UP High Court RO / ARO 05 Jan 2022 Shift 2

Ajanta Cave Paintings were greatly influenced by which religion?

Verified Answer
A. Jainism
B. Buddhism
C. Vaishnavism
D. Shaivism

Explanation:

The Ajanta Caves, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Maharashtra, India, are renowned for their rock-cut cave monuments, which primarily house ancient monasteries and worship-halls of various Buddhist traditions. The paintings and sculptures within these caves are almost exclusively dedicated to Buddhism (Option B), depicting the life of Buddha and Jataka tales (stories of Buddha's previous incarnations). There is no significant influence of Jainism (Option A), Vaishnavism (Option C), or Shaivism (Option D) in the Ajanta Caves.