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The Elephanta Caves

The Elephanta Caves , located on Elephanta Island, or Gharapuri, about 11 Km off the coast of the Gateway of India, Mumbai, are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A visit to these caves, excavated probably in the 6 th century CE, is awe-inspiring, and also thought-provoking. Over the years, I have visited the caves a number of times, and also attended a number of talks by experts in the fields of art, history and archaeology on the caves. Together, they help me understand these caves, their art, and the people they were created for, just a little bit better. Every new visit, every new talk, every new article I read about the caves, fleshes out the image of what the island and the caves would have been like, at their peak. I last wrote about the caves on this blog, in 2011, almost exactly 11 years ago. Since then, my understanding of the caves has, I would like to think, marginally improved. Hence this attempt to write a new and updated post, trying to bring to life, the caves of Elephan
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Many little ducks went out one day.....

A rhyme we once learnt in school went....



Five little ducks went out to play
Over the hill and far away 
The mother duck said Quack, Quack come back
Four little ducks came running back

and so on.... till....

No little ducks came running back
Sad mother duck went out one day
Over the hill and far away
The daddy duck yelled QUACK, QUACK COME BACK!
Five little ducks came running back!





I was reminded of the rhyme when we saw a flock of ducklings being herded down a busy street on a recent visit to Tiruppur. 






I wondered  where they were headed... to a duck farm, most probably, to be allowed to grow fat and healthy,,, till it was time for them to make another trip.. to the butcher this time. I couldnt help feeling sorry for these tiny creatures, which, unlike those of the nursery rhyme, wouldnt ever come back...


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