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
The hectic days of the Navaratri festival are over, but the chaos in our house continues, with repair work going on. I find myself under a virtual house arrest, which, for itchy feet like mine feels like the harshest of punishments. Stuck inside the house, I yearn for the hills and open spaces.... and feel like getting away somewhere, even if just for a short while... This tiny village tucked in amidst the western ghats, surrounded by mountains, clicked somewhere near Mahabaleshwar, is just the kind of place I would love to escape to, at the moment!
Meanwhile, my post on Wai, near Mahabaleshwar, has been featured on the Club Mahindra Blog!!!
For more beautiful skies from around the world, go to Skywatch Friday!
What a beauty! And I am exactly in the same state of mind, itching to be someplace else!
ReplyDeleteThanks Mridula!!! i guess we cant stay more than a month or so at home before the itch sets in... or i wonder, does the itch go away at all, or do we just suppress it because we have work to do?
DeleteLovely Anu! I have been to Panchgani and Mahabaleshwar many times, but stay over at Wai, never! So is there a flight to Mahabaleshwar now? Or you were going elsewhere, flying low over Wai?
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Thanks Julia! No, this is not taken from a flight... but from the winding road to Mahabaleshwar! looks just like it was taken from the air, right?
DeleteBeautiful click!!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.rajniranjandas.blogspot.com
Thanks Niranjan!
DeleteWonderful picture
ReplyDeleteCongrats on Wai .
Thanks Vishal!
DeleteA photo from the air! :-)
ReplyDeleteAmazing shot!
Thanks P-ter! but this is not taken from the air, but from the road!
DeleteLovely photo Anu... Have been itching to escape and it seems the more i itch, the more grounded i become :/
ReplyDeleteThanks Aarti!! thats so true for me too... the more I try, the more I cant escape... the less i plan, the more I go...
DeleteThat looks like a wonderful place to escape to. Great shot!
ReplyDeleteThanks Carver!
DeleteBeautiful capture! Happy sky watching.
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THanks Liz!
DeleteOh my, my. I don't think any place can beat the Deccan Plateau region in the monsoons. Beautiful capture, Anu.
ReplyDeleteSo true, Sudha! its certainly among the most beautiful places in the monsoons.. i can never tire of them!
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