As new year was approaching, I wanted to go someplace with pleasant weather, hence I decided to visit Mumbai and booked my flight. First day, I was delighted to visit the city of dreams and witnessed most of the noted points of interest. No doubt that the city is really beautiful, however the real concern for me was the traffic. It was annoying to wait (in traffic) for 1-2 hours for 5-6 KM distance especially when you are on holidays.
When I finally reached my hotel at night, I started looking for places which are out of the city but not too far. I came across a hotel travel guide listed placed to see near Mumbai & I found Elephanta Caves in that list. I started some digging on internet and also asked my hotel staff about it to get the local perspective. I got to know that it is must go place near Mumbai. Moreover, it was accessible by ferry, and thinking about the ferry ride excited me more. I had not heard about this place before so I decided to go the next morning.
About this place:
Elephanta Caves are situated on Elephanta island (also known as Gharapuri) and is 10 kilometres east of Mumbai coast. The island and its caves received the name 'Elephanta' from Portuguese invaders after the discovery of a black stone sculpture of an elephant on the island, now housed outside Mumbai's Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum. The Island has seven caves comprised of two major groups which showcase the real excellence of ancient Indian architecture.
The First one represents engravings based on hinduism, where you can find rock cut stone sculptures dedicated to Lord Shiva. Among all statues, the three-headed Trimurti statue is carved out of a single rock and is considered to be one of the masterpieces of Indian sculpture. It is 20 feet high, and each head is six feet high. Further when you go to smaller caves, you will witness the real example of Buddhist rock cut architecture. The caves architecture are dated back to the 5th and 8th centuries.
How to reach Gateway of India:-
I hired a cab from my hotel which takes 15 minutes to reach Gateway of India. You can choose between local taxis, private taxis or take train whichever is convenient for you. I reached the Gateway of India at 11am. Though I had not expected long queues for ferry tickets, however, it was and it consumed ample time. Make sure you reach early so that you are able to get more time to spend in the caves rather than in queues.
How to reach Elephanta caves:-
Ferry Ride:-You can reach Elephanta island by taking a ferry from Gateway of India and it takes approximately one hour for one side. A ferry leaves every half an hour during the day. The ferry timings are from 9am to 2pm. For the return, last one comes at 5.30 pm. It is open all days except Mondays when the caves are closed. The ferry prices varies from Rs.120 to 150 according to your boats choices. You can pay Rs.10 extra inside ferry if you want to sit on the upper deck.
While on the Ferry, you can enjoy the panoramic views of Arabian Sea and as well as see the seagulls along your way. Many times seagulls chase the boats and ferries for food. You can click also great pictures of Gateway of India and Taj Hotel from Ferry. There is also a tiny stall inside ferry, where you can find basic snacks and beverages.
Toy Train ride:- After reaching the island, you have to walk for 10 minutes in order to reach the main village. You do have to option of toy train ride which can help you reach the Gharapuri village in 5 minutes. The return tickets for this can be purchased at counters for Rs.10.
Walk/Trek:- Once you reach the village you have to purchase a village entry ticket for Rs 10. From the village, you have to climb nearly 120 steep steps to reach the Cave entrance. Alongside this path, there are various stalls/shops at both sides. At peak times, it gets quite difficult to walk as this is a common route used for both entry and exit and a lot of people do stop for making purchases. It is better if you come early to avoid the massive crowd or if you have kids and aged people along with you. Also ensure to keep yourself hydrated all the time.
Cave Entrance Ticket :-
You can buy entrance ticket for Rs.10 at tickets counter which is for Indian/ few Asian countries, and Rs.250 for other foreign nationals. There is no ticket for children.
Best time to Visit during the year:-
November to February are the best months to visit due to its pleasant weather. Avoid travel here during monsoon season due to high tides.
This expedition not only amazed me with the architecture but also helped me to understand Indian culture bit more.
Happy travelling!
#elephantacaves#mumbai#incredibleindia#travel
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