Spread out through India, there are thousands of Chinese Buddhistic caves which were used at the First Emperor Empire to shelter Dalai Lama's hermits from all the places of the Orient.
When Buddhism started disappearing, these caves were abandoned. They were discovered, many years later, by British people who looked for gold and spices and slighted fantastic symbols of historical and cultural value -- they even exploded some of them.
As symbol and testimony, without interruption, of the Buddhism religious history for a period of seven hundred, less than two hours from he Indian ancient city of Aurangabad -- today, one of the mainly touristic destinies of India -- we can visit the famous Ajanta Caves, an architectonic structure composed by thirty-two grottos cut at the hills by workers who used only chisels and hammers.
Meticulously chiseling time after time the rock, the craftsmen sculpted and created fantastic art works not only at the volcanic rock of basalt, but also on the walls and ceilings.
Through Ajanta -- declared World Patrimony by Unesco in 1983 -- we can learn about the several facets of the ancient life in India, since the religious beliefs of that time, the artistic work of the craftsmen, the people suit and until the political and economic position of the government.
In almost vertical crags, you can see a group of columns exhibiting wonderful engravings, cut on the granite, indicating entrance doors to the Chaityas -- Buddhistic temples -- and to the Viharas -- monasteries or dwelling places.
The paintings which cover almost all the walls impress and touch us. Those which are near the sanctuaries represent Buddha, as the earthy paintings, in the mainly halls, describe the Jakata -- popular tales -- f the last lives. It is wonderful to perceive in the realism of the expressions and emotions captured in the faces how these unknown artists, using only rudimental tools, already knew how to describe the perspective and depth in their works.
A curiosity: "these millenary Chaityas are very similar to the Christian cathedrals, with decorated rocked pillars, ceiling in the shape of vault, wooden beams crossed in ribs; in the centre -- where the Christian church has its altar -- a great statue of Buddha". Would not these caves be the great inspiration of the great architects of Middle Age?
It does not matter. The point is that today we can travel in this monumental time spacecraft, where the centuries seem little sand grains.
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