CENTER FOR ART AND ARCHAEOLOGY 
Cave 15 was begun very early in the Vakataka phase - 463 CE. It was modeled directly on the simple astylar Early Buddhist Cave 12. Its cells, porch doorway, and even its Buddha image were well underway in 468 CE, but work on them was peremptorily interrupted by the Recession. Nearly a decade later all of these elements were reworked in a more up-to-date style. The Buddha image got rushed to completion in early 478 CE before Harisena’s death but the cave remained essentially unpainted and in fact little used.
The images on the left rear wall of the astylar hall, both once painted, are typical intrusions of 479 – 480 CE. There are eight cells on two sides of the hall. There are figures of Buddha in two panels on the back wall of the antechamber. The back wall of the shrine is carved with an image of Buddha seated on a simhasana. There are traces of painting on the roof of the antechamber and shrine.
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Cave 16 is the largest vihara (monastery) of Ajanta and commenced in the 460s and was completed by Asmakas, the feudatories of the Vakatakas. The monastery with its colossal hall, ornate doors and windows, painted galleries, sculptures, ornamented pillars and a cistern was the gift of Varahadeva a minister of Emperor Harisena. Although, this vihara introduced the pillared hall to the site, it was started so early that it was soon regarded as old-fashioned. Nevertheless, the image and its chamber in the interior shrine for Buddha were carved in an innovative form. The Buddha image is shown seated in pralamba-padasana or English chair posture and the sanctum is devoid of an antechamber or a doorway.
Originally, the entire cave was painted but now very little of the painting now remain. Several interesting scenes Hasti, Maha-ummagga, Maha-sutasoma jataka tales are depicted. Other murals show the conversion of Nanda, miracle of Sravasti, Sujata's offering, Asita's visit, the dream of Maya, the Trapusha and Bhallika story, and the ploughing festival.
Cave 17 was started immediately after Cave 16 in the 460s. It is first of the cluster of excavations (Caves 17, 18, 19, 20, 29) sponsored by Upendragupta, the feudatory ruler of the Ajanta region. While he was a prime force in the site’s renaissance in the middle of fifth century, he may have spent too much wealth on religious pursuits, and not enough on the implements of war. In the 470s CE he suffered a defeat at the hands of the rival Asmakas and all work on his caves including Cave 17, came to a sudden halt.
The verandah of this cave has massive pillars in the front. The main hall has three entrances, and the central door is adorned with carvings. The twenty columns dividing the corridors on the four sides of the hall are lavishly carved and painted. Beside the two cells in the verandah, this cave contains sixteen cells and a cistern of water. The shrine contains a massive figure of Buddha in dharmachakra mudra or Teaching attitude that is flanked by the Boddhistava Padmapani on the right and Vajrapani on the left.
This cave has thirty major murals that are well preserved and include a huge and gigantic wheel representing the ‘Wheel of Life’, flying group of Celestials (Gandharvas and apsaras), a damsel wearing beautiful headgear, story of subjugation of Nalagiri (a wild elephant) by Buddha and Buddha preaching to a congregation all depicted in veranda. The Jatakas depicted inside the cave are Chhaddanta, Mahakapi, Hasti, Hamsa, Vessantara, Maha-Sutasoma, Sarabha-miga, Machchha, Matruposaka, Sama, Mahisa, Valahass, Sibi, Ruru, Nigrodhamiga and Simhalavadana. Buddha offering his begging bowl to his son Rahula is depicted to the right of the sanctum. Some scenes also incorporate themes from everyday society and culture such as a shipwreck, a princess applying makeup, lovers in scenes of dalliance, and a wine drinking scene of a couple with the woman and man amorously seated.
Cave 18 is an elaborate cistern chamber that also functions as a pillared passage linking Upendragupta’s Caves 17 and 19. It commenced in 463/464 CE and was sponsored by Upendragupta, the sub-king at Ajanta. This water-channel, probably served both of its adjacent caves - Caves 17 and 19. An inscription in Upendragupta’s Cave 17 on a wall shared that the cistern shares with the cave’s court honors it with a special reference to its always being “filled with sweet, light, clear, cold and copious water”.
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