ARTICLE
Ardhanarishvara, Elephanta Cave 1
The idea of femininity or fertility as an energy channelled by Shiva in this form is a possible reason for placing why this relief and Gangadhara are placed on either side of the three-headed Sadashiva, who is the main icon of Cave 1. The image of Ganga flowing through Shiva’s locks in the Gangadhara relief suggests a fertility external to the god, whereas Ardhanarishvara possesses an internal, assimilated fertility. Both therefore suggest two depictions of how Shiva is believed to interact with the creative energies of the goddess.
The Elephanta Caves were designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987. Prior to that, major restoration and structural reinforcement was conducted in the 1970s, although many figures such as the Ardhanarishvara had already suffered permanent damage.
Bibliography
Burgess, James. The Rock-Temples of Elephanta or Gharapuri. Sykes & Co, 1871.
Collins, Charles Dillard. Iconography and Ritual of Śiva at Elephanta. State University of New York Press, 1988.
Goldberg, Ellen S. The Lord Who Is Half Woman: Ardhanārīśvara in Indian and Feminist Perspective. State University of New York Press, 2002.
Kinsley, David. Hindu Goddesses: Visions of the Divine Feminine in the Hindu Religious Tradition. University of California Press, 1986.
Kramrisch, Stella. The Presence of Śiva. Princeton University Press, 1992.