“Despite the wanton destruction of these fine sculptures by the Portuguese, the nuances of emotions captured in the panels still possess the power to mesmerise the observer.”

Elephanta caves are situated on the Ghauripuri Island in Mumbai’s harbour about an hour’s boat ride from the Gateway of India, 10 km north east of Apollo Bunder, lies the Elephanta Cave Island, the glorious abode of Lord Shiva. The Island is famous for its great cave shrine, excavated in the sixth century, earlier the island was known as Gharapuri, the Fortress City. With the arrival of the Portuguese, the island was renamed Elephanta, after the huge carved elephant, they found at the place where they landed.

The Elephanta cave complex is a collection of shrines, courtyards inner cells, grand halls and porticos arranged in a splendid symmetry of Indian rock cut architecture. Filled with exquisite stone sculpture of Hindu gods and goddesses the entrance of Elephanta cave is through the famous trimurthi. The celebrated trinity of Elephanta are the Lord Brahma (The Creator), Lord Vishnu (The preserver) and Lord Shiva (The Destroyer). The plan of the temple is symmetrical, with the important focal points worked out in a geometrical mandala - the mystic design that represents an energy field.

The entire elephanta cave temple complex covers an area of about 60000 square feet and it consists a main chamber and two lateral ones with courtyards and several subsidiary shrines. Inside the temple, is a large pillared hall with rows of columns, that appear to hold up the roof of the cave. Cross beams complete the illusion of a ceiling.


Entrances of Elephanta Caves
There are three entrances to this temple. The ones on the east and the west marking the axis of the temple flanked by large guardian figures, 'dwarpalas'. As one enters the cave, on the right, is the panel depicting Nataraja, Shiva as the cosmic dancer. Shiva Tandava, the embodiment of cosmic energy accompanied by thundering drums and the wrathful fire.

One's attention is immediately drawn to the series of marvellous sculptured panel shine in all, which are set like tableaux on the walls.. Each of the panel captures the volatility of Shiva's essentially paradoxic nature, and the magical interplay of light and shade, only intensifies the overall effect. At the western end of the cave is the very center of Elephanta, the resting-place of the 'linga', encompassing the essence of creative power, in which Shiva is worshipped as the Lord of fertility and procreation.

The enigmatic collosal of Trimurthi Sadasiva, a 20 feet high image of the three headed Shiva, is a magnificient one and considered to be a masterpiece of Indian art, represents Panchamukha Shiva, three faces of whom are carved into the wall and it demands immediate attention upon entering the temple through the northern entrance.

On the southern wall of elephanta cave are grand sculptured images of Kalyanasundara, Gangadhara, Ardhanariswara and Uma Maheswara. To the west of the northern entrance are sculptured images of Nataraja and Andhakaasuravadamoorthy, and to its east are images of Yogiswara and Ravanaanugrahamurthy.

Another panel form shows Shiva as Andhakasuravadha, impaling the demon of darkness, Andhaka, with his trident, while the panel on the rear wall of the shrine captures the divine union of Shiva and Parvati in marriage. Kalyanasundara is Shiva, the gentle loving god, with his beautiful consort by his side. Yet another panel portrays Gangadharan, Shiva receiving the descending river Ganga, and holding her fast in his matted locks, thus, preventing the flooding of the world. To the west, a sculpture shows the god as Ardhanarishwara, Shiva and Shakti, male and female, " the simultaneous experience of longing and union", desire and satisfaction.