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The Elephanta Caves occupy Gharapuri Island in Mumbai Harbour, about 11 km northeast of Mumbai's Apollo Bunder. The island takes its Portuguese-derived name, Elephanta, from a large stone elephant sculpture once found there. Archaeological evidence points to occupation from as early as the 2nd century BCE, while the seven rock-cut caves themselves were excavated around the mid-5th to 6th centuries CE.
Cave 1, the principal excavation, is a monumental hall roughly 39 metres deep and 27 metres square, supported by rows of six columns and dominated by the 7-metre-high Sadashiva (Trimurti) sculpture depicting three aspects of Shiva. Fifteen large relief panels surrounding the central lingam shrine, including depictions of Nataraja and Kalyanasundara, are considered among the finest achievements of Indian rock-cut art. Over the centuries the island passed through the control of the Konkan Mauryas, Trikutakas, Chalukyas, Silaharas, Rashtrakutas, the Yadavas of Devagiri, the Sultanate of Gujarat, the Portuguese, the Marathas and finally the British.
In recognition of its artistic and historical significance, UNESCO inscribed the Elephanta Caves as a World Heritage Site. The Archaeological Survey of India manages the site, which today faces ongoing conservation challenges from saline weathering of the rock surfaces.
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