The Elephanta Caves, Mumbai
The Elephanta Caves, Maharashtra are a grand tourist magnetism in large metropolitan city of Mumbai (Bombay). The Elephants Caves Mumbai are located on Elephanta Island, 10 km away from the Gateway of India, Mumbai. The Elephants Island Maharashtra is names by Portuguese after the Elephant statue which is located on that island. There are many temples of 5th century which are made by cutting rocks. These rock cut temples are dedicated to Lord Shiva Mahadeva. Elephanta temples are are rich in rock sculpture.
Structure of Elephanta Cave Temples
The Elephanta Cave Temples Maharashtra are created by cutting out rock. There are columns created by ctting rocks and internal spaces are carved with images and sculptures. The whole Elephants Cave Temples India are similar to a gigantic sculpture. There are several corridors and chambers in the caves. The entire Elephants temple complex was shaped through procedure of rock removal. The Elephanta Temple has three entrances. The entrances of East and West make the axis of temple. There are a pillared hall between these entrances is enshrined wirh Shivalingam.
Inside The Elephanta Cave Temple Complex
The Elephants cave temple complex covers an area of above18000 square meters. The temple complex consists of a main shrine of Lord Shiva Mahadeva and several other small shrines. Trimurthi Sadasiva is carved at the end of the North-South axis. The image of Trimurthi Sadasiva is 20 feet tall and shrines three headed Shiva.
The southern wall of Elephanta Maharashtra has majestic sculptured images of Gangadhara, Kalyanasundara, Ardhanariswara and Uma Maheswara. There are sculptural image of Nataraja, Andhakaasuravadamoorthy, Yogiswara and Ravanaanugrahamurthy.
Majestic Lord Shive In Elephanta Caves
Elephanta caves have portraits of Lord Shiva in the non anthropomorphic Shivalingam form and his typical statues originating from the Shivalingam in the massive image and other 8 manifestations. The sculptures of Elephanta Caves show the living legend of Shiv Purana.
