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The week long Elephanta Festival is organized by the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) to promote and glorify the tourism and culture of Mumbai. The annually held festival takes place in the month of February and is celebrated with great enthusiasm. The venue of the event is the Gateway of India.
The carnival also includes a boat ride from the Gateway of India in Mumbai to the Elephanta Islands. The island was once known as Puri or Gharapuri, which means, peaceful living place of lord Shiva. It is believed that the Portuguese found a monolithic stone at the very place known as elephant; thus the place derived its name from it.
The main attraction of the festival is the elucidated Maheshmurti, the idol of Lord Shiva, which is placed in the main cave of the Elephanta Island. It was started in the year 1989. The illuminated idol of the deity renders an amazing effect to the backdrop at night. The festival is popular and one of the most admired among the mumbaites.
The festival includes classical dances, plays, skits and instrumental and vocal recitals, which are performed in the cyclopean auditorium. At the Gateway of India, there is also an event that is organized on the very festival is called Shehnai Program. Along with the illumination at the site, which seems like ethereal, you can also treat your taste buds with the delectable ethnic and local delicacies, as this is an integral part of the carnival which completes the festival.
Elephanta is just one-and-a-half hours drive away from Mumbai and is easy to reach.