Façade and Entrance
This image shows the entrance façade of Cave 3, one of the smaller rock-cut excavations at the Elephanta Caves. Carved directly into the basalt hillside, the façade measures approximately 110 ft (33.5 m) wide and 40 ft (12.2 m) high. Unlike the Main Cave and Cave 2, whose façades are supported by four pillars, Cave 3 has six pillars flanked by two pilasters, giving the entrance a broader appearance.
Although most of the original pillars had collapsed over the centuries, they have since been reconstructed by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) during conservation work. The pillars follow the characteristic Elephanta design, each consisting of a square base, a cylindrical shaft, a cushion-shaped capital, and a square abacus supporting the massive rock-cut beam above. Beyond the façade lies the spacious mukhamantapa (portico), which leads to the shrine dedicated to Shiva.
Cave 3 pages
1. Façade and Entrance
2. Doorway to the Garbhagriha
3. Pedestal of the Shiva Linga
4. Northern Hall
5. Southern Wall
Explore More About Elephanta
– Elephanta Caves
– Elephanta Main Cave
– The Mystery of Elephanta Cave 2
– How to Reach Elephanta Caves
Related Pages
– Badami
– Cave Temples of Badami
– Badami Cave 1, Badami Cave 2, Badami Cave 3, Badami Cave 4
– Durga Temple at Aihole
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