Where is Elephanta's Elephant?

shruti chawan
Sep 26
2 min read

If you are from Mumbai, you must've definitely heard of the Elephanta Caves or Gharapuri Caves. In case you are not from Mumbai, the caves of Elephanta are located on the Elephanta Island near Mumbai. These 6th-century caves are a UNESCO heritage site where one can visit using a ferry boat from Mumbai's Gateway of India. These cave temples were built over a period of time between the 5th and 9th centuries during different dynasties. What is more interesting is the amalgamation of Hindu and Buddhist iconography. This brings us back to the very question of why the name Elephanta? And where is the elephant?

Searching for the elephant in the room.... I mean, the cave I came across an intresting story about the same.

This rock-cut statue of an Elephant was once a part of the main identity of the Elephanta Island near Mumbai. Also known as ‘Gharapuri’, meaning the village of caves in the local Marathi language, the island is said to have got its name ‘Elefante’ or ‘Elephanta’ from this huge monolithic rock cut stone statue of an elephant from the Portuguese, who were ceded the land by the Gujarat sultanate rulers in 1534. They used this elephant statue as a landmark for their boats to dock at the port. This became an identity to distinguish Elephanta Island from the other islands of the city of Mumbai.

This statue, which stood outside the caves and the temples, is said to have been built around the 5th –6th century BC. The original settlements on these cave islands are as old as 2nd century; the sculptures are from later period. It is said that the Buddhists settled on these islands first, and the Brahmans came later on. While the temples are said to have been built around the time of the Gupta empire. The style and the structure overall show an influence of both Buddhism and Hinduism. It is said that during the reign of King Kalachuri who was a Shaivite, these temples were built as per the numismatics and the inscriptions.

Later, in 1864, under British rule, it is said that they tried to transport this statue to England when it broke into pieces. The pieces of the statue were then taken to Victoria Garden, which is today known as Veermata Jijabai Udyan in Byculla, Mumbai. The statue was then reassembled in 1914 by Cadell and Hewett and currently sits in the lawn of Dr Bhau Daji Lad Museum or the Victoria and Albert Museum. One can view this statue at the east column lawn outside the museum before entering the Queens Garden, as we know today as Ranichi Baag or Veermata Jijabai Udyan.

Some other rock-cut sculptures from Elephanta that are now in the collection at the CSMVS museum in Mumbai are those of Mahishasuramardini and Brahma.