Large number of visitors come
to Elephanta Island in February for the Elephanta dance festival.
This festival of Music and Dance is organised by the Maharashtra
Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC). Over the years, it has become
a major tourist attraction for Mumbaites as well as for
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Three panels are set into the rear wall.
To the left, Shiva and Parvati are joined in a composite and androgynous
figure; to the right, an enclosure contain a carving of Shiva as Ardhanarishwara
- in which he combines the female and the male aspects in his own self.
Then the image of the trimurthi, to its right is a detailed panel depicting
Shiva assisting in the descent of the goddess Ganga. A three headed
female figure emerges from Shiva. Here Ganga is shown in the centre and
her tributaries, Yamuna and Saraswati rivers on either side.
These complex male-female, husband-wife relationships
are embodied in the immense triple headed bust of Shiva in the middle.
The god emerges only partly from the mountain, his fourth head turned
unseen into the rock. The monument is maintained by the Archaeological
Survey of India.
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Monuments 
Large scale scenes are deeply recessed into the walls of the cave. The
compositions depict different aspects of Shiva. There is a much damaged
carving of Lord Shiva seated on a lotus in yogic posture as Lakulisa
and on its right is a vigorously dancing Nataraja. From the steps at the
entrance, the yoni lingam, symbol of Shiva's creative power can be seen. Shiva
and Parvati playing dice, Ravana shaking Kailasa (right) on which Shiva
is seated, Panels spearing the Shiva killing the demon Andhaka (left)
and the marriage of Shiva and Parvati (right) are positioned at the west
end on the south wall. Behind Parvati stands her father Himalaya and to
his left is Chandramas, the god of the moon, carrying a pot of soma (food
of the gods). On Shiva's left is Vishnu and below is Brahma. 
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