An Introduction to the Ajanta Caves: With Examples of Six Caves

This essential guide delves into the art, architecture, and history of the ancient Ajanta caves, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Derived from 15 years of meticulous on-site research by the author, it offers in-depth knowledge about the Buddhist caves' paintings, sculptures, and excavation process. The book, featuring 70,000 words and nearly 380 high-quality photos with detailed captions based on acclaimed research, provides a fresh perspective on the creators' identities, their Buddhist sects, excavation periods, patronages, and the socio-cultural backdrop. It corrects longstanding misconceptions, presenting the most current findings for scholars, students, and enthusiasts of South Asian art and history.

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About the Author: Rajesh Singh
Rajesh Kumar Singh studied visual arts and art history. While working in various capacities in different organisations across India, he kept visiting the Ajanta caves and continued research through the last one decade. Now he is devoted solely to the Ajanta studies as an independent art historian.

Rajesh is Review Editor of Modern Art Asia, London. He is a member of the Indian Archaeological Society, New Delhi; Indian Art History Congress, Delhi and Guwahati; and Forum of Contemporary Theory, Baroda.

BOOKS (Paperback and digital editions)

1. "An Introduction to the Ajanta Caves with Examples of Six Caves" (Baroda: Hari Sena Press, 2012) [paperback], ISBN 9788192510705.
2. "An Introduction to the Ajanta Caves with Examples of Six Caves" (Baroda: Hari Sena Press, 2012) [eBook edition], ISBN 9788192510712.
3. "Angkor Wat: An Indian View" (Kolkatta: Ishvatham Art Gallery, 2011).
4. "Ajanta: A Digital Encyclopaedia" [CD-Rom] (New Delhi: Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts, 2004).

RESEARCH PAPERS ON THE AJANTA CAVES

1. 'The Early Development of The Cave 26-Complex at Ajanta,' "South Asian Studies" 28.1 (March 2012), 37-68.
2. 'Buddhabhadra's Dedicatory Inscription at Ajanta: A Review', in "Pratnakirti: Recent Studies in Indian Epigraphy, History, Archaeology, and Art", 2 vols, Professor Shriniwas S. Ritti Felicitation volume, ed. by Shriniwas V. Padigar and Shivanand V (Delhi: Agam Kala Prakashan, 2012), vol. 1, pp. 34-46).
3. 'Ajanta Cave No. 26: Oriented to the Sunrise of Dhamma Day (Asadha Purnima), and Inaugurated on 14 Asadha, 384 Saka Era (27 June 462 CE)?' (forthcoming).
4. 'Numerating the Sailagrhas at Ajanta,' "Journal of the Asiatic Society of Mumbai" (2009) 82, 122-26.
5. 'Ajanta Cave 8: Historiography and Fresh Look on the First Mahayana Sailagrha,' "Jnana-Pravah Research Journal" (2009) 12, 68-80.
6. 'Some Problems in Fixing the Date of Ajanta Caves,' Kala, "Journal of Indian Art History Congress", ed. R. D. Choudhury (Guwahati and Delhi: Indian Art History Congress and Sharda Publishing House), 14 (2009), 69-85.

Apart from the above, Rajesh has authored about three dozen articles on the modern and contemporary Indian art in Indian journals, art magazines, catalogues, and newspapers.

Singh was Assistant Archivist (Cultural Archives) and Instructional Designer (Cultural Informatics Laboratory) of the Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts (IGNCA), New Delhi. Thereafter, he served as Editor in the e-Learning division of an IT company. Subsequently, he was Senior Art Historian in an art auction house in Mumbai. He was Assistant Professor of art history and aesthetics in Meeruth University and Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, India. He was also paper setter, examiner, and jury member of select universities in India. Singh plans to set up a non-profit organisation dedicated to the Ajanta studies and related Buddhist sites.
This book is designed for students, educators, libraries, and general readers with keen interest in the subject of Indian or South Asian art, architecture, history, and culture. It is work of the author's fifteen years of on-site research.

The uniqueness of the book lies on several counts. If you are looking for the most up to date information on the ancient caves of Ajanta (a World Heritage Monument) and want to learn about the subject matter of the paintings, sculptures, and how the caves were actually excavated step by step, year by year, and not willing to miss a single jataka, or a painted theme from the life of the Buddha, then this is the book for you.

The book has about 70,000 words of texts and nearly 380 high quality photographs taken by the author himself. Each photo depicts either the whole or a part of larger narrative episode that are painted on the walls of the ancient Buddhist caves of Ajanta.

Each photograph has a caption providing the latest and authentic identification of the theme depicted, which corpus is based on the world acclaimed researches by Professor Dieter Schlingloff. The identifications of the decorative themes are based on the researches by Professor Monika Zin.

For the first time, we have a book that clears much confusion, and answers many questions: who were the people who created these magnificent caves? Which sects of Buddhism did they belong to? What was the period when the caves were excavated? What kinds of patronages were involved? What are the historical sources and evidence to give us a holistic overview of the caves and their times? What were the problems encountered during the excavation?

The book sets aside many prevalent misconceptions and errors created by earlier historians and archaeologists. Here, a new and fresh perspective is given to the history and socio-cultural and political context. The book is a summary of the latest research carried out in the last three decades by many acclaimed scholars including that of the author. The language is carefully crafted so that the content is accessible to the general reader and students as well as the there is enough content, analysis, insights, and facts to keep the advanced reader engaged.

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Available in the following formats: .epub, .mobi

Price: $3.99 USD

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