Elephanta Caves, Mumbai – Things to Know Before You Visit!
by Indiator
Recognized as the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Elephanta Caves are located in Elephanta Island in Mumbai i.e. 10 km from Mumbai. Elephanta Caves consists of rock-cut architecture & sculpture art of Medieval India dedicated to Lord Shiva.
Elephanta Caves are set of two cave groups, five Hindu & two Buddhist caves and the rock-cut cave architecture belongs to 5th -8th century. The island has been named after a colossal elephant found on the island. Elephant Island looks like a green patch on the sea if looked from a distance.
How to reach Elephanta Caves?
You can reach Elephanta caves through the Gateway of India. Take a boat from the Gate No. 4 of the Gateway of India and in one hour you will reach the island by sea. Tickets can be taken at the entrance of Gateway from Maharashtra tourism development Corp. (MTDC). To reach the feet of the caves, you can go for the toy train ride and enjoy the ride.
Major Attractions:
Hindu Caves:
It is the fascinating one and has four doors, a hall, an aisle and three porticoes. You will find sculptures of Shiva in various forms with Nataraja, Lord of Dance and Yogishvara, Lord of Yoga on the left side.
In the centre, stands a Shiva shrine with a Shivalinga inside and has entrances on the four sides. You will be thrilled to see the Mahesh Murti, the sculpture dominating the entrance, which is the masterpiece of the Gupta-Chalukyan art.
Next statue Ardhanarisvara, represents an amalgam of feminine and masculine energies. The East cave wall has winged lions and another cave wall depicts Lord Ganesha & Kartikeya along with Ashta-Matrikas, the eight mother goddesses.
The caves are inspired by Shaivism and the island is divided into blocks with caves of many sizes depicting various forms of Shiva. People
Cannon Hill, Cave 2 -5:
Called as Cave 2, the front of this cave has been destroyed and contains some traces of sculptures. You can enjoy the artwork & learn about the sculptures remains in the caves. You will get to see a lot of naughty monkeys looking to snatch eatables from visitors.
Stupa Hill, Cave 6-7:
It is also called as Sitabai’s temple cave, with four pillars and decorations on the wall.
Enjoy the sunset:
You can experience serenity in the caves, away from the routine life and noises. While riding back on the ferry, you can experience the beautiful sunset.
Elephanta Festival:
If visiting in February, you can enjoy the Elephanta Festival held on Elephanta Island organized by Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC). It’s a festival of music and dance and features a weeklong performance of dancers, musicians, and dramatists. It is held in the pillared temple inside the cave and you will find the illuminated idol of Maheshmurti.
Shopping and Eating:
You can buy artefacts, ethnic clothes, jewelry and hand-made bags. A great is available in the MTDC lunch house at the entrance of the caves.
You will be enthralled with the aura of the Elephanta caves and it takes you away from the maddening crowd. The ferry ride experience gives you an unforgettable experience with boats, ships sailing around.
Plan a trip to Elephanta Caves now!
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