The Rock-cut Temples of India/The Caves of Ajunta/Façade, Cave No. 1—Ajunta 2
FAÇADE, CAVE No. 1.—AJUNTA.
THE verandah of this Cave is 98 ft. in length internally, and terminates as usual in a cell at each end, but externally it has, besides, a chapel, with two pillars in antis, which adds considerably to the architectural effect of the façade, and in this respect is preferable to the arrangement in No. 2, where these two pillars are internal, and consequently are hardly seen in conjunction with the façade.
As originally executed, there was an outer porch of two pillars standing in advance of the six which are still perfect. These latter, which form the real support of the verandah, are of three different orders—or rather four, counting the half columns at either end. The outer pillars are merely square piers, but they increase in richness of decoration from the flanks to the centre, where they are richly decorated circular shafts, with bold bracket capitals.