Rulers and their Caves
What I thought was interesting about this reading was the fact that as new rulers came into power, the layout and design of the caves changed. This caught my attention because I began to think about how it would be possible to change a long respected tradition. Obviously the rulers had different values which altered their position on how the caves should be designed, but I never considered it a possibility for the caves to actually change as time went on. It can be compared to evolution. As time passed, the caves became increasingly different. The painting styles changes, the layout, the sculptures. Everything was different and yet, everything was similar in respect to its basis. The archeology all erupted from the same source and could all be traced back to this source. It was simply different, like derivatives of the original.
What is also interesting, is the fact that no matter how different the caves got, people still viewed them in the same way. They were still considered caves of Buddha and they were still used as areas of meditation. They simply looked different, signifying the change in rulers. It is like the caves are little pieces of history, telling the modern day archeologist of the time the cave was excavated, and the ruler who initiated the project.
