DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.2371#0487
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CHAPTER VI.
LATE BRAHMANICAL CAVES.
Elephanta.
The island of Elephanta or Grharapuri, as it is called by the
Hindus, is about six miles from Bombay, and four from the shore of
the mainland.1 It was named Elephanta by the Portuguese from a
large stone elephant 13 feet 2 inches in length, and about 7 feet 4
inches high, that stood near the old landing-place on the south side
of the island.
The great cave is in the western hill of the island, and at an
elevation of about 250 feet above high-water level. It is hewn out
of a hard compact trap rock, which has also been cut away on either
side, leaving open areas affording entrances from its east and west
sides. The principal entrance faces the north.
The accompanying ground plan (Plate LXXXV.) will convey the
best general idea of the form and arrangement of the parts of the cave.
Prom the front entrance to the back it measures about 130 feet, and
its length from the east to the west entrance is the same. It does
not, however, occupy the entire square of this area. As in the
1 The principal notices of Elephanta are in J. H. Van Linschoten (1579) Discourse
of Voyages (Lond. 1598), Boke I. ch. xliv. p. 80; Diogo de Couto (1603), Da Asia,
wc. VHma. liv. iii. cap. 11; Fryer (1673) New Account of East India and Persia,
P'iSj J. Ovington, Voyage to Suratt in 1689, pp. 158-161; Capt. A. Hamilton,
Xl« Accomit of the East Indies (ed. 1744), vol. i. pp. 241, 242; Fyke (1712) in
■mhmologia, vol. vii. pp. 323-332; A. du Perron, Zend-Avesta, disc. prel. torn. i.
PP' wccxix-ccccxxiii. ; C. Kiebulir (1764), Voyage en Arable, $c, torn. ii. pp. 25-33 ;
Grose, Voyage from England to India (1750), vol. i. pp. 59-62 ; Dr. W. Hunter, in
•bcha-ologia, vol. vii. pp. 286-295; H. Macneil, ib., vol. viii. pp. 270, 277 ; Asiat.
Res- vol. iv. pp. 409-417 ; Forbes, Oriental Memoirs, vol. i. pp.423, 432-435,441-
®; "Erskine in Trans. Bom. Lit. Soc. vol. i. pp. 198-250; Fergusson, Rock-Cut
rml>ks, pp. 54? 55 . Dr j, Wilson, Calcutta Review, vol. xlii. (1866) pp. 1-25 ; and
!n)rlioek Temples of Elephanta or Gharapuri (illustrated), Bombay, 1871.
Ym- GO
CHAPTER VI.
LATE BRAHMANICAL CAVES.
Elephanta.
The island of Elephanta or Grharapuri, as it is called by the
Hindus, is about six miles from Bombay, and four from the shore of
the mainland.1 It was named Elephanta by the Portuguese from a
large stone elephant 13 feet 2 inches in length, and about 7 feet 4
inches high, that stood near the old landing-place on the south side
of the island.
The great cave is in the western hill of the island, and at an
elevation of about 250 feet above high-water level. It is hewn out
of a hard compact trap rock, which has also been cut away on either
side, leaving open areas affording entrances from its east and west
sides. The principal entrance faces the north.
The accompanying ground plan (Plate LXXXV.) will convey the
best general idea of the form and arrangement of the parts of the cave.
Prom the front entrance to the back it measures about 130 feet, and
its length from the east to the west entrance is the same. It does
not, however, occupy the entire square of this area. As in the
1 The principal notices of Elephanta are in J. H. Van Linschoten (1579) Discourse
of Voyages (Lond. 1598), Boke I. ch. xliv. p. 80; Diogo de Couto (1603), Da Asia,
wc. VHma. liv. iii. cap. 11; Fryer (1673) New Account of East India and Persia,
P'iSj J. Ovington, Voyage to Suratt in 1689, pp. 158-161; Capt. A. Hamilton,
Xl« Accomit of the East Indies (ed. 1744), vol. i. pp. 241, 242; Fyke (1712) in
■mhmologia, vol. vii. pp. 323-332; A. du Perron, Zend-Avesta, disc. prel. torn. i.
PP' wccxix-ccccxxiii. ; C. Kiebulir (1764), Voyage en Arable, $c, torn. ii. pp. 25-33 ;
Grose, Voyage from England to India (1750), vol. i. pp. 59-62 ; Dr. W. Hunter, in
•bcha-ologia, vol. vii. pp. 286-295; H. Macneil, ib., vol. viii. pp. 270, 277 ; Asiat.
Res- vol. iv. pp. 409-417 ; Forbes, Oriental Memoirs, vol. i. pp.423, 432-435,441-
®; "Erskine in Trans. Bom. Lit. Soc. vol. i. pp. 198-250; Fergusson, Rock-Cut
rml>ks, pp. 54? 55 . Dr j, Wilson, Calcutta Review, vol. xlii. (1866) pp. 1-25 ; and
!n)rlioek Temples of Elephanta or Gharapuri (illustrated), Bombay, 1871.
Ym- GO