Cave 6 Upper

A flight of steps from the lower storey leads you to Cave 6 Upper.

This storey was not part of the first plan for the Cave 6 complex. It was a later addition to the cave.

This cave is known for the sculpted frieze of elephants carved on the front aisle as well as the Buddha sculpture on the left of the antechamber. The sculpture is painted, and you can still see the contours and shading - telling us that all sculptures at Ajanta were once painted.

The Buddha sits in padmāsana with his hands in the Dharmachakrapravartana mudrā, where the thumb and index fingers of both hands form a circle each. He is flanked by flying celestials paying obesiance to the Buddha.