Location - Mumbai
Best Time To Visit - October to April
All those who love history, would certainly keep Elephanta Caves in their
top travel priority list. Elephanta Caves is indeed a treasure trove of
India. Antiquity reverberates in its every stone. The Elephanta island is
located 10 km away from the Gateway of India at Mumbai. These caves house
some of the most ancient rock cut temples dating back to some 5th century
CE. It were the Portuguese who gave the name Elephanta Island, seeing the
statue of an elephant on the island. The rock cut temples are dedicated to
Lord Shiva and have rich sculptural content. The caves are spread over an
vast area of 60,000 sq. feet. The island of Elephanta was originally known
as Gharapuri
The Caves in the Making
The
rock cut temples of Elephanata were created by carving out rock and creating
columns, the internal images and spacing. The whole of the temple was built
through a process of rock removal. Some of the surfaces are very much
finished while others are rough. Above the temple is the mass of natural
rock. Elephanta is an epitome of Hindu cave culture.
Caves of Elephanta
There are a total of seven caves of Elephanata of which the most notable is
the Mahesa-murti cave. The size of the cave is very impressive, where the
main body of 27 metres square supported by rows of six columns each. A huge
size image of Lord Shiva can be found here, holding something very much
resembling the rose bud. There is a main temple that consists of a large
pillared mandapa and a refreshing square shrine. A number of images related
to Lord Shiva can be found in the great Mandala. The carvings of these caves
combines the graceful forms of South Indian Hindu sculpture with the
exactness and poise of Buddhist Gupta Arts.
Feather to the Cap
The caves of Elephanta have been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site
in 1987. The caves are frequently visited by a large number of inbound and
outbound tourists. The monuments are now maintained by the Archaeological
Survey of India. Large number of visitors come to Elephanta Island in
February to enjoy the Elephanta dance festival. The festival has become a
major tourist attraction.
Enjoy
You can also enjoy a ferry ride. A total of 75 minute journey that would
give you immense pleasure.
