Travelogue: Elephanta Caves in Mumbai

Last Sunday, I visited Elephanta Caves. It was a great experience. Though I went there in summer, I was able to enjoy the nature’s beauty. It is a one hour journey on boat from Gateway of India to the island. After landing on the island, we need to scale up the hill. There is a small train for those who want to enjoy its ride. There are numerous antique shops on the path leading to the caves. One has to pay Rs 5 and 10 as fee to enter the area which is a world heritage site.

Introduction (borrowed): 

Elephanta Caves

The Elephanta Island is located 10 km away from the Gateway of India. These caves house rock cut temples dating back to a time which is not certain. These rock cut temples dedicated to Shiva Mahadeva are rich in sculptural content.

Name: The Elephanta Island was so named by the Portuguese, after the statue of an elephant near the landing area of the island. Now this statue is displayed in one museum in Mumbai.

How they were constructed: The entire temple is akin to a huge sculpture, through whose corridors and chambers one can walk. The entire complex was created through a process of rock removal. Above the temple is the mass of natural rock.

The enigmatic image of Trimurthi Sadasiva: The Sadasiva manifestation of Shiva is carved in relief at the end of the north south axis.  This colossal 20 feet high image of the three headed Shiva, Trimurthy is a magnificent one, considered to be a masterpiece of Indian art.  This colossal image represents Panchamukha Shiva, only three faces of whom are carved into the wall and it demands immediate attention upon entering the temple through the northern entrance.

Also on the southern wall are grand sculptured images of Kalyanasundara, Gangadhara, Ardhanariswara and Uma Maheswara. To the west of the northern entrance are sculptured images of Nataraja and Andhakaasuravadamoorthy, and to its east are images of Yogiswara and Ravanaanugrahamurthy.

Thus in the Elephanta caves, Shiva is portrayed in the non anthropomorphic Shivalingam form, as well as in his quintessential being emanating from the Shivalingam in the colossal image, and in 8 manifest forms.