A rock-cut Hindu cave temple carved into basalt on Gharapuri Island in Mumbai harbour, dated by most scholars to circa the 5th to 8th centuries CE, its main cave devoted to Shiva. Fifteen large relief panels surround the central lingam chapel. Among them, the Ardhanarishvara panel shows the combined masculine and feminine form of Shiva and Parvati, four-armed and standing beside Nandi; the Nataraja panel, though badly damaged, shows Shiva as the cosmic dancer; and the Gangadhara panel shows Shiva receiving the descent of the river goddess Ganga, carved as a distinct three-headed female figure emerging from his matted hair, with Parvati standing beside him.
Facts
Origins
CreationSourced to the subject's own account CountrySourced to the subject's own account RegionSourced to the subject's own account Attributions
TraditionSourced to the subject's own account Subject Matter
Depicted SubjectSourced to the subject's own accountShiva in multiple forms across fifteen relief panels, including Ardhanarishvara (Shiva-Parvati combined), Nataraja and Gangadhara (Shiva receiving Ganga); Parvati and Ganga also appear as named figures within these panels. 1 Status
UNESCO World HeritageSourced to the subject's own accountInscribed on the World Heritage List 1 Physical Form
MediumSourced to the subject's own account Custody
Current LocationSourced to the subject's own accountGharapuri Island (Elephanta Island), Mumbai harbour, Maharashtra, India 1 In Other Languages (50 names)
- كهوف إليفانتا
- كهوف اليفانتا
- এলিফেণ্টা গুহাসমূহ
- Пячоры Элефанты
- এলিফ্যান্টা গুহাসমূহ
- Coves de l'Elefanta
- Elefanta
- Elephanta-Höhlen
- Grotoj de Elefanta
- Grutas de Elefanta
- Elefanta Leizeak
- غارهای الفنتا
- Elephanta
- Grottes d'Éléphanta
- એલિફન્ટાની ગુફાઓ
- מערות אלפנטה
- घारापुरी गुफाएँ
- Špilje Elephante
- Էլեֆանտա
- Gua Elephanta
- Grotte di Elephanta
- エレファンタ石窟群
- ელეფანტის გამოქვაბულები
- ಎಲಿಫೆಂಟಾ ಗುಹೆಗಳು
- 엘레판타 동굴
- Elefantos olos
- एलिफेन्टा गुफासभ
- എലഫന്റാ ഗുഹകൾ
- घारापुरी लेणी
- Għerien ta' Elephanta
- အယ်လီဖန်တာ လိုဏ်ဂူများ
- एलिफेन्टा गुफाहरू
- Elephantagrotten
- ਐਲੀਫ਼ੈਂਟਾ ਗੁਫ਼ਾਵਾਂ
- Groty Elefanty
- دھاراپوری غاراں
- Элефанта
- एलिफेण्टागुहाः
- එලිෆන්ටා ලෙන්
- Jaskyne na Elefante
- Shpellat Elefanta
- Елефантске пећине
- எலிபண்டா குகைகள்
- ఎలిఫెంటా గుహలు
- หมู่ถ้ำเอลิฟันตา
- Elephanta Mağaraları
- Печерні храми острова Елефанта
- ایلیفینٹا کے غار
- Hang động Elephanta
- 象岛石窟
Cross-Tradition Connections
Associated With
This source names Parvati directly: "and feminine form of Shiva and Parvati, four-armed and standing beside Nandi; the Nataraja panel, though badly damaged, shows Shiva as the cosmic dancer; and the Gangadhara panel shows Shiva..."
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