Art historian, filmmaker and photographer Benoy K. Behl has made a name for himself
in the global art community for his photographs of the ancient Buddhist paintings
of Ajanta Caves in Maharashtra, writes Man Mohan

IN January, 2008, the National Geographic magazine carried an 18-page story about ancient Indian art revealed through Benoy Behl’s photography. Thames & Hudson, London, and Harry N. Abrams, New York published his book The Ajanta Caves.

About 100 km from Aurangabad, in the gorge of the Waghora River in the Sahyadari hills, exist the enchanted Ajanta caves. These caves are the confluence of two streams of art — one of the sophisticated developments of the art of painting and the other filled with the compassionate philosophy of Buddha.

In Behl’s words, these streams came together to create a body of painting, which has inspired the art of a whole continent. The paintings of Ajanta are known to be the fountainhead of all the classic paintings of Asia.

"Eighteen years ago, I photographed the ancient Buddhist paintings of Ajanta which were hidden in the darkness of Buddhist caves in Maharashtra. These paintings are the most revered and most beautiful paintings of the entire tradition of Buddhism. Buddhists all over Asia speak about this site with reverence," says Behl.

According to Behl, these magnificent caves are a wondrous and enduring tribute to Buddha and his path. Of all the inspired monuments created for the Buddhist monks, the Ajanta paintings are the most eloquent. Here, one of the greatest bodies of the art of mankind was created with hammer and chisel and with paint and brush. Its inscriptions proclaim that it was meant to last forever.

"The Ajanta paintings changed my life. The gentle beings of art permeated my being. Every time I looked at these paintings, I was transported to another world where the sublimity of art infused life into everything. There was`A0a look of infinite compassion upon every painted face. There was great humility, warmth and a caring.`A0It was expressed in every gesture, every glance. It was a world of compassion, which took over me completely," says Behl claiming "for me, a new journey had begun."

Behl is known for his tireless and prolific output over the past 25 years. He continues an odyssey, which he began many years ago, to revive the true and beautiful knowledge of India’s great art and cultural history in Europe and the USA.

He has taken over 30,000 photographs of Indian monuments and art heritage and made 100 documentaries on art history. His exhibitions have been warmly received in 24 countries around the world and his name figures in the Limca Book of Records for having travelled all over India.

The vastness of Behl’s documentation presents a wide and new perspective in understanding the art of India. His photographs of ancient murals in remote places have clearly established the continuous tradition of painting in India, from ancient times through the medieval period. This is significant, as earlier; the Indian tradition of painting was believed to have begun in the medieval times.

Behl has given a vast, record-setting number of lectures on Indian art history in many countries around the world. His photographic exhibitions have also been warmly received in 24 countries. In fact, his exhibition on Buddhist sites and art heritage has been held at more locations than any other exhibition in the world. The Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan has begun a new educational initiative with Behl. He has made 26 films on the history of painting in India.

Presently, Behl’s excellent photographic exhibitions on Buddhist sites and art heritage and on the churches of Goa are touring many countries around the world. He has made 52 documentaries on the history of painting and sculpture in India.

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