Elephanta Caves, 400 kms travel from Mumbai
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About Elephanta Caves, Mumbai
An interesting travel of about an hour by boat
from the Gateway of India, passing the Mumbai
harbour, and the Naval barges, takes you to
Elephanta Caves where there are caves with carvings
dedicated to Lord Siva. It is an UNESCO World
Heritage site. The Elephanta Island is the site
of the magnificent Elephanta caves, containing
beautiful carvings, sculptures, and a temple
to the Hindu God, Lord Shiva. The island of
Elephanta, being a commercial, military and
religions centre for centuries has traces of
early Buddhist culture.
Travel Mumbai - History Elephanta Caves
The Elephanta caves are thought to date back
to the Silhara kings belonging to the period
between 9th - 12th centuries. With the Brahminical
resurgence during the reign of Gupta dynasty
in 3rd century AD, these great caves exploded
into existence at Elephanta. Legends and history
suggest that the great warrior prince of Chalukya
dynasty Pulkesin ll raised the shrine to celebrate
his victory. Some historians also suggest that
the Kalchuri king Krishnaraja built these caves
in 6th century AD. The island was the capital
of the powerful coastal kingdom but later the
Portuguese took possession of the island and
as they first found a monolith elephant the
island was named Elephanta. As the worship of
the figure of the Buddha began to be encouraged
with rise of the Mahayana sect of Buddhism,
a shrine was introduced to house Buddha's image,
replacing the cells at the centre of the back
wall. The Monasteries of Ajanta lead us directly
to Elephanta. It appears that the same families
of craftsmen and sculptors who were working
on the Kailasa temple of Ellora and adjoining
Buddhist caves at Ellora were employed at Elephanta.
Elephanta Caves - The creation
No doubt the cave was the creation of an unknown
genius, a master architect, who having thoroughly
absorbed and assimilated the magnificent contribution
of his predecessors in the dual traditions of
the independent free standing sculpture and
rock-cut architecture, produced a monument introducing
a whole new world of form quite distinct from
any previous achievement. At the entrance to
the caves is the famous Trimurti, the celebrated
trinity of Elephanta: Lord Brahma the Creator,
Lord Vishnu, the preserver and Lord Shiva the
Destroyer.
Elephanta Caves, Mumbai, Do you know?
It is believed that the caves were used as target
practice after they constructed a fort and put
a flag to ward off pirates. However, many of
the sculptures have been desecrated. The Britishers
captured the island from the Portuguese, and
tried to find out who had built these caves,
but failed. The Britishers planned to take the
monolith elephant to England but they could
not lift it. It is now kept in the Bombay Museum.
Hewn out of solid rock, the caves attract more
visitors each year than the entire city of Mumbai.
No wonder, this place resonates with the spiritual
energy of India. The cave complex is a collection
of shrines, courtyards, inner cells, grand halls
and porticos arranged in the splendid symmetry
of Indian rock-cut architecture. Unfortunately,
iconoclastic Portuguese rulers who took potshots
at Hindu Gods with their rifles have damaged
many of the sculptures inside. And yet somehow,
nothing has disturbed the sublime beauty of
this place for centuries.
Elephanta Caves and Temples
Located on an island in Mumbai harbour, these
are a complex of temples hewn from the rock,
dated to between AD 450 and 750. The temples
are adorned with intricate sculptures of Hindu
gods. The island rises in two conical hillocks.
The architect sculptors carved out of solid
basalt rock create a representation of the heavenly
mountain residence of Lord Shiva. Opening out
from three sides, the temple lets in light from
many angles making the sculptures seem to move
with the changing angles of light. Inside the
temple is a large hall, with nine sculptured
panels representing Lord Shiva in different
moods. The temple plan is symmetric with important
focal points worked out in a geometric Mandala
(the design representing the energy field).
Flights of steps, which can prove to be very
daunting, take you to the caves. One can hire
a chair to be carried up, but today the caves
can be easily approached. The artisan has tried
to create the cave similar to the one in which
Shiva resides in the Himalayas. The pillars
inside the cave give an impression that these
pillars support the roof. The pillars have been
deliberately kept simple so as to attract the
attention towards the exquisite carvings on
the panels. There are three opening to the caves
allowing light to enter from various angles
in different seasons giving an expression that
the images are moving with transition of light.
World of Lord Shiva
Its like spending a day outside the world. Elephanta
is the place where the main events in the mythology
of Lord Shiva are depicted. At Ellora though
other Gods appear on the panel with Shiva, at
Elephanta there is nothing but Shiva.
Lord Shiva in various forms
According to Hindu Mythology three Gods govern
their world: Brahma-- the creator, Vishnu--
the Preserver and Maheshwara-- the Destroyer.
Here we find Lord Shiva practicing Yoga, meditating
with snakes coiled around his neck, and at places
He is in company of his wife, Parvati. Panel
6 of the caves represents the wedding of Shiva
with Parvati with the rites being performed
by Brahma and scores of other Gods attending
the grand ceremony. The coming of Ganga from
heaven to Earth is described in panel 5 of the
caves. As the great force of Ganga might have
destroyed the Earth She lands in the hair locks
of Shiva who then gently releases her. The wise
and righteous Lord before whom the forces of
evil and ignorance flee and are terrified into
submission is carved on the 7th panel. On the
western end is the sanctuary of Linga denoting
the essence of creative power, in which Lord
Shiva is worshipped as the Lord of Fertility
and Procreation.
Travel information for tourists
The Elephanta Island is accessible only by boat
from the Gateway of India, Mumbai. These caves
are located at a distance of 11 kms from Mumbai.
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