Two painted 'mithuna' (couples)

Posted by Kaddy (Mumbai, India) on 25 January 2008 in Art & Design.

The early caves at Ajanta are of the Hinayana order of Buddhism and the later ones are of the Mahayana order. Hinayana Buddhists did not believe in making any figure of the Buddha. Instead, they worshipped symbols, such as the stupa and the wheel.

The large body of surviving, magnificent paintings were made during the 5th and 6th centuries A.D. By then the Mahayana form of Buddhism had evolved, in which the Buddha is represented in human form and worshipped as a god. Mahayana Buddhism also believes in Bodhisattvas, beings who are on their way to enlightenment and who would help all of humanity to attain salvation.

In the paintings show here, Buddha is depicted as king and he is seen with a queen in some paintings and with slave-girls in others.

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