DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.70302#0473
( 427 )
Description of the remarkable Island of Elephanta, in the
East Indies.
Opposite the island of Bombay, at the distance of
about five miles, lies the very small, but celebrated island
of Elephanta. It is not above three miles in circum-
ference, and consists almost entirely of one hill: at the
foot of which as you land, you see just above the shore on
your right, the figure of an elephant rudely cut out in
stone, of the natural size. The stone being of the natural
colour of the same animal, it may, at some little dis-
tance be taken for an elephant. It stands on a plat-
form of stones of the same colour. On the back of this
elephant was placed a young one standing, which ap-
peared to have been formed of the same stone, but has
long been broken down. Of the history or intention of
this image, there is no tradition ancient enough to give
any account.
Returning to the foot of the hill you ascend to an easy
slant, which about half way up the hill brings you to the
opening or portal of a large cavern, hewn out of the
solid rock into a magnificent temple ; for such it may be
termed, considering the immense workmanship of such an
excavation, which appears to have been a bolder attempt
than even that of the pyramids of Egypt. There is a
noble entrance into this subterraneous temple, which is
an oblong square, about eighty or ninety feet in length,
and forty in breadth. The roof is nothing but the rock
cut flat at the top, and which has all the appearance of
being of one piece. It is about ten feet high and sup-
ported towards the middle, at an equal distance from the
sides, and from one another with two regular rows of pil-
lars of a singulai' order. They are very massive, short in
proportion to their thickness; and their capital bears some
resemblance to a round cushion, pressed by the superin-
3 i 2 cumbent
Description of the remarkable Island of Elephanta, in the
East Indies.
Opposite the island of Bombay, at the distance of
about five miles, lies the very small, but celebrated island
of Elephanta. It is not above three miles in circum-
ference, and consists almost entirely of one hill: at the
foot of which as you land, you see just above the shore on
your right, the figure of an elephant rudely cut out in
stone, of the natural size. The stone being of the natural
colour of the same animal, it may, at some little dis-
tance be taken for an elephant. It stands on a plat-
form of stones of the same colour. On the back of this
elephant was placed a young one standing, which ap-
peared to have been formed of the same stone, but has
long been broken down. Of the history or intention of
this image, there is no tradition ancient enough to give
any account.
Returning to the foot of the hill you ascend to an easy
slant, which about half way up the hill brings you to the
opening or portal of a large cavern, hewn out of the
solid rock into a magnificent temple ; for such it may be
termed, considering the immense workmanship of such an
excavation, which appears to have been a bolder attempt
than even that of the pyramids of Egypt. There is a
noble entrance into this subterraneous temple, which is
an oblong square, about eighty or ninety feet in length,
and forty in breadth. The roof is nothing but the rock
cut flat at the top, and which has all the appearance of
being of one piece. It is about ten feet high and sup-
ported towards the middle, at an equal distance from the
sides, and from one another with two regular rows of pil-
lars of a singulai' order. They are very massive, short in
proportion to their thickness; and their capital bears some
resemblance to a round cushion, pressed by the superin-
3 i 2 cumbent