अजिंठा हे नाव घेतले कि बहुतेकांच्या डोळ्यासमोर भित्तीचित्रांसाठी सुप्रसिध्द असलेली लेणी येतात.मात्र याच अजिंठा जवळ फर्दापुर गावात एक सराई आणि खुद्द अजिंठा गावात एक सराई आणि एक किल्ला आहे हे बहुतेकांना माहिती नसते.याचीच ओळख आपण या लेखातून करुन घेणार आहोत.
फर्दापूर सराइ –
जळगाव – अजिंठा रोड वर सोयगाव फाटा पार करताच ३–४ कि.मी. अंतरावर फर्दापूर गावचा उजवीकडे फाटा आहे.. समोर अजिंठ्याचा डोंगर आणि घाट आहे.. या गावात एक गढी म्हणजेच सराइ आहे. सराइ हा शब्द पर्शियन सेराय या शब्दापासून तयार झाला आहे.. सराय म्हणजे राजवाडा.फर्दापूर सराइ हा औरंगजेबाने सैनिकांसाठी बांधल्याचे इतिहासकार सांगतात.. फर्दापूर सराय हि साधारण चौरस आकाराची गढी आहे.याला दोन दरवाजे आणि आठ बुरुज असून ते सुस्थितीत आहे. प्रत्येक बुरुजातून सराय च्या छतावर जाण्यासाठी भुयारी जिने आहेत. दोन बुरुजांच्या मध्ये आडव्या भिंतीत बऱ्याच कमानी तयार केल्याचे दिसते.. सध्या तरी या कमानीत मानवी वस्तीचे अतिक्रमण झाले आहे.. सराय च्या मध्यभागी एक मशिद असून ती फार जुनी असल्याचे स्थानिक सांगतात.गढीच्या उजव्या कोपऱ्यातील बुरुजातून एक रस्ता वर जाण्यासाठी आहे तिथून वर छतावर जाता येते.गढीचे बाकीचे बुरुजांवर मोठ्या प्रमाणात आक्रमण झाले आहे. म्हणजे या बुरुजात लोकांनी घर–संसार थाटले आहेत.छतावर येताच पाकळ्यांची छातीपेक्षा उंच तटबंदी लक्ष वेधून घेते.हेच या गढीचे मुख्य आकर्षण. याशिवाय बुरुजातून वर येणार दगडी पायऱ्यांचा जिना हे दुसरे आकर्षण.तर गढीचे दोन भक्कम दरवाजे हे तिसरे. मानवी अतिक्रमणाने जवळपास नष्ट झालेल्या गढीची एक प्रदक्षिणा छतावरून पूर्ण करायची आणि मोर्चा वळवायचा तो अजिंठा सराइ पहाण्यासाठी.
अजिठा डोंगर रांगेतील कालिंकादेवी मंदीर परिसर
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| अलिकडील टेकडीवर भव्य दगडात पायऱ्या कोरलेल्या दिसतात जणूकाही हा हा एका मोठ्या खोलीचा पाया असावा असे दिसते |
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| ।कातरलेला दगड मंदिराकडे जाताना लागतो |
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| पठारावरुन दिसणारे कालिंका देवी मंदीर |
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अजिंठा डोंगररांग  |
पठार
https://shivjagars.blogspot.com/2020/12/blog-post_30.html
The Ajintha View Point This view point wasn't in our original plan, neither had read anything about it before. Read the sign on the onward journey and decided to give it a try and weren't disappointed. It's a good 20+ kms drive and at times you might feel like lost as once you leave the main road, there are no signs at all. This is the point where the caves are supposed to have been discovered by a British officer. Marathi movie "Ajintha", released just before our trip has been picturized in this area, giving a lot more fame to this place - said the lone villager we met here. He had a lot to say about controversies surrounding the historical / ethnic correctness of the story - a lot of which was discussed in Marathi media around that time. (No, won't get into those details here!) No one seen on reaching there contrary to what we expected. I'm pretty sure this will be crowded in the right season i.e. monsoon or immediately after the monsoon.  No one in the gallery either except for a local villager (and yeah (inset) a loner keeping a vigil on the whole area!)  Do you see the restaurant? No? You are right. There is absolutely nothing there besides the board. Perhaps the restaurant exists only on paper.  From here you can walk down to the caves. This is not for everyone. It can be very tiring. Besides you need someone to take your vehicle back to the caves. You are unlikely to climb back all the way to this point.  Views of the valley and caves. Surely we came here in the wrong season. This would be so beautiful in the rains... Definitely plan to visit this place late in rainy season .. You can see that small green bus in the photo below. That is the caves' side end of the bus that takes you there (starting from the T-junction).    Last edited by mayuresh : 24th August 2012 at 21:34. | |
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15th August 2012, 21:14
| #5 |
| BHPian Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Pune
Posts: 379
Thanked: 323 Times
| Re: Trip to ancient temple at Anwa en route Ajintha Ajintha caves : Trivia first                Last edited by mayuresh : 15th August 2012 at 21:19. |
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15th August 2012, 21:26
| #6 |
| BHPian Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Pune
Posts: 379
Thanked: 323 Times
| Re: Trip to ancient temple at Anwa en route Ajintha The caves area: The "eco-friendly" transport From T junction is is mandatory to take this bus to the caves area (that is, you can't take your own vehicle and it's not exactly walkable). The buses are clean and well maintained. There are a/c as well as non a/c buses. I think the one we landed up in was a/c, though a/c was almost non functional. There is fair bit of queue to catch the bus. Sometimes large groups book whole bus - with just one person in the queue representing a few tens of his group mates and you are left with no option but to wait for the next bus. It's about 10/15 minutes drive and some people accept to board standing as well. But you will be usually too tired to stand again in the bus on your return journey. I do not know why these buses are called eco-friendly. They are regular diesel buses and ironically at the stop the drivers keep the engine running. They are probably called so because they keep several vehicles from coming near the caves area. Cave end bus stop - in a photograph shown from the "view point" in previous post, this bus appears a small green dot  About getting a guide Official guide charges here are high. I think Rs 700+. They were not to be found anywhere. Instead there were some persons, one in each cave, whose official role wasn't clear to me. (I think they were responsible for showing "light" in the caves - see below.) They were offering guidance for a small tip, something like Rs 20. It was useful to take it. About "light charge", use of camera, flash prohibited At the entrance, we paid something called "light charge" for the camera. The rule here is, visitors are not allowed to use flash, though photography is allowed. The caves are totally dark and there is a certain kind of (I think LED) light a person there is supposed to show you when you show this receipt for the light charge. I do not know how scientific this is. The idea, we were told, is bright flash lights cause damage the paintings over time. It was not very convenient to take any photographs this way. So we have taken really very few. On the way to the caves, firstly you will come across this shop by ASI. There are several interesting books over here with full coverage of paintings at Ajintha as well as other archaeological information.  Really resent going here in summer. Can just imagine how beautiful all these snaps would have been during monsoon ...  A view point, different from the one I posted about in previous posts. (The one I posted about is somewhere on the hill appearing in the background.)  You can take this bridge on the way back after finishing the round of the caves.   Harmless inhabitants normally, on the way back to the bus stop on the bridge route  After a tiring walk of the caves area you will definitely need this place and thank your fortunes that it exists here. This is near the bus stop. The food is good here. Not very chilly, contrary to what we expected having visited the other MTDC restaurant at Fardapur the last night.  Last edited by mayuresh : 25th August 2012 at 14:28. |
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25th August 2012, 11:11
| #7 |
| BHPian Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Pune
Posts: 379
Thanked: 323 Times
| Re: Trip to ancient temple at Anwa en route Ajintha A few snaps of the carvings            A "guide" demonstrating sound effects in a cave  Last edited by mayuresh : 25th August 2012 at 14:15. |
Stay at MTDC
MTDC guest house is behind the main parking of Ajanta caves. There is no
separate parking for guests.
Shop keepers' nuisance
On reaching, a couple of guys just helped us up to the resort. We initially
thought they work at the resort itself. Turned out, they were shop keepers who
had their small shops in the adjoining area, of "stones" and other such
mysterious things. They were quite stubbornly inviting to the shops, once we
got hold of the room, and it took a while to get rid of them. Had to assure
that we'll visit their shops the next day.
On next day, too, they virtually chased us when we walked down the shop area.
Wherever we ate, they'd go and say something to the stall owner there as if
they have brought us there, etc.
Quite bad to see such nuisance there.
A decent uncluttered layout
Rooms are spacious
The facilities include, 2 a/cs, refrigerator, TV and cupboards. There is a
separate kitchen and a dining area.
In the evenings they will attach this swing.You can get a good view of the
sunset from here.
A polite way to say "don't ask for food here"! There is indeed no food
facility at such a nice accommodation.
During daytime you can make do with small restaurants on the way to the bus
stop for caves.
But as the sun sets, everything gets closed. She, too, will be lonely
now...
Fortunately this place is indeed just 5 minutes drive. The food is good as
well. Food is very spicy by default. Ask specifically otherwise if you don't
want that way.
PS: Beware of dogs if leaving MTDC T junction area after it is dark -
particularly on foot. (Perhaps those are owned by security guards at the main
entrance, but are definitely scary...)
