Places to visit in Mumbai: Elephanta Caves - a World Heritage Site

Elephanta Caves, located on the Elephanta Island can be reached by a ferry from the Gateway of India, Bombay. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

Trimurti, Elephanta Caves

Distance from Bombay: 10 km
Duration of Ferry: one hour, first ferry at 9 a.m.
Price: Rs 160 to-and-fro (as of October 2015)
Monday closed
Ticket: Rs 10 for the village and Rs 10 for the caves. Foreigners have to pay Rs 250.

Elephanta hills and the Arabian Sea

Then there is a toy train for a km or less and then a steep ascent of about 120 steps. October is not the best month for this excursion. You need stamina and lots of water intake. Those with knee problems should stay away. There are lots of shops selling all kinds of stuff but the most sought ones are food stalls selling raw mangoes, starfruit (amrack) and lemon water. Many of them are run by women.

The entrance to the Elephanta cave 1

These rock-cut temple caves dated between 5 and 7 Century CE comprise of five Hindu caves dedicated to Lord Shiva and two Buddhist caves at a distance of about 2 km. 

Grand pillars at Elephanta cave 1

The latter are closed to public and amongst the five Hindu caves only the first cave is worth the trouble. The other caves are almost empty except for the presence of a shivling. In that sense there is a slight sense of disappointment. 

Gangadhara Shiva & Parvati

However Cave 1 is a magnificent structure. It is a grand cave with huge pillars and huge sculptures, many of them fragments. The fragments speak for the glorious art in ancient India. Most of the panels depict Lord Shiva and Parvati. Then there is a huge Trimurti (first photo in this post) sculpture depicting the three faces of Shiva: the creator, the preserver and the destroyer. It is said that the Portuguese colonisers destroyed many of these grand narratives, including the elephant structure that gave the island its name.

Shiva as Yogisvara

Visitors who came 10-15 years ago say the caves were dirty and stinking. The last time I visited the caves was in 1985 of which I have only some hazy memories. But now that they are managed by Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), they are clean and there are guards to prevent vandalising. There are toilet facilities. Monkeys are however a nuisance.

Also read:
Karla Buddhist Caves near Pune
Places to visit in Mumbai: The Haji Ali Dargah

Karla Buddhist Caves near Pune

Karla Caves are situated about 60 km from the city of Pune. Taxi can be arranged from Pune for the to-and-fro trip. The last leg of the site involves some walking, so be prepared.

Karla rock-cut Buddhist caves

The first impression of the hillock with the caves is grand. These caves, cut out of sheer rock, are historically dated between 2 BCE and 5 CE. They remind the visitors of the grandeur and grace of Buddhist India. During the Maurya rule in India, Buddhism was the State religion.

The Chaitygruha or prayer hall with stone Stupa

The main cave is a Buddhist prayer hall (chaitya in Sanskrit) - Chaitygruha dated to 1 BCE. It is a huge cave carved within a hill. The roof of the cave is made of wood and even after 2000 years it is in excellent condition.

Sculptures on pillars

The pillars in the prayer hall have sculptured torsos of men and women, paying obeisance to Lord Buddha. There is a stone stupa in the cave. Stupas are Buddhist structures of worship, moulds basically, simple yet elegant.

The Ashoka Pillar at the entrance of the Karla Caves

There is an Asoka pillar at the entrance with 4 lions on the top. Today it is the National Emblem of India. Unfortunately the entry to the cave has been encroached upon by a kitschy modern Hindu temple which came up much later in history. Not many know that thousands of Buddhist sites, monasteries, libraries and even Nalanda University that flourished under Emperor Asoka (3 century BCE) were burned down by Brahmins in the struggle for supremacy. Buddhism was wiped out from India, reduced to remote mountain areas like Ladakh, Lahaul-Spiti and Tibet and in South to Sri Lanka. You can read more about it in B.R. Ambedkar’s essay Triumph of Brahmanism.

The wall of sculptures

In one of the caves there is a huge reclining Buddha but because of the fragile structure, it is not open to public. There are many small caves, Viharas or dormitories where monks used to rest and meditate. The caves are cool, even in high summer. There are also huge sculptures of elephants.

Buddhist sculptures at Karla

The sculptures of men and women are beautiful, a reminder of the glorious temple art in Ancient India.

Temple art at Karla

Many of the sculptures are fragments but these fragments are in a way complete in themselves. Rest is for the imagination.

The view of the area from the Karla caves

It is a puzzle why Karla caves have not got the attention they deserve.

Also read:
Wat Pho or the Temple of the Reclining Buddha in Bangkok, Thailand
The Royal Monastery of the Emerald Buddha, Bangkok
The Gandhara Art in Chandigarh
Jangchub Rabtenling Monastery, Himachal
Bon Monastery in Himachal
Rewalsar- An Important Buddhist Centre