GHARAPURI
- ELEPHANTA CAVES 13
TOPOGRAPHY OF
ELEPHANTA CAVES
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| courtesy Dr. Hiranandan Sastri. A guide to Elephanta - 1934 |
Western India consists of at least 900 rock cut cave
temples or Stupa’s or Viharas which throw a flood of light on the history of
Architecture and religion in India. Mumbai region in itself has about 130 of
them in both Elephanta and Salsette Islands. The Sahayadri range of mountain
made up of hard Basalt rock or Trap rock were the most easiest to carve the
structure and also in a unique gigantic sizes.
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| FLOOR PLAN OF ELEPHANTA MAIN CAVE |
The caves are
situated in an island 11 Kms from Mumbai - Gateway of India and are reachable
be ferry boats which take an hour journey to the islands. The island which is
of 4 square mile’s has two hills with a narrow valley in between them. The
island was christened by the Portuguese as” Elefanta Ilha” because the landing place in the Island known as
Rajghat, had a colossal rock statue of an Elephant 13.2” by 7.4” as if
welcoming them. In 1814 the neck of the
elephant got dismantled and in 1864 the same was transported to Victoria
Gardens in Mumbai and Restored. From the landing place in the island - Rajghat,
the Caves are about a quarter mile climb by easy steps with (inscribed tablet),laid
by a merchant named Shri.Thakar Karamsi Ranmal
Lohana in the year 1854 ( People like him who made the visit to the Cave
temples possible, is lost in the annals of History).
The main caves and
is extensions were originally adorned with paintings, which are lost to time
with faint traces left. It was an active place of worship for the island's Hindu
residents well until the 1500s, when the Island was handed over to the
Portuguese by the kings of Ahmedabad.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/bxmGV2bwnXqBAs5B9
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