The famous sacred Buddhist mural paintings on the 30 caves at Ajanta date back from the 2nd century BC to the 5th century AD. After a period of oblivion, they were rediscovered by chance in 1819. The caves were filled with debris, the paintings covered with clay, soot, and dirt. Early attempts at conservation worsened the damage. The author is a member of the Ajanta Experts Committee, under the chairmanship of the Archaeological Survey of India, which meets periodically at Ajanta to review the conservation problems of the caves. These include the difficulties caused by the 1922-23 restoration, the role of microorganisms in the deterioration of the paintings, paint flaking, decaying plaster, and the white deposit observed in caves 16-17.