BROKEN TEMPLESTHE SUBCONTINENT ATLAS
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Hindu · India · SITE DOSSIER

Elephanta Caves

Rock-cut shrines retain major sculptures alongside broken limbs, defaced figures and other losses.

Gharapuri Island, Mumbai · Maharashtra

LAST DOCUMENTED CONDITION

Survives with damage

As documented: 2026-09-28
LOCATION PRECISION

Approximate locality

18.9633°, 72.9314° · not a surveyed footprint

How to read this history

AI-assisted source review: 2026-09-28. Independent specialist review: not completed.

The recorded chronology

Selected episodes. Rebuilding and later changes are distinguished from damage.

  1. Damage · unknown causeOpen this episode on the map ↗

    Multiple episodes · dates unresolved

    Extensive sculptural damage is visible and described; accounts disagree over which losses occurred under which authorities.

    eventDisputed

    Extensive sculptural damage is visible and described; accounts disagree over which losses occurred under which authorities.

    The atlas does not assign every broken figure to a single actor or date.

    dateUnknown

    Multiple episodes · dates unresolved

    Exact dating remains unresolved.

    actorDisputed

    Portuguese authorities or soldiers, among competing attributions

Location & last documented condition

locationSupported in consulted sources

Approximate locality; not a surveyed historic footprint.

present conditionAttributed · further checking needed

The structure survives with documented losses.

Source context

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References are discovery leads unless marked as consulted.

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