It was believed that these caves were built over a long time span from 4th to 7th centuries. But in the recent past, studies by cave experts have shown that most of the construction in the later caves was done from the 460 – 480 CE. This was the period during which the Vakataka Dynasty reigned under Emperor Harishena. But, the website of The Archaeological Survey of India still shows the old dating, and says that "The second aspect of paintings began from the 5th – 6th centuries and prolonged for the next couple of centuries.”