Maha: 5 caves at Ellora to be illuminated ahead of G20-related event

AURANGABAD: Five caves at the Ellora world heritage site in Maharashtra's Aurangabad district will be illuminated with LED lights and the Archaeological Survey of India will try to complete the work before the city hosts a G20-related event, a senior ASI official has said.

The 'first inception meet' of Women 20 (W20) as part of India's presidency of G20 will be held in the city on February 13-14, 2023.

The Women 20, an official G20 engagement group, was set up in 2015 to ensure gender considerations figure in G20 discussions.

The ASI has already put up lights in various Ajanta caves for visitors to see the paintings made there between 400 and 650 CE, an official said on Wednesday.

ASI's superintendent archaeologist Milan Kumar Chauley told PTI that they will also illuminate the inside portions of Ellora cave numbers 5, 10, 16, 29 and 32 which have paintings and sculptures.

Chauley said they will try to finish the work before the G20-related event in Aurangabad in February next year.

"The lights will not harm the paintings. We are currently using them in the Ajanta caves," he said.

The front entry point at the Ellora caves will also be revamped along with other developmental works, Chauley said.