ABSTRACT
The rock-cut Buddhist caves at Ajanta and Ellora were the first to be inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1983 and along with Elephanta (inscribed in 1987) are the only three sites to be recognised in the state of Maharashtra. All three could be classified as sites of both cultural and natural relevance; in fact, the monumentality of these rock-cut establishments is closely intertwined with their natural environments. By focusing on the caves at Ajanta, Elephanta and Ellora, this chapter discusses the elusive boundaries between monuments and landscapes in South Asia, and how the dichotomy between cultural and natural heritage needs to be rethought in this context.
