voyage-vista.comUnveiling the Mysteries: Exploring the Enigmatic Elephanta Caves!
Nestled amidst the captivating landscape of India lies a treasure trove of history and mystique—the Elephanta Caves. These ancient rock-cut temples, designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, beckon travelers from across the globe to unravel their secrets and delve into the rich tapestry of India’s cultural heritage.
Evolution of Indian Sculpture: From Clay to Stone, Temples to Caves
The Indian history of sculpture is thousands of years old. During the Indus Valley Civilization, clay was used to make small sculptures, statues, and seals. From the beginning of the Maurya period in the third century BC, the art of stone sculptures and idols flourished, and by the thirteenth century, not only in India but also in South-East Asian countries, Hindu temples were built by beautifully carving stones. One of the many symbols of Indian culture outside India is Cambodia’s Angkor Wat, whose magnificence earned it the title of the largest temple in the world. Apart from the art of making stone temples and idols, one more craft flourished in the field of architecture: carving caves into the mountains and carving idols of gods and goddesses on the cave walls. This art requires special skills.
Despite all these challenges, the Ajanta-Illora as well as the Elephanta Caves yield outstanding examples of art. It just takes vision and enough time to understand!
The Gateway of India is considered by many to be the iconic landmark of Mumbai, but after visiting the place, instead of turning back, it is better to travel to an amazing place beyond here. A half-day tour of the historic caves of Elephanta.
Contrasting Approaches: Sculpting Temples and Carving Caves of Elephanta Caves
A primary difference between rock-cut sculptures and temple structures is to be understood. A temple is always built in an open space. The slabs of rock are brought to the designated place and shaped to a certain size, and then each stone should be carved and erected. Different parts like the entrance, shikhara (peak), pillar, toran, and mandap are prepared in this style. Hence, there is a symmetry of size between them. Compared to this, the first step in creating a sculpture in a mountain is to create an open space in it.
Challenging is the meticulous planning of where and how much to carve the heavy rocks. Also, the slightest carelessness in carving the reliefs on the walls of the cave after it is formed renders the entire idol useless. While constructing a temple in the open, if one of the stone carvings gets damaged, it can be replaced, and a new stone can be carved in its place. But the sculptor in caves does not get such an advantage while decorating the cave walls.
Embarking on the Elephanta Adventure: Journey to the Enigmatic Caves
In order to get to the Elephanta caves, one needs to catch a ferry from the Gateway of India, where the ferry boat for Elephanta departs. The ferry service starts at nine in the morning, and a ferry leaves for Elephanta about every half hour.
As soon as you get on the boat, you feel the thrill of embarking on a journey to a different world. The Gateway of India was slowly drifting away, and the gigantic Taj Hotel behind it is also visible. As the voyage progressed, larger ships were encountered along the way. Far away from the hustle and bustle of Mumbai, in just half an hour there is nothing to see except the sea, so the thrill is bound to happen. After completing the ferry trip of almost an hour, one can set foot on the land of Elephanta Island.
There is a toy train in front of Elephanta alighting, which takes tourists from the ferry to the caves. The entrance is almost 10 minutes of walk from there. The Elephanta Caves are located slightly higher on the hill, where one has to climb steps. On both sides of these steps, works made from conch shells, pictures drawn on pieces of wood, and food items were sold.
Sculpting Challenges: Basaltic Rocks and the Art of Perfection
A significant factor concerns the hardness of the rocks from which the idols are fashioned. These rocks are basaltic, i.e., igneous. Basalt rocks formed by the freezing of lava are quite hard. The rock in which the Cave of Elephanta is carved is hard, being basalt. Sandstone and limestone are ideal for sculpting as they are slightly porous. But it is very difficult to cut basalt rocks to the right size and carve them finely with a chisel. In the caves of Elephanta, there is no compromise anywhere in the sculpture, but perfection.
Unraveling the Mysteries: Destruction and Restoration at Elephanta Caves
It is hard to understand who would have destroyed such a wonderful piece of architecture and why. The Elephanta Caves were renovated in the 1970s, as part of which some columns can be seen newly installed. But restoration of the fragmented sculptures does not seem possible. Apart from the main cave of Elephanta, the other caves mostly have columns, which are also carved out of the rock itself. Two caves exhibit Buddhist architecture. However, only a pillar is seen in it. It can be said that all the attractions of Elephanta are present in its single cave.
Into the Heart of Stone: Marvels and Mysteries of the Elephanta Cave Carvings
As one enters the cave, painstakingly carved out of the solid rock, one cannot help but marvel at the sight before one’s eyes. Many questions and curiosities began to arise in the mind: How could such a hard rock have been carved? How many sculptors would have gone to work with chisels and hammers? Who would have motivated them to do so? How could they carve the colossal statues without a single mistake? Where did the large amount of crushed rock that would have come out during this sculpture go? How many years did it take to complete this task? Why are the names of the creators of these works nowhere to be found?
Unraveling the Origins: The Tale of Elephanta Caves Island’s Name
Historians do not have satisfactory answers to all these questions, and so our guide has. It is said that the original name of the island was ‘Gharapuri’. When the Portuguese came here in the Middle Ages, a huge statue of an elephant was placed at the entrance of the island. The Portuguese word for elephant is elefante. Hence, the Portuguese called the island by the same name. Over time, the word elephante became corrupted to ‘elephanta’.
Exploring Elephanta Caves: Marvels of Cave No. 1 and the Iconic Trimurti Sculpture
Elephanta has a total of seven caves, the main one being cave No. 1, which has a total of 13 panels with various mudras of Shiva. The most famous of all is Trimurti, also known as Sadashiva or Maheshmurti. The idol is a relief sculpture about six meters (twenty feet) high. The idol is so attractive in appearance that the Tourism Department of the Government of Maharashtra has designed its emblem based on the idol. This impressive sculpture depicts the three faces of Lord Shankar.
The Mystical Symbolism of the Trimurti Sculpture at Elephanta Caves
In these three faces, Tridev, i.e. Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahesh, are seen. Apparently the statue has three faces, but in fact it is five-faced. Three faces are in front of our eyes; the fourth face is at the back; and the fifth face is located upwards, which is believed to be invisible to the normal human eye. Such a five-faced idol signifies the five powers of the Supreme Lord. The face to the right of this idol points to Goddess Uma, the creative power. The one has a lotus in his hand, which points to Brahma. The face on the left points to Bhairava, the destroyer. This face is mustached. The middle face indicates calmness, which represents Vishnu, who is meditating. Thus, creation, protection, and destruction are manifested through this trinity.
Delving Deeper: Exploring the Significance of Elephanta Cave Idols
Most tourists to Elephanta return after a cursory visit to the cave. In fact, some of the main idols there are not only worth looking at, but the mythology behind them is also worth understanding. The art of idols can be understood only then. Read explanation of some important statues-
Yogishwar
Seeing the sculpture depicting Lord Shiva as Yogishwara, which is fragmented to some extent, breaks the heart. In this wonderful sculpture, Lord Shiva is shown seated in Padmasana. Both the arms of the idol are broken from the shoulders. Two Nagas (snakes) have borne his stick. The detail done on lord Shiva’s head is amazing. In this sculpture, both the dimensions of earth and sky can be seen above. On the upper right, Brahma seated on swan, Indra on Airavat and Vishnu seated on eagle are clearly visible. The entire sculpture is designed in such a way that the gods in the sky are looking at Mahayogi Shiva, the supreme lord of yoga seated in Padmasana.
Ardhanarishwar
According to a story related to Shivaji’s semi-human form, after creating the universe, Brahmaji did not know what to do to keep it alive and flourishing forever. Hence, when he asked for suggestions from Lord Shiva, he appeared in Ardhanarishwar form. That is, half of the body was Shiv (male) and half was Shivani (female). In this form of himself, Lord Shiva inspired Brahmaji to create reproductive animals. He also preached the equal importance of men and women. Ardhanarishwar in the statue is feminine to the left (viewer’s right) and masculine to the right. Surrounding them are the statues of other deities, who can be identified by their vehicles.
Kalyansundar
The statue known as Kalyanasundara depicts the marriage of Shiva and Parvati with elaborate carvings. The marriage ceremony of Shiva and Parvati has a special significance. Here, Goddess Parvati is standing to the right of Lord Shiva. Delicacy appears in the sculpture of Goddess Parvati. Their eyes are droopy, indicating their shyness. Shivaji has taken Parvati’s hand. Apart from this, the figures of many gods, servants, and well-wishers, including Brahma performing the wedding ceremony, Vishnu bearing chakra behind him, Himalaya, and her father standing behind Parvati and performing the bridegroom (Kanyadaan), are visible.
Nataraj
The sculpture depicting the Nataraja form of Lord Shiva is in a fragmentary state but gives a full idea of its majesty. The beauty of this idol is mesmerizing even after its hands, feet, and face are broken. Lord Shiva’s Nataraj mudra is very special, in which he has formed a tribhang mudra of the body. In this mudra, he is shown as Ashtabhujadhari (eight-handed), but here his eight arms are broken. He holds a parashu (axe) in one of his right hands, on which a serpent is coiled. They can be seen wearing ornaments like jatamugat, kundal, and bajubandh. His eyes are half closed. This sculpture also has several smaller sculptures surrounding the main sculpture, including Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu, and goddesses such as Goddess Lakshmi, Goddess Saraswati, Goddess Parvati, Lord Ganesha, and Lord Kartikeya.
Gangadhar
The Gangadhar form of Lord Shiva, who bears the Ganges, is also enshrined. According to the myth behind this form, king Sagar’s grandson, King Bhagirath, performed the penance of Lord Shiva to bring Ganga down from heaven to earth. After severe penance, Lord Shiva was pleased with him and helped Bhagirath consecrate the Ganges. Along with Shiva and Parvati, many deities can also be seen here. King Bhagirath appears to be at Lord Shivaji’s feet.
The peculiarity of the Gangadhar form statue is that the entire sculpture is of relief type, while the statue of Bhagirath is tripartite as it is separated from the main rock. This is probably the least of the Elephanta cave sculptures in which the figures below the waist are preserved.
Ravananugrah
The idol, known as Ravananugraha, looks different from all the sculptures. According to mythology, Ravana was a great devotee of Lord Shiva. Defeating Kubera and capturing his Pushpak Vimana. He was travelling by the Vimana once. On the way, he reached the place of Kartikeya known as ‘Sharvana’. From here, Vimana did not proceed further. Nandi, one of Lord Shiva’s devotees, told Ravana that Lord Shiva and goddess Parvati were engaged in penance on the mountain, so no one could cross Mount Kailas. Nandi was the size of a dwarf and had the mouth of a monkey. So Ravana mocked him. Nandikeshwar cursed him and said, ‘You have made fun of my monkey form; therefore, the monkey will be instrumental in destroying your clan.’
Ignoring Nandikeshwar, Ravana moved forward. Being very proud of his strength, he started shaking Mount Kailas. The goddess Parvati, who was sitting next to Lord Shiva, got scared because of this. Their servants also started running around in panic. Lord Shiva remained unmoved and only pressed his toe to the ground, keeping the ground heavy and steady. Suddenly, the mount Kailash became so heavy that Ravana was about to die under its weight, but he indulged him by praising Shiva. Shivaji gave him a kharg named Chandrahas as a gift in addition to his life.
This myth is narrated here. This sculpture is apparently divided into two parts. In between is Mount Kailash, and the upper part has Lord Shiva and goddess Parvati, Ravana at the lower part. Other statues can be seen around the main statue, in which there are many gods in addition to the idol of Lord Shiva. This is probably the largest of Elephanta’s sculptures in terms of the number of statues.
Gatekeepers
These idols are so huge that one is amazed to see the statue of the gatekeepers guarding the Shivlinga. The gatekeeper statues have also been vandalised.
Seeing the broken state of all the sculptures in the caves of Elephanta causes slight anger, irritation, and screams. Even in such a broken state, the idea of how magnificent the intact idols would have looked if one could fully realize their beauty and artistry kept coming.
The artistic splendor of Elephanta Caves
As one wanders through the labyrinthine passages of the Elephanta Caves, they are enveloped by an aura of artistic splendor and spiritual reverence. The play of light and shadow accentuates the intricate details of the sculptures, evoking a sense of wonder and contemplation.
Preserving India’s Heritage of Elephanta Caves
Conservation Efforts: Despite the passage of centuries, the Elephanta Caves continue to inspire awe and admiration. Recognizing their historical significance, conservation efforts have been initiated to safeguard these architectural marvels from natural erosion and human encroachment. Through meticulous restoration and maintenance, authorities strive to ensure that future generations can marvel at the timeless beauty of the Elephanta Caves.
Information to plan your trip to Elephanta Caves:
- Ferry service from Mumbai Gateway of India to Elephanta runs at regular intervals from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The last boat from Elephanta leaves at 5 p.m. A separate return ticket is not required, so save the ticket until the end.
- The sea is rough during the monsoon period from June to August. Ferry service is closed during that period.
- There is plenty of food and drink available on the island, but it’s best to carry drinking water because of the heat.
- Every year the Maharashtra government organizes a two-day ‘Elephant Festival’ here in February-March, in which various music and dance activities are held near the Sadashiv Murthy.
- It is imperative to have a security guard or guide with you to get to know and understand the statues of Elephanta.
Conclusion: Unraveling the Enigma
In conclusion, the Elephanta Caves stand as a testament to India’s rich cultural heritage and artistic legacy. From their mystical sculptures to their serene surroundings, these ancient sanctuaries offer a glimpse into the spiritual fervor and creative ingenuity of bygone civilizations. As travelers embark on a journey of exploration and discovery, they are not merely spectators but participants in a timeless saga of human endeavor and imagination. The secrets of Elephanta Caves await those who dare to unravel their mysteries and embrace the wonders of India’s past.
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