Cave Number 3 - 2 Editorial Image

It is the cave number 3 of the very famous Elephanta Caves. Elephanta Caves are a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a collection of cave temples predominantly dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva.The Elephanta Caves contain rock cut stone sculptures that show syncretism of Hindu and Buddhist ideas and iconography.The caves are hewn from solid basalt rock. It is a portico with six pillars, and a mandapa with pillars.The portico is 26 m 85 ft long and 11 m 36 ft deep and is supported by four reconstructed pillars.[83] At the back of the portico are three chambers. The central door at the back of the portico leads to a damaged shrine, the sanctum seems to be for a Linga, but that is lost. The shrine is a plain room 6 m 20 ft deep by 5.7 m 19 ft wide with a low altar. The shrine door has some traces of sculpture. The dvarapalas on each side, leaning on dwarfs with flying figures over the head, are now in fragments. There are two other chambers, one on each side of the shrine.