A Brief History Of The Elephanta Caves In Mumbai India

Located just 10 kilometers into the Mumbai Harbour from the Gateway of India, the 1200 resident strong Elephanta Island is home to one of the area’s most majestic historic monuments – the Elephanta Caves. To find out more, read on.

Thought to have been built between the 5th and 8th century C.E., the five Hindu and two Buddhist caves collectively known as the Elephanta Caves have survived through centuries of habitation, invasion and neglect to still stand and draw in thousands of tourists in present-day Mumbai. The island and its resident caves received the name ‘Elephanta’ from Portuguese invaders after the discovery of a black stone sculpture of an elephant on the island, now housed outside Mumbai’s Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum.

While the creators of the caves remain unknown due to a lack of surviving records, local legend credits various mythical and non-human figures with the creation of these temples. The earliest surviving records identify Elephanta Island as Puri or Purika, the capital of the Konkan Maurya kingdom during the 6th century C.E. though their role in building the caves remains debated amongst historians.

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