High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! The Elephanta Caves are located on Elephanta Island or Gharapuri (literally "the city of caves") in Mumbai Harbour, some 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) to the east of the city of Mumbai (Bombay) itself, in the Indian state of Maharashtra. The island, located on an arm of the Arabian Sea, has two groups of caves, a large group of five Hindu caves and a smaller group of two Buddhist caves. The former caves contain rock cut stone sculptures, representing the Shaiva Hindu sect, dedicated to the god Shiva.