TRAVEL THE WORLD - AURANGABAD, INDIA

ELLORA AND AJANTA CAVES

The Ellora and Ajanta caves are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Ellora consists of 34 caves dating from the 5th to the 10th centuries. The carving is truly amazing. The Kailasa temple, for example, has been carved from one enormous rock.

At Ajanta, 29 caves depict the story of Bhuddism spanning the period from 200 BC to 650 AD. The caves were discovered accidentally by a British army officer in 1819.

Pictured in the photos from top to bottom are: 1) looking down on the caves from the appoach to Ajanta, 2) the Bhudda in Cave 10 at Ellora, and 3) tourists at the Kailasa temple at Ellora.

TRAVEL THE WORLD, ABU SIMBEL, EGYPT

Inside the Great Temple at Abu Simbel are eight Osiris temples two of which were photographed in 2004.

TRAVEL THE WORLD, ELLORA CAVES NEAR AURANGABAD, INDIA

The 34 Ellora caves, near Aurangabad, are a World Heritage Site. The Hindu caves, where this photo was taken in 2007, date from 500 to 1,000 B.C. The carving is of Lord Shiva, one of the triumvirate of Hindu gods, the two others being Lord Brahma and Lord Vishnu. Lord Shiva is commonly thought of as being associated with destruction, but this is incorrect. Instead, he is seen as being responsible for maintaining the balance in the cosmos between creation, dissolution and re-creation.