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
Building sandcastles is something we do when we go to the beach. However, this one is nothing like the ones we make. Its actually a sand sculpture, with turrets towering over the structure, intricate details such as doors and windows etched into the sand. We saw it for the first time at the High Street Phoenix in Lower Parel, Mumbai, last year, when Simon Smith, in association with Sand Cult, built this beautiful sculpture on the occasion of World Cancer Day. Click here to read about it. The event is back this year, and so is the sculpture, at the same venue...
The castle is similar, but not just the same.
This auto, for instance, sinking in quick sand, is new...
and so is this dog....
As Samhith pointed out, the boards have something interesting too.. such as the wood texture given to this one...
and the tiny fold on this one...
Of course, a visit to High Street Phoenix can never be complete without a visit to Hamleys, so, here is one last glimpse from the store.
P.S. Please excuse the quality of the photographs. I inexplicably left my camera at home, and had to settle with my mobile!
Information:
The Sandcastle is on display at High Street Phoenix, Lower Parel, Mumbai, till the 17th of Feb., 2013. You still have a week, so if you can, go see it.
There is also an event scheduled for Tomorrow, Tuesday, 12th Feb, 2013, wherein you can learn how to sculpt sand from the master himself! The event is on from 12 Noon to 8 PM, so if you can spare the time, it should be interesting. You can find more details of the event here.
The photographs are nice, even though they are clicked by a mobile.
ReplyDeletehttp://renuka-mytraveldiary.blogspot.in/2013/02/beautiful-spring-in-delhi.html
Thanks Renuka!
DeleteAmazing art work!
ReplyDeleteIt is, Indrani!
DeleteIt is important you shared this post that is for a good cause. Kepp up the good work.
ReplyDeletePhi-Phi islands blue water marvel: http://keigetswings.blogspot.in/2013/02/day-5-day-trip-to-phi-phi-islands.html