Government of IndiaCave 16
3D
Floorplan
Cave Exterior
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Cave Interior
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Cave type
A grand elephant stairway opens near the porch of this vihāra from the Later period.
Period
Along with a water cistern, the cave consists of a courtyard, porch, hall and a shrine. The cave is 67 feet 6 inches by and 65 feet 2 inches deep. Period One of the first vihāras to be made in the Later phase, it introduced many changes in image making style at Ajanta.
Elements
The cave has 11 narrative paintings, including Bhagavān, which depicts Prince Siddhārtha's journey to enlightenment.
Patron
The inscription at Cave 16 shows that Varāhadeva, the secretary of Maharaja Hariṣeṇa was the donor. Elaborating Varāhadeva's interest in Buddhism, it states that the cave was embellished with picture galleries, sculptures and elegant columns.
Shrine
Cave 16 shows the Buddha seated in Bhadrasana like the Buddha of the Cave 26 stupa. His hands are held in the Dharmachakrapravartanamudrā. The Buddha is depicted as 'Yatindra' - a king among ascetics. He is flanked by elephants, a griffin-like creature as well as composite creatures with a crocodilian face called the makara. The Buddha is also surrounded by two bodhisatvas holding chauris or fly-whisks. The image of deer flanking the Dharmachakra symbolises Buddha's first sermon at Sarnath.
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