Skip to main content

ELEPHANTA CAVES PART 13 - TOPOGRAPHY OF ELEPHANTA CAVES - GHARAPURI


GHARAPURI  - ELEPHANTA CAVES 13
TOPOGRAPHY OF ELEPHANTA CAVES

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.

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
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

KAILASANATHAR TEMPLE PART 1 - TARAMANGALAM

SRI KAILASANATHAR TEMPLE- TARAMANGALAM - SALEM DISTRICT - TAMILNADU.- PART 1 Seven tiered Rajagopuram Shaped like a chariot. Mahavishnu gave his sister Parvathi in marriage to Shiva. This process of handing over the bride, is known as "Thaaram vaththu koduppadhu" in Tamil, hence the name of the town THARAI MANGALAM now known as Tharamangalam. MAHAVISHNU giving his sister MEENAKSHI in marriage to SHIVA. In the centre of this Town is an exotic Temple of Lord Shiva as Shri Kailasanathar with his consort Sivakami Devi. One of the rarest of temples with a treasure of exotic Sculpture and the many stories attached with them. ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL U NKNOWN TEMPLES IN TAMILNADU. The first precinct on entering from the Rajagopuram. The temple had an existence before the 10th Century CE. However the same was rebuilt by the Getti Muthaliar Clan who ruled the Kongu Part of Tamilnadu from the 13th to the 17th century. The temple seems to have b...
Post a Comment
Read more

KAILASANATHAR TEMPLE PART 2 - SHIVA - THE SUNDARA - TARAMANGALAM

SRI KAILASANATHAR TEMPLE - TARAMANGALAM - SALEM DISTRICT - TAMILNADU - PART 2. MADANIKA at the entrance  In the Kailasanathar Temple,there are 3 precincts in this temple, the open outer precinct and the inner precinct in the form of the Mukhamandapam, leading to the Garbhagriha.At the left of the entrance to the Mukhamandapam a Mummudi or 3 Vinayaka statues are at the left side of entrance. In to the Mukhamandapam you come to a treasure of Art Gallore. Lord Shiva as Kailasanatha, Sits in the form of a Small Lingam Facing West with the Avudayar or Pindika to the right of the lord in the Garbha Griha post an Ardhamandapam. Opposite facing the Lord, a little towards his right Side is his consort Goddess Parvathi standing in the form of Sivagami Devi. Towards the left opposite of the lord, is the sanctum of Karthikeya with Six faces. All these three sanctums including that of the lord is in a Trikona (Triangle) shape. On circumambulation, the oute...
Post a Comment
Read more

KAVISWARAR TEMPLE - SHIVA - LORD OF THE CAVE - KRISHNAGIRI

KAVISWARAR TEMPLE - KRISHNAGIRI TOWN -TAMILNADU Kavishwarar - Shiva of the Cave. In Tamilnadu's Krishnagiri town, in the Old Peta area, under the Krishnagiri Fort is the temple of Lord Shiva as Kaviswa rar( God of the cave). Kavi = Cave & Ishwar = God . Krishnagiri Fort in the background. Mahadev is in the form of a lingam of about 4 ft. The Avudayar or Pindika is square in nature. The lord is facing east and his Consort Parvathi is known as Girijambal is in a sanctum next to him on his left hand side facing east. Earlier known as Chandrasekharan & Paravatavardhini. Devi Parvathi as Parvathavarthini Mahadev as Kavishwarar It is a cave temple and has a Mukhamandapam of 12X15 ft.The Mukhamandapam   to the Garbhagriha of the Lord sitting majestically along with his consort to his left facing east. The temple seems to have been renovated very lately. The real Mandapam would have been in the shape of a cave only. Latest renovat...
Post a Comment
Read more