Tour of Elephanta Caves, Mumbai
October 26, 2019
This was a half day trip that included a guide to take you on a ferry to the island in the bay of Mumbai. So the starting point is the Gateway to India monument and the guide (Ms Mahindra) was very helpful and gave some good background to the history of the area and details of the statues that are place in the Gateway area. She was also a delightful companion for the day. The boat trip was refreshing and passed by some interesting sights en route. It took about 90 minutes. At the island you had the option to walk or to take a miniature train ride to the footpath up to the caves. The route was lined with souvenir stalls and the climb is quite steep and slippery (it had been raining) but it was all interesting and care with placing your steps takes you to a plateau wherein the caves are located. The caves themselves are fascinating, carved out of the solid rock. We hired a licensed guide to detail the story behind each of the features and friezes in the caves. They tell the story of Vishnu and other deities. It was an absorbing tour. Despite some 17th century vandalism by the Portuguese soldiers there is enough still visible to appreciate the great effort and devotion that drove people to create this fascinating and worthwhile location to visit. Overall I had a great day and learned a lot. It is well worth a visit.
