Elephanta Caves

Some of the carvings still left at Elephanta

Anuradha Goyal

Elephanta Island makes Mumbai an obligatory stop. The island, reachable within an hour by boat, has old rock-cut Hindu temples, shrines and caves that date back from the 6th century. The whole island is dedicated to the Hindu Lord Siva. The Elephanta Caves have been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. You can catch a boat at the Gateway of India.

Beware of monkeys on way to the caves, they will try to snatch any eatable that they see in your hand. Maharashtra Tourism development Corporation runs a toy train that takes you from the shore to the steps that you have to climb to reach the caves. It is nice place to go for a small photography excursion.