Elephanta Caves

Elephanta Island was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987 to preserve the artwork. Elephanta Island is located 10 km away from the Gateway of India at Mumbai. The island is about an hour away by boat ride from Gateway of India. Elephanta Island houses caves known as Elephanta Caves in the Arabian Sea near Mumbai, India. These caves are rock cut temple/statues of Lord Shiva, Ganesha, Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesh dating back to the 5th century. Elephanta Island was named by the Portuguese, after the statue of an Elephant was seen near the landing area of the island.