Elephant festival
This festival is held across the Mumbai harbour, on
the Elephanta Island, near the world-renowned Elephanta
Caves (A World Heritage Site). This feast of music and
dance, celebrated under the stars, transforms the entire
island into a large auditorium.

Elephanta, a small island 10kms away from the Mumbai
harbour, is a favoured destination for culture lovers
during the festival held in February. The Elephanta
Island is known for its great cave shrine, excavated
in the 6th century.
Elephanta caves, earlier known as Gharapuri, are the
tranquil abode of Lord Shiva. This land was renamed,
Elephanta by the Portuguese, after the majestic carved
elephant on this island.
The temple here has large pillars and nine marvelous
sculptured panels, set on the wall, which are awe-inspiring.
The sculptures display the changing moods of Lord Shiva,
with the magical interplay of light and shade intensifying
the overall effect.
The festival of Music and Dance is organised by the
Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC).
The main highlights of the festival are the illuminated
Maheshmurti (Shiva-idol), in the main cave of the island.
Folk dances by the local fisher folk, ethnic local food
varieties add to the ambiance. Over the years, the festival
has become a major tourist attraction for Mumbaites
and for incoming domestic and foreign tourists.
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