In the local dialect, "Apani Dhani" means "Our Hamlet", an affectionate name given to the place by Ramesh C. Jangid, founder of the ecolodge and a pioneer of a form of militant tourism in India, especially in Rajasthan and his own native region of Nawalgarh.  

Get off the beaten track in India with a stay at Apani Dhani Ecolodge

For a lot of travelers in India, New Delhi is the capital of everything that they need to get away from as quickly as possible. Nevertheless, the town has some wonderful secrets that I would like to share with you.

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Incredible cave dwelling site, located in the heart of Maharashtra.

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<a href="/india/">To discover India</a>, is to be suprised every day! And in Ellora you'll be pleasantly surprised to see how well the blend of religions is represented and respected. The Hindu, Buddhist and Jain caves, along with their religious visitors, have and continue to live in peace and harmony. As for the site, it was entirely carved by hand! It comprises of 34 monateries and the result is breathtaking.
The Kailasha Temple, my favourite, is on the periphery. Here, you'll find yourself in front of 150 years worth of work and to see more or less all the famous scenes from the Hindu religion represented, is really quite something. The Buddha cave, where the 10th statue shows him seated and counting on his fingers, will leave you open-mouthed. It's nothing short of incredible. You'll love it!

Ellora is famous for its caves, which are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This village in Maharashtra State is a must!

The Ellora site is absolutely unique in the world and essential to visit during <a href="/india/">a stay in India</a> in this region. It is made up of about 30 splendid caves carved along an imposing hundred meter high cliff. Classified as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, the Ellora Caves symbolically represent the country's three main religions: Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. A beautiful example of respect and tolerance. Many villagers offer to be guides during the visit. It's a very interesting and comprehensive way to learn about this place. I remember dealing with a young guide from the area that was a source of inexhaustible information about the place and its history.

Incredible cave dwelling site, located in the heart of Maharashtra.

Inscribed as UNESCO World Heritage, the caves of Ellora are a good place to visit from Aurangabad when <a href="/india/">touring India</a>. Follow me and I'll be your guide. Off we go. The first twelve are Buddhist caves. There are friezes, stupas, and sculptures of Nagas and Buddhas to be seen here. Over there is one sitting on a lion throne. And here's another, sitting cross-legged and counting his fingers to represent the five precepts of Buddhist teachings. The Hindu caves are located further on. This is where we can see Shiva, his wife Parvati and their elephant-headed child, Ganesha. And look, there's Brahma, Visnu and Nandi as well. We are now arriving at the Kailash temple, an absolute marvel. It is the world's largest monolithic structure, measuring 90 by 55 meters in area and 33 in height. All the scenes contained in the stories of Hinduism are represented in the engravings here. It's a veritable encyclopedia I tell you! It is superb! We finish off the tour with the Jain caves. Buddha appears to be watching over the place from the back, and the paintings we can see date from the epoch. So that was Ellora: a treasure not to be missed, and a tour to be combined with a visit to Ajanta, which is close by.

Like at Ajanta, there is a superb group of caves at Ellora, some Buddhist, some Hindu and some Jain: three religions for the price of a single visit, This is a fine example of tolerance in a wonderful natural setting.

Ellora Holidays

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