Historic Site · Mumbai, India
Elephanta Caves
The Elephanta Caves form a collection of cave temples predominantly dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva; UNESCO has designated them as a World Heritage Site.
Photo: Christian Haugen via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0. Cropped and resized for display.
Landmark facts
| Location | Mumbai, India |
|---|---|
| Type | Historic Site |
| Coordinates | 18.9633° N, 72.9314° E |
Every fact above is taken from the sources listed below; anything no source states is left blank rather than guessed.
What Elephanta Caves is known for
The Elephanta Caves form a collection of cave temples predominantly dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva; UNESCO has designated them as a World Heritage Site.
About Elephanta Caves
The Elephanta Caves form a collection of cave temples predominantly dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva; UNESCO has designated them as a World Heritage Site. They are located on Elephanta Island, or Gharapuri (literally meaning "the city of the caves"), in Mumbai Harbour, 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) east of Mumbai in the Indian state of Maharashtra. The island, about 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) west of the Jawaharlal Nehru Port, features five Hindu caves, a few Buddhist stupa mounds that date back to the 2nd century BCE, and two Buddhist caves with water tanks.
History
The ancient history of the island is unknown in both Hindu or Buddhist records. Archeological studies have uncovered many remains that suggest the small island had a rich cultural past, with evidence of human settlement by possibly the 2nd century BC. The Elephanta site was first occupied by Hinayana Buddhists, before the arrival of the Brahmans to the island, to raise a large stupa to the Buddha with seven smaller stupas around it, probably around the 2nd century BCE.
How to get there
| Nearest town | Mumbai |
|---|---|
| Nearest airport | Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (BOM) |
| Distance from the airport | 9.8 miles (straight line) |
Nearest major airport by straight-line distance from the landmark’s coordinates; road distance will be longer.
Airports near this landmark
The airports a visitor would actually fly into, nearest first — each link opens its profile on our sister site AirportProfiles.
- Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMI) · Navi Mumbai, India · 8.9 miles away
- Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (BOM) · Mumbai, India · 9.6 miles away
- Pune International Airport (PNQ) · Pune, India · 69.8 miles away
Landmarks nearby
The closest landmarks in this library, by straight-line distance.
More landmarks in India
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Frequently asked questions
What is Elephanta Caves?
The Elephanta Caves form a collection of cave temples predominantly dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva; UNESCO has designated them as a World Heritage Site.
Where is Elephanta Caves located?
Elephanta Caves is in Mumbai, India. Its coordinates are 18.9633° N, 72.9314° E.
How do I get to Elephanta Caves?
The nearest town is Mumbai, and the nearest airport is Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (BOM), about 9.8 miles away (straight line).
What is the history of Elephanta Caves?
The ancient history of the island is unknown in both Hindu or Buddhist records. Archeological studies have uncovered many remains that suggest the small island had a rich cultural past, with evidence of human settlement by possibly the 2nd century BC.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elephanta_Caves — Wikipedia article — overview, history and core facts (CC BY-SA).
- https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q649384 — Wikidata — built year, architect, height/size, visitors, official website (CC0).
- https://github.com/jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports — Nearest major airport computed from landmark and airport coordinates (haversine); airport list: jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports.
Page last updated 13 November 2026.