Contents: Introduction/A. Ghosh. 1. Ajanta: an artistic appreciation/Ingrid Aall. 2. The caves: their historical perspective/M.N. Deshpande. 3. The caves: their sculpture/M.N. Deshpande. 4. The murals: their theme and content/M.N. Deshpande. 5. The murals: their art/Ingrid Aall. 6. The murals: their composition and technique/B.B. Lal. 7. The murals: their preservation/B.B. Lal. Bibliography. Index.

From the preface by A. Ghosh, Director General of Archaeological Survey of India: "The present album is not intended to present a complete series of reproductions of the mural paintings of Ajanta. For that one has still to turn to the excellent four-volume portfolio brought out by the Hyderabad Government between the years 1930 and 1955. The aim here has been to present some outstanding and representative paintings of Ajanta in a convenient form so as to promote their appreciation. In such cases the selection can never suit everyone's taste, but we have done our best.

"Nor is the text to be regarded as a complete treatise on Ajanta. The topics dealt with therein are designed only to be indicative of the vastness of the subjects.

"The chapters in the text have been written by different hands. While Shri M.N. Deshpande, Director, School of Archaeology, Archaeological Survey of India, who has a wide knowledge of the west-Indian caves, has contributed the bulk (three chapters), two chapters have been contributed each by Dr. B.B. Lal, Archaeological Chemist in India of the same Survey, who has been dealing with the chemical treatment and preservation of mural paintings and allied matters all over India for a long time, and by Miss Ingrid Aall, art-historian from Oslo, who was working in India on Indian art a few years back. I am responsible for only one chapter, Introduction and the Bibliography."