THE PEINCE OF WALES IN THE CAVES OF ELEPHANTA.

Colonist, Volume XVIII, Issue 2039, 22 February 1876, Page 4

THE PEINCE OF WALES IN THE CAVES OF ELEPHANTA.

Speaking of the Prince of Wales' visit to [Elephanta, a correspondent writes from Bombay:—The sculptures of the gods and other mythical personages which occupy three sides of the square temple —the chief opening by which the guests entered being on the fourth srle —are of colossal size, and fui- the most part extend from the floor to the ei-ittng. There are nine great groups of sculpture, five against the wall opposite the entrance, two on the right-hand wall, aud two ou the left. The chief, is si huge figure with three faces of Brahma, the creator ; he holds a gourd, his drinking vessel,, in one of his hands, and there is much noble sublimity his: face. As Viahnu, the presercer, he hold 3 a lotus flower, and there is a color of the same sublimity in the countenance. As Uudra, the destroyer, he smiles on a deadly corbra, whose folds are wreathed round his arm, whose eyes are looking in his, and whose hood is expanded as. if about to strike. The destroyer's cap is adorned with a skull and with other symbols not so easily explained. I have particularised this group because it is right in front cf it that his ■KoyalHighness sat at the banquet during the evening. The calai, grand face of Brahma looked almost over his itoyal Highness's; head; and1 in its stony stillness, its gaze ran along.the banqueting tables and the eating and drinking guests. It seemed a strange anachronism. That untroubled face bad looked down on numberless generations of devout worshipers, and now was sur-1 veying a hearty English dinner party, unperturbed by the bang of the champague bottle, the rattle of knives and forks, the laughter, or the cheers that crowned the toasts. -Behind his Koyal Highness and to the right hand of him was a strange group— Shiva as a half male and hall female cliyinity. The one halt' of the figure is that of a man, and the other half that of a woman. Further to the rights and still behind him, Shiva is seated in^his heaven with his bride Parvati, and groups of male and.female divinities are strewing flowers upon them from the heavenly cloud-land. To the Prince's left hand, and yet behind him; was a group representing Shira and Parvata on; their bridal day, with attendants ministering unto them.'.; On.the " ,\yall to the Prince's right hand was, a group! representing a ten-headed and ,ten-armed powerful worshiper of Shiva attempting to carry off Shiva and his heavenly abode;' that he might have Shiva always to himself.'pn the wall to the Prince's left handjWas a representation of, Shiva b.ehead T ing,oin his wrath, a son of Brahma, and having eight arms, tusks from his mouth, and1 adorrfed with necklaces or strings of human skulls. The cause of the great G-od's fury is that one of his wives had been slighted because* she ihad-presented herself uninvited at a party 'given by'one of her relations On the samo wall and still to his Koyal Highness's left, was another representation of Shiva in one of his mo»t dreadful forms. It waß with .these great solemn figures before and "around1 that the banquet proceeded, w^ile'the^Governbr's band was outside discoursing,, in the calm, tropnicalnight,'sweet

European'music. His Eoyal Highness proposed " Her Majesty's health," and the old gods might have been startled with the cheers. Not less ought they to have been aroused by the echoing shouts which rang again and again. when " the health of his Royal Highness " himself was proposed. The ct»ves were then lighted up with red and green fires, which threw the gigantic sculptures into a weird, unatural glare. When the banquet was ended and the guests \ had issued from the now heated cave into the cool evening air," a 1 surprise had been reserved for them. The mountain was illuminated. Bonfires blazed on.its summit and ou every shoulder of the hill lime lights darted their searching radience around and

far over the seaj while every bush and tree was brilliant with lights. Bed, blue, and white lights lit up the whole mountain slope into something .approaching the brightness ot day. Then from the summit of the montain was heard the whiz and rush of the rocket, the signal for the pyrotecnic display, and the fireworks began.