Elephanta Caves

The story of this place

The island's old name is Gharapuri. Around the mid-5th to 6th centuries CE, master craftsmen cut a great cave temple of Lord Shiva into the basalt hill, along with several smaller caves. Nobody knows for certain which king ordered the work; the dynasties of the Konkan coast, such as the Kalachuris, are the usual candidates, and scholars still debate it. What is beyond debate is the quality of what they made. Historians describe the main cave as the most magnificent achievement of rock architecture in western India.

The name Elephanta came much later. When the Portuguese arrived in the 16th century, they found a large stone elephant carved from a single rock near the shore, and named the island after it. That elephant survived a fall and a failed attempt to ship it to England, and today it stands, carefully pieced together, in the garden of the Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum at Jijamata Udyan in Byculla, Mumbai. The caves suffered damage over the centuries, and you will see broken pillars and defaced panels, yet the power of the main sculptures comes through untouched.

UNESCO inscribed the Elephanta Caves on the World Heritage List in 1987, and the Archaeological Survey of India looks after them today. The island still has small villages, and archaeologists have found remains going back to the 2nd century BCE, so people have lived on Gharapuri for a very long time.

What you will see

From the jetty, a small toy train can carry you down the long pier, and then a flight of about 120 steps climbs the hill past souvenir stalls to the caves. Take the climb slowly and keep your snacks packed away; the island monkeys are quick.

Cave 1 is the great cave, and it goes about 39 metres deep into the rock. Give your eyes a minute to adjust to the cool darkness, then walk in. At the far side you will meet the Maheshmurti, also called the Trimurti of Elephanta: a colossal bust of Lord Shiva about 7 metres high, with three faces. The calm central face is the Lord as preserver, the fierce left face with the moustache shows his terrible aspect as Aghora or Bhairava, and the gentle right face shows his grace in the form of Vamadeva or Uma. Devotees and art lovers both stand quiet before it.

Around the cave are large sculptured panels of the Lord's deeds: Shiva as Nataraja, the cosmic dancer; Ardhanarishwara, half Shiva and half Parvati; Gangadhara, receiving the river Ganga in his matted hair; the marriage of Shiva and Parvati; the Lord as the great yogi; and Ravana trying to lift Mount Kailasa. In the middle of the cave is the garbhagriha with a large Shiva linga, still offered worship by visitors. The smaller caves beyond are quieter and mostly plain, but the walk to them through the trees is pleasant.

Best time to visit

November to February is the best season, when Mumbai is relatively cool and the sea is calm. October and March are warmer but fine. In the monsoon months, June to September, the sea turns rough, ferries can be cancelled at short notice, and the crossing is not comfortable, so we do not suggest those months.

Remember the most important rule: the Elephanta Caves are closed every Monday, and the ferries do not run that day. Plan your Mumbai days so that Elephanta falls on any day except Monday. Go on a weekday morning if you can; weekends are crowded with local visitors.

How to reach

The only way to Elephanta is by boat. Ferries leave from the jetty in front of the Gateway of India in south Mumbai, and the crossing takes about an hour. Boats generally start around 9 in the morning and the last boat leaves the Gateway in the early afternoon, with the last return boat from the island around 5.30 in the evening. These timings shift with season and sea conditions, so please confirm the current ferry pattern on the day of your visit; your consultant or your hotel can check for you.

Buy your ferry ticket at the counters near the Gateway, and keep an eye on the return timing printed for your boat. On the island, allow about two to three hours for the pier, the climb, the caves and a slow look around. For our guests we usually plan Elephanta in the morning and keep the afternoon for the Gateway of India area, Colaba and the museums of the Fort district.

Tips from our travel experts

Wear comfortable shoes and carry a hat and water; the climb is in the open. Elders who find steps difficult can take their time, and chair carriers are sometimes available at the base for a charge; ask at the jetty. Keep your bag zipped and do not carry food in your hands, because the monkeys are bold.

There is an entry fee for the caves, separate from the ferry ticket, with different rates for Indian citizens and foreign nationals; please check the current rates. A licensed guide at the caves is worth the money, because the panels reward explanation. Photography is allowed in the caves for personal use.

Start early. The 9 am boat gives you cool hours on the island and an easy return by early afternoon. If the sea looks rough or the weather turns, do not force the trip; the caves have waited 1,500 years and will wait for your next visit to Mumbai.

For our NRI and OCI travellers

If you are flying into Mumbai for a family visit, Elephanta makes a lovely half day with parents and children together, and it needs no long drive out of the city. Set aside a full morning, avoid Monday, and book a weekday if possible. Foreign passport holders pay the foreign national rate at the caves, and OCI card holders should carry their card and ask at the counter for the current provision. In the winter months the sea breeze is gentle and the crossing itself, with the Mumbai skyline behind you, becomes part of the memory.