Elephanta Cave Temples - Mumbai, India
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GT.US
N 18° 57.780 E 072° 55.923
43Q E 282262 N 2098010
On an island in the Oman Sea near Mumbai are four rock-cut temples on Elephanta Island. The temple complex at the Elephanta caves is said to be the home of Shiva.
Waymark Code: WM5WF9
Location: India
Date Posted: 02/20/2009
Views: 11
The island is famous for six 8th-century temple caves carved out of rock and containing sculptured figures of Hindu deities. The Great Cave is supported by pillars cut out of the rock and is 40 m (130 ft) long, 40 m (130 ft) wide, and 5 m (18 ft) high.
The rock-cut temple complex cover an area of 60,000 sq ft (5,600 m2) consisting of a main chamber, 2 lateral ones, courtyards and subsidiary shrines. The site of these magnificent caves contained beautiful reliefs, sculptures, and a temple to the Hindu god Siva. The caves are hewn from solid rock.
Thought to have been carved out between 450 and 750 AD, they survived Portuguese vandalism and remain equal in size, beauty and power to the caves at Ajanta and Ellora. The main cave contains large sculpted panels relating to Siva, including his marriage to Parvati, the killing of Andhakasura, and the six-metre-high triple-headed Trimurti - in which Siva embodies the roles of creator, preserver and destroyer.
Visit Instructions:
Include in your log one or two complete sentences. Logs containing a few words like "visited it" are subject to deletion. Photos of the Hindu temple are strongly encouraged when permitted otherwise please refrain from taking pictures inside and in any case, generally have respect for the religious nature of the site.
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