Mar 05, 2007 03:31 PM
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I had always wanted to visit the elephanta caves from the day I arrived in Mumbai. But fortunately or unfortunately the first two attempts proved futile as we nearly missed the last launch(ferry boats) for the day. Finally one weekend we packed our bags very early determined not to miss visiting elephanta at any cost.
We reached Vashi station at 9 o clock and then it was a one hour direct train journey to C.S.T station. We got down at the CST station and took a cab to the Gateway. It took us 15 minutes to reach there and about 25 to 30 rupees. The Gateway it self is a wonderful place for site seeing.
We went to the ticket counter and were assured to hear that launches were plying that day. My heart already started beating fast in anticipation. There are two types of motor launches that leave from the Gateway of India to Elephanta Island every day except Mondays when the caves are closed. The luxury boat costs Rs120 and the semi luxury boat costs Rs110 per person for the return journey. The journey time is a little less than an hour .
Journey begins…
The view of the sea has always had a mesmerizing effect on me - waves dancing with each other to the rhythm of the wind and the salty smell of the air, perfect beginning – I thought. As our Launch went inside the sea, we watched the Mumbai Skyline with all the landmark buildings.moving farther away from us. As we moved into the sea we saw a number of Ships, Oil tankers, Watch-Towers. Unfortunately photography is prohibited on the launches. So we could only admire it with our naked eyes. If one likes to be a bit more adventurous, the launches have an upper deck and for just 10 bucks each you can go up to enjoy the pristine beauty of the sea without the boundaries of the cabin.
Gharapuri…
We reached our destination-Gharapuri in about an hour. Once known as Puri - later Gharapuri - this island was the proud capital of a powerful coastal kingdom and the great cave shrine in praise of Shiva, excavated in the sixth century, added to the ruling dynasty. Several centuries later the Portugese took possession of the island. They found monolithic stone elephant at the place where they landed and also named this an ilha do elephanta, island of the elephant. The scenic beauty of the place is really amazing. The tranquil and forested island of Elephanta provides a welcome contrast to the city of Mumbai. Hewn out of solid rock, the Elephanta Caves date back to 600 AD, and attract more visitors each year than the entire city of Mumbai. No wonder: this place resonates with the spiritual energy of India.
From here you can either walk or take a mini train to reach the entrance of the caves. It was a very hot day so we decided to take the train and save our energy for the caves. And we realized that was indeed a wise decision, for the climb of infinite flight of steps up to the caves was totally tiring and that too on such a hot day(One can also hire a chair to be carried up). And a very important word of wisdom here – you maybe tempted to buy a roasted corn or a packet of chips to eat on the way but don’t do that foolery because once you start alighting the flight of steps you will be greeted by dozens of monkeys who will not wait for your permission to snatch away those food items from your hands.
The caves….
After buying the third ticket(first was the Launch, second was at the entry of the Island and the third at the entry of the Caves), we entered the premises of the caves. At the entrance to the caves is the famous Trimurti, the celebrated trinity of Elephanta: there's Lord Brahma the Creator, Lord Vishnu, the preserver and Lord Shiva the Destroyer. The majestic caves presented a silent beauty of its own. No doubt the cave was the creation of an unknown genius, a master architect. The architect sculptors carved out of solid basalt rock create a representation of the heavenly mountain residence of Lord Shiva. Opening out from three sides, the temple lets in light from many angles making the sculptures seem to move with the changing angles of light.
Inside the temple is a large hall, with nine sculptured panels representing Lord Shiva in different moods. There is the Trimurti( Mahesh Murti) in centre. This has the Ardha-Nari-Nateshwara at the left of it. There are portrayals of Ganesh, Nataraja-Shiva, Atmalinga episode-giving it to Ravana, Veerabhadra Shiva, and many more such Shivarupa etched in the Sculptures .The temple plan is so symmetric with important focal points worked out in a geometric Mandala(the design that represents the energy field). Unfortunately, many of the sculptures inside have been damaged by iconoclastic Portuguese rulers who took potshots at Hindu Gods with their rifles. And yet somehow, nothing has disturbed the sublime beauty of this place for centuries.
Canon Hill…
Next was a sojourn to the cannon hill. The Hill from where probably the ruler used to keep a vigil on his kingdom. There is a rusty canon placed there we had a great time capturing the beauty of the idyllic scenery in our cams while enjoying the cool breeze as we walked. While coming down we came across an alley which was maybe the rooms for storing the Gunpowder for the canons as well as the resting place for the soldiers.
Eat and buy…
There are several shops selling all sorts of things from jewelry to home décor, personally I liked the painting on the leaves. But most of the stuff is brought in from Mumbai and sold at a double or triple price, so while purchasing things do not get carried away, just look out for something different.
Two things you should not miss eating are the roasted corn and the wild berries that the locals sell. And there are also a number of small food joints as well as a MTDC restaurant is really nice and you can sip on you snacks, tea, coffee, etc. while enjoying the view.
Way back…
You will be obviously temped to stay back for some more time in this soulful abode, but please take care to board the last ferry at around 5.45 Pm otherwise you will be stranded in the mid of nowhere and there are no places to stay on the island.
We climbed abroad the launch. Birds and monkeys chatter amid the branches arching above in the island; though the pillars of the cabin behind you the sea shimmers in the sunlight as you start your journey back to the mainland.
