Elephanta caves

Elephanta Island is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Mumbai, about 10 km from the mainland. It is also known as Gharapuri (meaning City of Caves).
The Elephanta Caves complex is cut from solid basalt rock over an area of around 60,000 sq. ft. There are seven caves on the island divided into two groups.

The first group of five caves have Hindu sculptures, out of which the Cave 1 is the most elaborate. Beautiful artwork covers the stone walls, and the cave has a pillared mandapa along with a large hall. The mandapa is the home to Shivalinga, and the hall consists of stone statues of Shiva in different forms.

Elephanta Island history is still a mystery. There are no known records about the creation of the caves. And local folks give the credit to non-humans and supernatural powers.

However, based on speculations and excavations, historians date the caves to be built anywhere between 5th century CE and 8th century CE.

Portuguese took control of the island in the 1500s and named it as Elephanta Island because of a huge elephant statue. That damaged statue today rests in the Jijamata Udyaan Mumbai. The caves also suffered serious damage during the Portuguese rule.

British Indian officials made efforts to preserve the ruins in 1909, and later during the 1970s, and the main cave was restored to its present form. The government mended other caves tooRead more