A Shrine To Shiva

ONE of the must-see sights for tourists to Mumbai are the Elephanta Caves, which are located on an island that is a 10-km launch ride from the Gateway of India. When Buddhism declined in the 6th century there was a revival of Hinduism in western India. Elephanta, or Gharapuri (Fortress City) as the island is known locally, is evidence of this revival. From 550 AD, craftsmen probably belonging to the Rashtrakuta dynasty, carved the first massive sculptures and reliefs on Elephanta Island.

The temple is dedicated to Shiva. The crossshaped shrine has an area of 40 sq m with corridors and side chambers, courtyards and several smaller shrines. There are three entrances. A shivalingam is enshrined at the northern end of a hall with twenty pillars.

Elephanta’s most famous sculpture is the massive 5.4-m-high three-headed Shiva, carved from the rock face. It is called Trimurti Sadashiva. Each of its three faces has a different expression—ranging from fury and almost feminine grace to serenity.

In the east of the main temple is a courtyard flanked by another shrine. This temple has six pillars at its entrance, leading into a hall decorated with panels depicting legends from the Shiva Purana.

Elephanta Caves was declared a World Heritage Site in 1987.