Elephanta

Home > ... > Places > Asia > Indian Political Geography > ...

Essential reading Compare
side-by-side The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition

Elephanta

Elephanta , island, c.2 sq mi (5.2 sq km), in Mumbai harbor, Maharashtra state, W India. It is noted for six Brahmanic caves, carved (8th cent.) from solid rock some 250 ft (76 m) above sea level. The Great Cave, the largest (130 ft/40 m long), contains gigantic pillars supporting its roof and colossal statuary, most notably the famous three-headed bust of the Hindu god Shiva. The caves are much visited by Hindu pilgrims, especially since they were restored in the 1970s. The statue of an elephant, now removed to Mumbai city, gives the island its English name. The Indian name is Gharapuri.

Create a link to this page

Copy and paste this link tag into your Web page or blog:

<a href="http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/.aspx#1E1-Elephanta" title="Facts and information about Elephanta">Elephanta</a>

Give this article a thumbs-up on StumbleUpon

Cite this article
Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

MLA
Chicago
APA

"Elephanta." The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Nov. 2009 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"Elephanta." The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. (November 11, 2009). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-Elephanta.html

"Elephanta." The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2008. Retrieved November 11, 2009 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-Elephanta.html

Learn more about citation styles

Elephanta

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions | 1997 | | Â© The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions 1997, originally published by Oxford University Press 1997. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

Elephanta (Gharapuri). An island off the coast of Bombay, containing a famous representation of the trīmurti Śiva in a cave temple. The date is uncertain, but c.5th–7th cent. CE.

Create a link to this page

Copy and paste this link tag into your Web page or blog:

<a href="http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/.aspx#1O101-Elephanta" title="Facts and information about Elephanta">Elephanta</a>

Cite this article
Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

MLA
Chicago
APA

JOHN BOWKER. "Elephanta." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Nov. 2009 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

JOHN BOWKER. "Elephanta." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. (November 11, 2009). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O101-Elephanta.html

JOHN BOWKER. "Elephanta." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. 1997. Retrieved November 11, 2009 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O101-Elephanta.html

Learn more about citation styles

Related entries from encyclopedias, dictionaries and thesauruses

The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition entry for Gharapuri

Rate these entries|See all related entries

Free newspaper and magazine articles

	The Elephanta Suite.(Book review) Magazine article from: Bookmarks; 1/1/2008
	Bombay writing: are you experienced?(Redux: essays/memoirs)(Critical essay) Magazine article from: The Antioch Review; 3/22/2008
	Now in paperback: previously reviewed, available for less.(book group) Magazine article from: Bookmarks; 9/1/2008

Facts and information from other sites

Related articles from newspapers, magazines, and more

	Three Stories from India Comprise 'Elephanta Suite' Transcript from: NPR All Things Considered; 10/9/2007; ; 496 words ; ...2007 Three Stories from India Comprise 'Elephanta Suite' Host: ROBERT SIEGEL Time 20...His latest work of fiction, "The Elephanta Suite," is comprised of three novellas...enough to stop me from recommending "The Elephanta Suite" to everyone with an urge to pack...
	NOW VOYAGER.(Paul Theroux's new book 'The Elephanta Suite')(Interview) Magazine article from: WWD; 8/23/2007; ; 700+ words ; ...focuses on in his latest book, "The Elephanta Suite," a collection of novellas out...Certainly the characters in "The Elephanta Suite" have gross misconceptions about...same route and along the way wrote "The Elephanta Suite." (He is currently working on...
	Elephanta Cave festival wows Maharashtrians News Wire article from: The Hindustan Times; 2/16/2008; 700 words ; ...International brought to you by HT Syndication. Elephanta Island (Maharashtra), Feb. 16 -- The two-day Elephanta Festival concluded here on Saturday with...art. For aficionados of culture, the Elephanta Festival held at the sixth century heriitage...
	The Elephanta Suite.(Book review) Magazine article from: Bookmarks; 1/1/2008; 700+ words ; ...vulnerable and empathetic. ... The Elephanta Suite hovers near extraordinary, a must...he thought-provoking novellas of The Elephanta Suite are [mostly] beautifully paced...abrupt and unsatisfying endings, The Elephanta Suite presents a gritty, pungent world...
	The Elephanta Suite BOOKS / Fiction Newspaper article from: International Herald Tribune; 11/13/2007; ; 700+ words ; ...International Herald Tribune 11-13-2007 The Elephanta Suite BOOKS / Fiction Byline: Walter...Group Edition: 1 Section: FEATURES The Elephanta Suite By Paul Theroux 274 pages. $25...s new book of three novellas, "The Elephanta Suite," is his attempt - brought off...
	Finally, hope for ancient Elephanta stupa News Wire article from: The Hindustan Times; 10/12/2007; 448 words ; ...ABOUT 10 lakh people make the trip to the rock-cut temple of Elephanta every year, but most are unaware of the historic island...through the continent in the early centuries AD. The stupa at Elephanta is thought to be among the earliest in Maharashtra, along...
	The Elephanta Suite: Three Novellas.(Spotlight) Newspaper article from: Rocky Mountain News (Denver, CO); 10/12/2007; ; 634 words ; Byline: Pete Warzel, Special to the Rocky * Fiction. By Paul Theroux. Houghton Mifflin, $25. Grade: A Plot in a nutshell: Theroux is a literary icon, having established a fine reputation with travel writings and 26 previous works of fiction. The fiction is often inspired from his travel
	Mumbai monkey business Newspaper article from: The Press; 6/19/2001; ; 700+ words ; ...annoying simian business on Mumbai's Elephanta Island is nothing compared with the sights...Monkey Man baffles the New Delhi public, Elephanta Island harbours its own monkey business...handle the growing problem. The advice at Elephanta is to hold on tight to your belongings...
	NOVELLAS ED KING FINDS WESTERNERS WRONG-FOOTED BY A CHANGING INDIA Newspaper article from: The Sunday Telegraph London; 9/23/2007; ; 700+ words ; The Elephanta Suite BY PAUL THEROUX HAMISH HAMILTON...ceased to hold dramatic potential. In The Elephanta Suite - a collection of three novellas...s recent economic awakening and The Elephanta Suite is at its most entertaining when...
	Three novellas about Westerners unsettled by the mysteries of India. Newspaper article from: The Washington Post; 9/23/2007; ; 700+ words ; THE ELEPHANTA SUITE By Paul Theroux Houghton Mifflin...smoothness of a confident professional. The Elephanta Suite is his 27th work of fiction. The...identity and become someone else. The Elephanta Suite, a trio of novellas, expertly...