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Fast Facts
Location Gharapuri Island
Built In 600 AD
Architecture Rock cut temples
Tucked away on Gharapuri Island in Mumbai's harbour, Elephanta
Caves is a cave complex. It is a captivating collection of shrines,
courtyards, inner cells, grand halls and porticos, repleted
with dainty stone sculptures of Hindu deities - a landmark example
of the ancient Indian rock-cut architecture. It was declared
as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in1987.
History
The glorious cave complex, dedicated to Lord Shiva, dates back
to the times of 5th c AD. Carved out of solid basalt rock, it
spreads over an area of about 60,000 square feet. The entire
temple resembles a massive carving, through whose corridors
and chambers one can walk. It was a creation through a process
of rock removal. It combines rock surfaces, both finely finished
and untreated bare ones. Though extensive damage has been caused
to the structures by the Portuguese, they still retain their
sublime beauty.
Features
Stylistically, the carvings combine the elegant forms of South
Indian Hindu sculpture with the minuteness and poise of Buddhist
Gupta Arts. The two entrances on the east and the west, of the
total three, form the axis of the temple. A 20 pillared hall
borders the axis and on its western end a Shivalingam.is enshrined.
Grand images of Kalyanasundara, Gangadhara, Ardhanariswara
and Uma Maheswara are engraved on the southern wall. The northern
entrance has sculptured images of Nataraja on its west and images
of Yogiswara on its east.
A courtyard, flanked by the secondary shrine, lies to the east
of the main temple. This temple holds six pillars at its entrance,
four of which are free-standing and two engaged. The entrance
leads to a hall decorated with sculptured panels portraying
legends from the Shiva Purana.
Don't Miss
The stupefying 20feet high towering image of the three headed
Shiva, Trimurthy Sadasiva is carved in relief at the end of
the north-south axis.
Trivia
The Elephanta island derived its name from the Portuguese,
after the statue of an elephant near the landing area of the
island.
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