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All India Gharapuri Elephanta Caves

Elephanta Caves

An extraordinary "City of Caves" carved from solid stone.

Gharapuri, India

Added By
Annetta Black
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Entrance to the main cave.   Wiki User: Elroy Serrao
Entrance to the main cave.   Wiki User: Elroy Serrao
Illustration by Martin, R. Montgomery (1858), from “The Indian Empire”   Wikipedia
A view from inside the great cave.   Elroy Serrao on Wikipedia
A lion stands guard.   Elroy Serrao on Wikipedia
Caves circa 1905.   University of Houston Digital Library on Wikipedia
Entrance to one of the smaller caves.   Elroy Serrao on Wikipedia
A panel with Nataraja in the main cave of Elephanta.   Sivaraj on Wikipedia
The sculptures here were created beginning in the late Gupta Empire, or some time after.   Christian Haugen on Wikipedia
Elephanta Caves   Patilvarun on Wikipedia
Boat access to the Island.   Erin Johnson / Atlas Obscura User
A panel in the main cave of Elephanta.   Erin Johnson / Atlas Obscura User
Elephant Cave entrance   joshuacarlon / Atlas Obscura User
Trimurthi Statue, Elephenta Caves, Mumbai   shashidhara halady / Atlas Obscura User
Elephanta Cave relief   joshuacarlon / Atlas Obscura User
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About

When the Portuguese arrived on the west coast of India in 1534, they discovered an extraordinary island riddled with ancient galleries carved from the solid rock of the hillsides.

Filled with exquisite carvings and standing sculptures, they named the island and its "city of caves" Elephanta, after the monumental elephant they found on the island. Then they began using the carvings for target practice.

Located off the coast of Mumbai, the Elephanta Caves on Elephanta Island (also known as the Island of Gharapuri) are thought to date as far back as the 5th to 8th centuries, although their origins remain mysterious. There are seven caves carved from the rocky basalt hillside, including both Buddhist and Hindu sculptures and bas reliefs. The larger group of five caves feature Hindu imagery, while a smaller group of caves on the eastern side of the island are Buddhist. Originally painted, the now plain stone has survived the centuries a bit worse for wear but extraordinary nonetheless.

An important part of Indian architectural tradition, there are more than 1500 rock-cut structures in India—more than anywhere else in the world. The caves at Elephanta are only a small portion of extraordinary rock architecture in the country, such as the rock-hewn temples at the Ellora and Ajanta complexes.

The Elephanta Caves were restored in 1970, and are now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There are still concerns for the future of the caves, suffering both from the elements and ravages of time, as well as pressures from tourism and a growing population on the island.

The elephant carving originally standing guard on the island is now on display at Bhau Daji Lad Museum in Mumbai.

Related Tags

Outsider Art Sculptures Caves Ecosystems
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Community Contributors

Added By

Annetta Black

Edited By

Rachel, lokiracer, Erin Johnson, joshuacarlon...

  • Rachel
  • lokiracer
  • Erin Johnson
  • joshuacarlon
  • shashidhara halady

Published

May 9, 2014

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Sources
  • http://whc.unesco.org/pg.cfm?cid=31&id_site=244
  • http://asi.nic.in/asi_monu_whs_elephanta.asp
  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_rock-cut_architecture
  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elephanta_Caves
Elephanta Caves
Gharapuri, 400094
India
18.963341, 72.931636

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