---
title: Nagaraja, Ajanta
author: Prashanth Gopalan
source: https://www.worldhistory.org/image/4061/nagaraja-ajanta/
format: machine-readable-alternate
license: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/)
updated: 1970-01-01
---

# Nagaraja, Ajanta

_Authored by [Prashanth Gopalan](https://www.worldhistory.org/user/prashgopalan/)_

## Image File

[![Nagaraja, Ajanta](https://www.worldhistory.org/uploads/images/4061.jpg)](https://www.worldhistory.org/uploads/images/4061.jpg)

## Image Caption

The Nagaraja - or Snake King - possibly represents either a mythical figure from [Buddhist](https://www.worldhistory.org/buddhism/) [mythology](https://www.worldhistory.org/mythology/), a figure from the Jataka Tales of Buddhist [literature](https://www.worldhistory.org/literature/), or the headman of the local snake-worshiping tribe that lived in the same region as the ancient Buddhists of [Ajanta](https://www.worldhistory.org/Ajanta/) at the time of this particular cave's construction. This is a detail from a [wall](https://www.worldhistory.org/wall/) carving in one of the outer caves of the Ajanta cave complex, an ancient Buddhist monastery and UNESCO World Heritage Site located in the Aurangabad District of Maharashtra, [India](https://www.worldhistory.org/india/). Originally built from the 2nd century BCE, with additional caves added in subsequent centuries, the Ajanta cave complex contains some of the finest surviving examples of ancient Indian and Buddhist religious art and [architecture](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/architecture/) in the Indian subcontinent.

#### Editorial Review

This human-authored image has been reviewed by our editorial team before publication to ensure accuracy, reliability and adherence to academic standards in accordance with our [editorial policy](https://www.worldhistory.org/static/editorial-policy/).

## Cite This Work

### APA
Gopalan, P. (2015, September 08). Nagaraja, Ajanta. *World History Encyclopedia*. <https://www.worldhistory.org/image/4061/nagaraja-ajanta/>
### Chicago
Gopalan, Prashanth. "Nagaraja, Ajanta." *World History Encyclopedia*, September 08, 2015. <https://www.worldhistory.org/image/4061/nagaraja-ajanta/>.
### MLA
Gopalan, Prashanth. "Nagaraja, Ajanta." *World History Encyclopedia*, 08 Sep 2015, <https://www.worldhistory.org/image/4061/nagaraja-ajanta/>.

## License & Copyright

Submitted by [Prashanth Gopalan](https://www.worldhistory.org/user/prashgopalan/ "User Page: Prashanth Gopalan"), published on 08 September 2015. The copyright holder has published this content under the following license: [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/deed.en). This license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon this content non-commercially, as long as they credit the author and license their new creations under the identical terms. When republishing on the web a hyperlink back to the original content source URL must be included. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms.