ARCHITECTURAL

CONSERVATION -

AJANTA CAVE TEMPLES

GROUP 1
PRIYANJITA ADHIKARI (114AR0002)
DHARAMSOTH MURALI (114AR0021)
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INTRODUCTION
Situated

in
Aurangabad
Maharashtra state of India

district

of

30 rock-cut Buddhist cave monuments which

consists of mural paintings and rock cut
sculptures

Built between 2nd century BC and 6th century

AD

Intensely religious tone and thematic mural

paintings depicting the lives and times of
Buddha and Bodhisattvas

Paintings consists of illuminated history of

those times court scenes, street scenes,
cameos of domestic life and animal and bird

HISTORY
Discovered in 1819 by a band of British officers while
hunting a tiger

Caves carved in a semi circular scarp overlooking a narrow

sinuous gorge, through which flows the stream Waghora.

Caves of the first (Satavahana) period include caves 9, 10,

12, 13 and 15A.

The second phase of construction at the Ajanta Caves site

began in the 5th century (Vakataka period).

The second phase is attributed to the theistic Mahyna,

or Greater Vehicle tradition of Buddhism. Caves of the
second period are 18, 11, 1429.

Caves 19, 26, and 29 are chaitya-grihas, the rest are

viharas.
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TECHNIQUE OF AJANTA MURAL PAINTING

The rock type of the Ajanta caves is basaltic rock.
For the execution of the painting, the ground was first prepared
by laying a rough layer of ferruginous earth mixed with rock-grit
or sand, vegetables-fibres, paddy husk, etc., on the surface of
the walls and ceilings, which were left rough so that they might
act as tooth for the rough plaster to set firmly upon them.

Next, a second coat of mud and ferruginous earth, mixed with

fine rock-powder or sand and fine fibrous vegetable-material was
applied to it of 8-15mm thickness. The surface was finished with
a layer of lime wash.

Then outlines were first drawn boldly which were filled with
organic colour pigment like red ochre, yellow ochre, terra verte,
lime, kaolin, gypsum, lamp black and lapis lazuli.

The binding medium used has been identified as animal glue.

DETERIORATION OF MURAL PAINTINGS

Physical factors
The presence of Chlorophyte in basalt
rock has the tendency to absorb moisture
in humid condition. In summer, thin scales
developed on the rock surface and thus
have disfigured the carving and sculpture.
This is found more pronounced on the
facade of the rock. In some other caves,
the seepage of water has been noticed

Cave
9

from the top of the rock to the inner

region which has been clogged now as a
result of conservation measures taken.

DETERIORATION OF MURAL PAINTINGS

Geological factors (Inherent Weaknesses)
The massive amygdaloidal and vesicular basalt of about 10-20 meters
thick deposit have been laid
basalt of dark, grey colour
weathering has taken place
flecking from the body of the
shows no sign of weathering

with a layer of fine and course grained

and is jointed. It is seen that more
in vertical joint resulting separation or
main rock whereas the horizontal planes

Moisture
Erosion rain water falling directly on the wall paintings caused rapid
erosion of them.
Loss pf pigment
The caves affected were cave 2, 7, 8, 16

DETERIORATION OF MURAL PAINTINGS

Atmospheric pollutants
The paintings have been smoked and covered with dust dirt and insect nests.
The flaking and peeling of painted surface is common.

There is damage due to human vandalism like scratches and greasiness

on the painting.

The insect activities which is more pronounced has created the hole and
weakened the caves and the presence of organic matters admixed with
the mud plaster has proved to be a good breeding place for insects.

The bats are the other form of nuisance in these caves as their excreta
has not only disfigured the painting but the surface of the rock also.
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STRUCTURAL CONSERVATION
Major structural conservation measures, in the form of construction of drains for run
off of rain water, were executed in the year 1920-21. Five drains to cope up with a
run off of 4 inches per hour of rain water with a slop to develop a velocity of 4 to 6
feet per second were made on the top of the cave. A zinc drain was also inserted in
the

important

painting

of

Padmapani

and

Vajrapani

at

Ajanta.

Based

on

Geotechnical studies carried out by the Geological Survey of India for Ajanta caves,
some structural conservation measures in the form of strengthening the existing
drainage system on the top of the caves were also executed very recently .

STRUCTURAL CONSERVATION
Ever since the Ajanta Caves were abandoned by the Buddhist monks in
around 6th century A.D., the facade of almost all the caves have fallen, the
pillars, support and walls in many caves also fell and in some caves the rain
water along with mud, supposed to flow in the ravine of Waghura River,
entered inside the caves with deposition of slit up to a height of 3-5 feet.
Structural conservation measures in the form of removing the filth from the
cave interior and making new support pillars as per conservation needs were
extensively carried out. The finest example is 2nd B.C. cave 10 at Ajanta.
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STRUCTURAL CONSERVATION

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CONSOLIDATION
Extensive consolidation and mending works
of all outside sculptures were carried from
2003 onwards at Ajanta with Ethyl silicate
introduced through saline technique into the
cracks, crevices of weathered sculptures.
Subsequently, as per archaeological norms
and condition the lost part of the sculptures
were mended with basaltic stone powder
and ethyl silicate as per requirement.

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SCIENTIFIC CONSERVATION OF MURAL PAINTINGS

With the discovery of the caves in 1819, many of the paintings in most ancient
caves 9 and 10 were copied in the 19th century when they were in much better
state of preservation than today. In 1920, the Italian conservators applied thick
coat of unbleached shellac varnish to the already varnished surface without
removing the old varnishes. Meanwhile the thick shellac oxidized and changed
colour to reddish brown in Indian climatic condition.

Many of the painted surfaces of Ajanta were cleaned by first consolidating the
fragile surface with the help of a lime and caseins mixture and allowing it to dry
properly. After complete drying, the varnishes layers along with soot and grime
were removed using mixture of organic solvents such as morpholine, butyl lactate,
n-butyl amine, butyl lactate, butanol, ethanol, and dimethyl formamide in various
ratios with dexterity and patience. No attempt was made to remove last traces of
accretions as precautionary measures. The main intention of chemical cleaning
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measures was to make the surface to breathe.

SCIENTIFIC CONSERVATION OF MURAL PAINTINGS

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SCIENTIFIC CONSERVATION OF MURAL PAINTINGS

As the cave no 10 has the largest opening at Ajanta, wire mesh in wooden
frame were fitted so as not to allow any bats/birds to enter inside the
cave. A few square meters of painting belonging to 2nd BCE that survived
on both side walls of cave no 10, were also damaged by visitors graffiti.

To save the paintings from graffiti, it was caged under glass on both the
side wall. However, 3-4 sq.mt. 2nd BCE painting surviving on the left side
wall by the side of the stupa above 8 feet from the floor of the cave were
left as such without any cover.

As the painting work were executed by the side of the stupa behind the
pillars, the place is always dark compared to front portion and on this part
of the paintings much bat excreta are noticed.
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SCIENTIFIC CONSERVATION OF MURAL PAINTINGS

A few sq.mt. 2nd BCE painted
plaster still surviving in cave no 9
and 10, Ajanta pose most difficult
task of cleaning the historic
surfaces. The paintings diagnosed
to be executed on a very thin lime
plaster ground with inorganic
colours by portable XRF; the FTIR
spectra of the pigments and lime
ground denote that varnishes have
seeped through due to its repeated
application in the past.
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MANAGEMENT MEASURES BY ASI

Archaeological Survey of India has taken following measures for visitors
management at Ajanta.

Two cause ways on Waghura River have been constructed for proper distribution of
visitor and stop rush to cave no1 and 2 at Ajanta.

All the caves at Ajanta have now been properly illuminated so that visitor can see
each and every part of the cave and there is no need to rush for important painted
cave.

Some of the important cave like 1,2,16 & 17 has now been illuminated with optical
fiber light causing no radiation or heat for better posterity of the painted surface.

No construction zone within a radii of 5 kilometres and no vehicular zone.

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MANAGEMENT MEASURES BY ASI

Regular spray of pyrethrum extract in kerosene is being carried out every
fortnight to eradicate insect activity from the cave.

Sometimes fumigation with ethoxide gas is also carried out to eradicate

those silver fishes that have migrated into mud plaster and thriving on
the organic matter present in the earthen support.

Visitor centres are being planned to teach about the delicate nature of
painted surface and what the visitors not supposed to do during their
visit. We feel that with the co-operation and support of public at large we
can together help in conservation and posterity of paintings of Ajanta.
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REFERENCES
Singh, M.; Arbad, B.R. Conservation & Restoration Research in 2nd B.C.
Murals of Ajanta, International Journal of Scientific and Engineering
Research, vol. 3, issue 10,2012 page 18.

Singh, M.; Trambke, R.S.; Gupta, D.A. Chemical Conservation of Hinayana

paintings, 2nd B.C. cave No. 10, Ajanta, Arts, Myths and Visual Culture of
South Asia, Warsaw Indological Studies, 4 (2011), 251-259

Singh M., Microclimatic Condition in Relation to Conservation of Cave no 2

Murals of Ajanta, Current Science, Vol.101, No.1,2011, pp. 89-94.

The preservation and maintenance of cave temple of Ajanta. Annual

Report of Archaeological Department of Nizam,1949,pp.1-16

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