We are going to visit the Gharapuri Island which is about eleven miles away from the mainland of Mumbai. Gharapuri is one of the many islands which are scattered near the Mumbai shore. It is famous for the Hindu religious caves hewn out of the mountain rocks on the island. The Portuguese started calling this island ‘Elephanta Island’ because of two huge rock-cut sculptures of Elephants that they found lying on the shores when they first landed there. To get to the island, we have to take a ferry boat from Gateway of India. The boats leave from a jetty behind this beautiful monument. The Gateway of India square is the most important area in South Mumbai, always crowded with tourists and under tight security at all times. Once we reach the open space in front of the monument, we get to enjoy a beautiful view of the sea on one side and a row of elegant colonial-era buildings on the other side. The most beautiful one is the Hotel Taj Mahal palace. The Taj was (is )the first international star hotel in India. It was built by Sir Jamshetji Tata in 1903, the first one in the chain of Taj group of hotels the world over. There was a terrorist attack on 26th November 2008, when a group of Pakistani terrorists entered the hotel and killed 34 people and wounded many more. It was after this attack that the Mumbai Police set up the security cordon around the Gateway. The Gateway was erected to commemorate the visit of King George V and Queen Mary to India, in 1911. Lord Sydenham, the Governor of Mumbai at the time, suggested a prominent structure to commemorate the visit. This monument designed by George Wittet is a combination of Hindu and Muslim styles of architecture.

Nestled close to the coastline of Bombay is the mysterious island of Elephanta, home to the breathtaking Elephanta caves. Carved into the rock at the top of the island is an ancient temple to Lord Shiva, built by a long-lost dynasty. The temple has just about survived the ravages of the centuries to tell the story of one of Hinduism’s most charismatic deities in sculptures of marvelous elegance and beauty. Hop On to the Elephanta tour and bear witness to the grand pantheon of Shaivite mythology – Shiva as the meditating yogi, the destroyer of demons, the handsome husband of the goddess Parvati, and as the massive three-headed Lord of all creation. The ferry ride to the island has its own charms, with stunt-performing seagulls, dolphin sightings and a unique view of the Mumbai coastline.