Satavahana period were notable for their emphasis on the stupa rather than figurative sculpture.

Caves that date to a later time period, known as the Vakataka period

In the fifth century, workers at the Ajanta Caves site began the second phase of development on the complex. It was believed for a long time that the later caves were made over a prolonged period of time from the 4th to the 7th centuries CE. However, in recent decades, a series of studies led by the leading expert on the caves, Walter M. Spink argued that the majority of the work took place during the very brief period from 460 to 480 CE, during the reign of Hindu Emperor Harishena of the Vakataka dynasty. This occurred during the time when the cave This viewpoint has been challenged by a number of academics in the past, but it is now generally recognised as valid by the majority of authors of general books on Indian art, such as Huntington and Harle.

Ellora Caves

The UNESCO World Heritage Site known as Ellora may be found in the Aurangabad district of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is one of the greatest rock-cut Hindu temple cave complexes in the world, and it has artwork that was created between the years 600 and 1000 CE. The Kailash temple in Cave 16 is a monument in the shape of a chariot that is dedicated to the god Shiva. It is the largest single monolithic rock excavation in the world. In addition, the excavation of the Kailash temple has uncovered sculptures that portray a variety of Hindu deities, as well as relief panels that provide a synopsis of the two most important Hindu epics.

There are approximately one hundred caves on the property, all of which were excavated from the basalt cliffs that are located in the Charanandri Hills; however, only 34 of these caves are accessible to the general public. There are 17 Hindu caves (caves 13–29), 12 Buddhist caves (caves 1–12), and 5 Jain caves (caves 30–34). Each group of caves represents a different set of deities and mythologies that were common in the first millennium CE. Additionally, there are monasteries associated with each of the three religions. They were built in close proximity to one another and serve as a symbol of the religious coexistence that prevailed in ancient India. 

The Victorian and Art Deco Ensemble

The Victorian and Art Deco Ensemble that Can Be Found in Mumbai

The city of Mumbai is filled with charming historic buildings. The city is home to public buildings designed in the Victorian Neo-Gothic style from the 19th century as well as Art Deco structures from the 20th century. Even in comparison to the brand new luxurious structures that are being constructed in the city, the enormous structures nonetheless maintain an air of opulence despite being remnants of a bygone era. These structures are located in the area surrounding the Oval Maidan.

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSTM) was finished in the year 1888 after it had previously been known as the Victoria Terminus. 1878 was the year that saw the beginning of its construction. In the midst of all the chaos and activity that is Mumbai, the Victorian Gothic Revival architecture stands out. It occupies a total area of 2.85 hectares and has a very high population density.

Elephanta Caves

A number of cave temples, the majority of which are devoted to the Hindu god Shiva, may be found in the Elephanta Caves. They may be found on Elephanta Island, also known as Gharapuri (which literally translates to “the city of caves”), which is located in Mumbai Harbour around 10 kilometres (6.2 miles) to the east of Mumbai in the state of Maharashtra, India. There are five Hindu caves on the island, as well as a few Buddhist stupa mounds that date back to the second century BCE, and two Buddhist caves with water tanks. The island is located approximately 2 kilometres (1.2 miles) west of the Jawaharlal Nehru Port.

Rock-cut stone sculptures, most of which are high relief, can be found in the Elephanta Caves. These sculptures display a syncretism of Buddhist and Hindu concepts and iconography. The caverns are carved out of a single piece of basalt rock. The majority of the artwork, with a few notable exceptions, has been vandalised or damaged in some way. A mandala is used as a template for determining the orientation of the main temple as well as the relative locations of other temples. The carvings tell the stories of Hindu myths, with the Trimurti Sadashiva (three-faced Shiva), Nataraja (Lord of dance), and Yogishvara (Lord of Yoga) being the most celebrated of the enormous monolithic carvings at 20 feet (6.1 metres) in height.

The colonial Portuguese who discovered elephant statues in the caves gave them the name Elefante, which eventually evolved into Elephanta . On the island, they set up a base of operations. When the Portuguese arrived on the island, it stopped to be used as a site of worship, and the main cave, also known as Cave 1 or the Great Cave, was a Hindu place of worship until the arrival of the Portuguese. In 1909, officials from British India made the first attempts to protect the caves from further destruction and preserve them for future generations. In the 1970s, the monuments underwent restoration work. The UNESCO World Heritage Site status was awarded to the Elephanta Caves in 1987 after they had been renovated. The Archaeological Survey of India is the organisation responsible for its upkeep at the moment (ASI).

Conclusion 

Throughout the millennia, various dynasties and rulers have swept through Maharashtra, bringing with them various forms of traditional art, social activities, and buildings. The state has the most forts of any state in India, with over 350. Maharashtra’s famed heritage sites bear witness to how grand and glorious these kingdoms were. All of these magnificent structures, which include forts, palaces, and even caves, commemorate significant historical events and occurrences. And they are historically, culturally, and archaeologically significant.