Elephanta Caves

Overview

The Elephanta Caves are cut into the basalt of Gharapuri Island in Mumbai Harbour, about an hour by ferry from the Gateway of India. Their origins are debated, but art historians place the carving between about the mid-fifth and eighth centuries CE. They were inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987.

The great Cave 1 is dedicated to Shiva and holds the Trimurti Sadashiva, a masterpiece sculpture roughly 6 to 7 metres high showing three faces of Shiva. The island was named Elephanta by the Portuguese after a stone elephant they found there.

What to look for

• The Trimurti Sadashiva, the three-faced Shiva
• Carved panels of Shiva in other forms
• The pillared hall of Cave 1
• The ferry ride across the harbour

Visiting tips

• The caves are closed on Mondays.
• The last ferry to the island leaves around 2 pm, so take a morning boat; return ferries run until late afternoon.
• Expect a climb of about 120 steps from the jetty. Ferries can be suspended in rough monsoon weather.

Why visit with a private guide

A private guide shows you where to stand, when to arrive and what most visitors miss at Elephanta Caves, and fits the visit around the rest of your day.

More photographs

Nearby

Gateway of India Marine Drive Murud-Janjira Sea Fort Raigad Fort CSMT (Victoria Terminus)