Elephanta Island

---

About an hour or so boat ride from the Gateway of India at Mumbai is a small island with a series of caves containing Hindu temple carvings. The complex is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The main temple on Elephanta is a honeycomb of shrines, caverns, courtyards, and prayer halls created some time between 450 and 750 AD. The site of these caves contained beautiful reliefs, sculptures, and a temple to the Hindu god Shiva (or Siva). The caves are carved from solid rock.

There are three entrances to the main temple in the complex- from the north, east and west. The main gallery is divided by columns into equal rows and aisles. To the west, and outside this area, is a square sanctuary containing a monolithic Siva Linga. The centerpiece of the main temple is a statue of Maheshmurti depicting Shiva as creater, preserver, and destroyer of the universe.

The huge, high-relief works in the main cave, on both sides of the three entrances and on the south wall, are characteristic of the cult of Siva and considered to be among the most perfect expressions of Indian art of their time. Other panels include representations of Siva as Ardhanarisvara (part female), Kalyana-sundara and Nataraja.

Known as Gharapuri since the time of the Konkani Mauryas, the island's present name is due to a sculpture of an elephant found here. So no elephants, but naturally, there were several monkeys.

---

Photos

Elephanta Island
Approaching Elephanta Island

Entrance to Main Temple
The entrance to the main temple at Elephanta island

Inside the Main Temple
Just a view of inside the main temple

Great Hall
The Great Hall of cave one at Elephanta

Natraj Siva
In this carving is Siva, shown as Nataraja, the king of dancers, performing his mystic dance of creation.

Marriage of Siva and Parvati
A carving of the scene of Siva's marriage to Parvati. Sorry it's blurry.

Mahesh Murti
This image represents the supreme Siva. The central face of Siva is Tatpurush. The face on the left is Siva as Rudra, the destroyer of the universe. The face on the right reprsents God known as Vamdeo, the beautiful God in feminine look of creation.

Siva Shrine
The garba-griha itself encloses the main lingam, representative of Shiva and male energy, while the southern wall showcases Sadasiva, flanked by chapels to Ardhanareshvara (Shiva, the androgynous god) and Gangadhara (the bearer of Ganga, from her fall from heaven).

Siva Shakti
This form of Siva is known as Siva - Shakti. Half of Siva's body is feminine and leans against the bull Nandi.

Gangadhar Siva
This represents Siva and Parvati. Siva is touching the chin of Parvati.

Shiva Linga
The Siva Linga is often used as a symbol for the worship of Siva. Sivalinga is the most prevalent icon of Siva, found in virtually all Siva temples. It is a rounded, elliptical, aniconic image, usually set on a circular base, or peetham. The Siva Linga is the simplest and most ancient symbol of Siva--God beyond all forms and qualities.

Entrance to Another Cave
The entrance to a second cave

Entrance to a Third Cave
Entrance to a third cave at Elephanta

Monkey
Obligatory photo of monkey at Elephanta Island

Comments

[Nisa]

Amazing
Wow, cave temples are amazing, nice photos. Hey you look nice in this blue flowery shirt!!!!!!! Nisa

[Karl]

Wow...
You really are inspiring me to go abroad sometime. It must be cool to see all of that and have an appreciation for the way other people live. Hurry back! We miss you! :) Karl