Elephanta Caves

 Elephanta Caves-

Elephanta caves locally known as Gharapuri are located on island near Mumbai, fairies from Gateway of India take visitors to island. In 1987 UNESCO declared it  as world heritage site. It was the Portuguese who discovered this site, they found two huge statues of Elephants at the entrance and thus they named this site as Elephanta.

History of Elephanta caves is still ambiguous. Scholars like Walter Spink said that they were built by Kalachuri rulers, dynasty that succeeded Vakatakas but other scholars said it belong to Chalukya. We find the same ambiguity in dating some scholars says it was built in 5th century but others contends that it belongs to 8th century.

Archeologically caves can be divided in two parts. One dedicated to Buddhism and other dedicated to Pashupata cult of Shaivism. Cave no. 1 is dedicated to Shaivism, as one could see larger than life sized sculptures of various forms of Shiva surrounding the Garbhagriha and in Garbhagriha the symbolic representation of Shiva i.e. Shivalinga is placed. As one enters into cave from North side, one sees Lord Yogeshwara, Shiva as yogi, on the right side and Lord Nataraja on right side. Sculptures are purposefully located facing each other to convey the idea of duality. On the east side one sees Ravananugraha Murti, where Ravana is shown lifting the Kailasa and exactly opposite to its is Sculpture of Shiva and Paravti sitting in their abode playing joyfully. On the west side one can see sculpture of Kalayanasundara Murti and exactly opposite to is standing the sculpture of Andhakaasuravadha murti. South side wall is packed with 3 huge sculptures of Ardhanarishwara and Gangadhara with majestic sculpture of Sadashiva at the centre. Sculpture of Sadashiva is the main attraction of cave no. 1. Three faced sculpture of Sadashiva, its eastern side face is of Aghora, Shiva with ferocious expressions, on western side face of Vamadeva, Shiva with calm expressions is carved, and at the centre is the face of Tatpurusha these dynamic expressions are nothing but an attempt to highlight three different aspects of one Supreme Being, a thought which is core of Indian philosophy which says there is one ultimate reality beyond the diversity of material world.

Elephanta caves is one of the main site in rock-cut architecture circuit of Western Ghats. History of cave is still shrouded in mystery, we don’t know who built it yet, when it was built but the the underlying thought, the philosophy, the ultimate purpose, we know it with absolute certainty.