ASI announces LED pilot for Ajanta Caves on 1 October
Published on 10/11/2026 at 06:15 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWSKey points in brief
- The Archaeological Survey of India announced an LED lighting pilot for Ajanta Caves on 1 October 2026.
- The pilot will begin in Cave 2 during the current Indian financial year, with further installations subject to assessment.
- Ajanta Caves in Maharashtra are a UNESCO World Heritage site with 30 rock-cut Buddhist caves, six of them painted.
Ajanta Caves and the Archaeological Survey of India’s LED lighting pilot were brought together on 1 October 2026, when the authority announced a museum-grade replacement for the old optical fibre system in Cave 2. The site lies in the Waghora Valley in Maharashtra, within reach of Aurangabad, now officially known as Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar.
LED pilot brings a lighting change to Cave 2
The Archaeological Survey of India decided on 1 October 2026 to replace the existing optical fibre lights with museum-grade LED equipment. The pilot will be carried out in Cave 2 during the current Indian financial year, according to the 1 October announcement.
An assessment will follow the pilot before the lighting is installed in other caves. The plan therefore changes the lighting programme rather than announcing a closure, and no fixed completion date for the wider replacement has been given. For visitors, Cave 2 is the first named area affected, while the announcement does not state that access to the cave complex will be restricted.
Why Ajanta Caves are the first test site
The complex contains 30 rock-cut Buddhist cave temples, six of which have paintings. Their decoration includes scenes connected with the life of the Buddha, depictions of contemporary social life, and geometric and floral ceiling patterns.
Cave 2 is a useful starting point because the lighting decision is directly linked to the way visitors see painted surfaces and carved details. The wider site is set into a horseshoe-shaped cliff above the Waghora Valley, with prayer halls and living quarters cut into the rock, as the Ministry of Tourism guide describes. The 1 October pilot thus connects a current conservation decision with the painted Buddhist interiors that define the visit.
Visiting Ajanta Caves: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- The LED lighting pilot was announced on 1 October 2026 for Cave 2 at the Ajanta Caves complex in Maharashtra. The work is planned during the current Indian financial year.
- The announcement does not state a closure or a changed entrance. It identifies Cave 2 as the pilot area and says that further installations will follow an assessment.
- The site is in the Waghora Valley in Maharashtra. The nearest listed airport is Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar Airport, and the nearest listed railway station is Aurangabad Railway Station.
- The caves are cut into a horseshoe-shaped cliff and include rock-cut prayer halls and living quarters. Visitors should expect uneven heritage-site terrain and carved interiors rather than a conventional gallery layout.
- Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.
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Frequently asked questions about Ajanta Caves
What changed at Ajanta Caves on 1 October 2026?
The Archaeological Survey of India announced a museum-grade LED lighting replacement and a pilot in Cave 2 during the current Indian financial year.
Where is Ajanta Caves and how do you get there?
The complex is in the Waghora Valley in Maharashtra. The nearest listed airport is Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar Airport, while the nearest listed railway station is Aurangabad Railway Station.
What is Ajanta Caves?
It is a UNESCO World Heritage complex of 30 rock-cut Buddhist cave temples, six of which have paintings and decorated ceilings.
