The Elephanta Festival of art and culture kicked off at the iconic Gateway of India in Mumbai on June 1, 2019. The event is being organised on the Elephanta Island and promoted by the Maharashtra government. State Tourism Minister Jaykumar Rawal inaugurated the festival.
About Elephanta Caves
- Elephanta Caves located on the island are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. They are a collection of cave temples predominantly dedicated to Lord Shiv.
- The Elephanta Caves are located in Western India on Elephanta Island (otherwise known as the Island of Gharapuri), which features two hillocks separated by a narrow valley.
- Also called the ‘City of Caves’, on an island in the Sea of Oman close to Bombay, contains a collection of rock art linked to the cult of Shiva.
- The small island is dotted with numerous ancient archaeological remains that are the sole testimonies to its rich cultural past. These archaeological remains reveal evidence of occupation from as early as the 2nd century BC. The rock-cut Elephanta Caves were constructed about the mid-5th to 6th centuries AD.
- The 7-metre-high masterpiece “Sadashiva” dominates the entrance to Cave 1. The sculpture represents three aspects of Shiva: the Creator, the Preserver, and the Destroyer, identified, respectively, with Aghora or Bhairava (left half), Taptapurusha or Mahadeva (central full face), and Vamadeva or Uma (right half).
- It was was declared UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987.
