The Statue That Gave Elephanta Caves Its Name, 1920 Photo
A rare 1920 photograph of the stone elephant statue that gave Elephanta Island and its caves their name. Bombay (Mumbai) was under Portuguese control before it was ceded to King Charles II as dowry in 1661. The territory included Elephanta Island, where the caves are located. The Caves are a network of rock-cut Hindu temples.
When Portuguese colonists arrived in the 16th century, they found a massive stone elephant near the entrance of the island. They called the island “Ilha do Elefante”, in Portuguese, or “Island of the Elephant”. Over time, the British anglicized it to “Elephanta Island“, and the caves became known as the “Elephanta Caves”.
Bombay’s British colonial authorities in the 19th century attempted to remove the statue from the island. The British initially intended to ship the colossal stone to England, but the venture failed – the heavy carving broke down during handling. Local British engineers Cadell and Hewett undertook a careful reconstruction of the statue.
By 1914, the fragments had been reassembled into the statue’s recognizable form. The restored elephant was then installed on display in the Victoria Garden Museum in Bombay. After India’s independence, the garden was renamed Jijamata Udyan, and the museum became the Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum. Click on the photo to enlarge.
Did you know – the stone elephant today is essentially the 1914 reconstruction of the original carving.
Past posts – 3 Vintage Postcards Ravi Varma Press, 1899., Cochin Port Trust Harbour Building, 1950 Postcard., Cannon Accident Fort St George Madras, 1870 Print., Test Run of The Nilgiri Mountain Railway Train, 1899 Photo
