Ride to Ajanta Caves. Review on Ajanta & Ellora Caves, Aurangabad

TRIP LOG: NOMADS RIDE TO AJANTA CAVES

Come 26th Jan, we trio Nomads Priyank, Suyash and me rode off  Pune –Aurangabad – Ajanta- Aurangabad-Pune. Total some 730 kms. Started off at 07:30 hrs.

Riders:Nandu n Suyash(Avengers), Priyank(Yamaha Libero). This was a first ride out for Priyank. He stayed at speeds well within his limits and enjoyed his ride. Very very sensible.

Roads: Pune to Ahmednagar(120 kms) was a dream ride. Four laner almost all the way, beautiful roads, awesome I say! Ahmednagar to Aurangabad(120 kms), 2 laner traffic, beware….ride slow. Ahmednagar to Ajanta, 120 kms, awesome road, beautiful. Ripped the bike 100 kph…….haaaaaa. Burst a tyre hitting a rock in the center of the road. Some crazy dude did not remove the rocks on the road after repairing his vehicle.

Stops: Just short of Nagar, there is a beautiful resort, SMILESTONES. Great place to take a break and eat. Met plenty of RE guys who were returning from Nagpur RE meet. Big fellows, big riders, making so much of exhaust noise,  earthshaking, I dare say….but they shook our hands, talked a lot to us and paid respect to BikeNomads. Humility….Bhai log either you a Bullet Rider or you are NOTHING is how I felt in their company. Even Suyash felt like that. Big Bull rider, big man, Mr Bruce(owns 16 bykes, incl Harley) was gracious enough to come to our bikes and see us off, wishing us **“Ride Safe.”

*Stop 2 for lunch was at a nice place “24x7”.

At Aurangabad: Took us some 6 hrs to get into the city, at 2:30 pm. Plenty of hotels along the main highway that goes through the city. For the rich Software Enggs Riders, there is the awesome Hotel Rennaissance(Welcome Group), for the rest of us riding on the poverty line,there are plenty of budget Rs 500-750/- a day rooms. We lived like pigs in one such hotel.with attached Restau n bar. 26th Jan, dry day so told the Manager, “Room mein 3 bottle King Fisher bhejnaa.” Manager said, “Saab, 26 January hai, dry day hai, mushkil hai.” I replied “Mushkil hai, lekin **NAMUMKIN to nahi?”  He was impressed with my Don like dialogue n we got our beers!

Biwi ka Makbara: That evening we saw “Biwi Ka Makbara”, mini Taj. Built 370 years ago by the son of Aurnagzeb for his mother. Nice place. I told Priyank  “Bhai, 370 years from now, who will remember us? There will be no evidence that we lived on earth! Even our BikeNomads Hall Of Fame guys will be forgotten….let’s build a BN Hall of Fame makbara.”

Ajanta Caves: Next morning, 27th Jan, we rode out to see Ajanta Caves, distance 120 kms. Full marks to MTDC for creating a wonderful world class infrastructure for tourists out there. Guides come for Rs 450/- worth it. We spent some 5 hours out there. Awesome the way these caves were chisseled out of stone some 1250 years ago, to perpetuate the memory of Lord Buddha. Thousands of foreign n desi tourists. Majaa ayaa. The paintaigs survive to this day, as they did 1250 yrs ago. 36 caves, some 12 are important and large. The story line along the caves is how Lord Bhudda  started his life and took to spirituality.

There is a resort of MTDC 30 kms short of Ajanta. Instead of riding out n staying put at Aurangabad, better to stay here.  We were exhausted riding out 120+120 kms and walking 5 hrs to see the caves.

That evening we drank Wiskey without fear of dry day. I asked Suyash n Priyank if they get bored riding with old fogie like me. They said their fathers allowed them this ride out coz there was a senior citizen riding out with them! Their dad’s are younger than me….lol.

28th Jan:Started back for Pune. Could not see Daulatabad Fort and Ellora. Better to plan a 4 day trip, minimum, to do all of Aurangabad, Daulatabad, Ajanta and Ellora. Ellora is closer at 16 kms from Aurangabad.

Reccos:   Plan ride one way Pune-Aurangabad. Return ride Aurangabad-Nashik road to Samgamner to Pune. Extra distance is 120 kms, but you get to see a different road.

Remember Aurangabad-Ajanta is 120 kms. Better stay at MTDC resort first night 30 kms short of Ajanta caves. That way you will save exhausation. Check out after doing Ajanta go to Ahmednagar, next day aaram se do, Ellora,  Daulatabad. Ahmednagar to Aurangabad: Traffic is dense, road average. Please be very cautious here. Watch for stray dogs, cattle, crazy overtaking vehicles on your side of the road. Stops: Smilestones and 24x7. See the windmills in the background.

Pics are here:https://flickr.com/photos/httpwwwmouthshutcomusermariner2html/sets/72157594
505556197/

*Captain Nandu Chitnis

*BikeNomads