The great con called the elephanta caves

navinkurian2002 · Mar 28th, 2007, 12:41

The elephanta caves seems to be a cons paradise.

It all starts at the gateway of India where you take the boat to the caves

Luxury boats 120 /- both ways
other boats 90 /-

When you reach the island

Island tax 10/-
You have these old ladies passing by with stainless steel vessels on their head and anyone taking a snap are hassled to shell out 10 bucks.

Then comes the toy train 15/- for a 20 meter ride.

Walking up to the caves you have all these sellers selling stuff at exorbitant prices.

At the caves tickets are 250/- for foreigners and 10/- for locals
The most of the figures have their faces chopped off by thieves so nothing much to look at.

nedhopkins · Mar 28th, 2007, 12:55

I agree with navinkurian. The 2,000-year-old caves at Kanheri (in the Sanjay Gandhi National Park) are far more interesting than those on Elephanta. One could well spend a whole day exploring and admiring them. Plus few if any other tourists would be around.

edwardseco · Mar 28th, 2007, 21:04

I don't know. You can't get transport for free, nobody forces you to buy tourist gimcracky and everybody knows the picture taking scam. The conditions of history are just that and maybe we have to fill in with a bit of imagination. I am sure it is worse that when I visited like a lot of other sites in the world. Wish I had made it to a lot more places since trashed. I am glad I saw it "then" because it was magical..

kullukid · Mar 28th, 2007, 21:11

I was round at a friends at the weekend & another friend brought a 1959 Murrays travel guide to India. When i flicked through the delicate pages 2 tickets for the ferry/boat to Elephanta fell out they were from 1973 & the cost of the fare was RS12. KK

Merchant · Mar 28th, 2007, 21:25

Quote:

The most of the figures have their faces chopped off by thieves so nothing much to look at.

British soldiers were responsible for a lot of the destruction of Elephanta.

georgt · Mar 28th, 2007, 21:39

old ladies passing by with stainless steel vessels on their head

I got exactly the same picture, for a second I thought it was very original, taking casual ladies walking with a metal container on their head making the scene of busy local people attending to normal family needs, fortunately I was able to dodge them before they requested for money moving along fast.

georgt · Mar 28th, 2007, 21:42

British soldiers were responsible for a lot of the destruction of Elephanta

were not portoghese?

shahronakm · Mar 28th, 2007, 21:43

Have still not visited Elephanta Caves. Would like to visit the same may be not for Caves but as an island point of view. Have heard views from the top are good. Can also enjoy a long ferry / boat ride.

Ronak.

Jamie11 · Mar 28th, 2007, 21:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by Merchant

British soldiers were responsible for a lot of the destruction of Elephanta.

And they still continue to cause a lot of destruction around the world,

capt_mahajan · Mar 28th, 2007, 21:58

Wasn't the British. It was the Portugese.

edit: as georgt has pointed out earlier

Merchant · Mar 28th, 2007, 22:20

I must have confused it with the British attempts to dynamite the Taj Mahal.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lord_William_Bentinck

moo · Mar 28th, 2007, 22:21

Jamie11, Whilst I am no great fan of the British soldier or the politicians (of any persuasion) that control them. Let's not lose sight of disaster relief (N. Pakistan), famine relief (Sudan) and so-called 'peace-keeping' (former Yugoslavia). I have a family friend who flies a Lockheed Hercules for RAF Transport Command - he has spent about 75 percent of his active service doing 'peace'.
Peace bro', Johnny.

cyberhippie · Mar 28th, 2007, 22:23

Lets not lose sight of the thread topic

capt_mahajan · Mar 28th, 2007, 22:26

Ok.

Suspect that it may be too late, though

moo · Mar 28th, 2007, 22:27

Nuff said.

Mar 28th, 2007, 12:41	#1
navinkurian2002 Maha Guru Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Mumbai,India Posts: 791	The great con called the elephanta caves The elephanta caves seems to be a cons paradise. It all starts at the gateway of India where you take the boat to the caves Luxury boats 120 /- both ways other boats 90 /- When you reach the island Island tax 10/- You have these old ladies passing by with stainless steel vessels on their head and anyone taking a snap are hassled to shell out 10 bucks. Then comes the toy train 15/- for a 20 meter ride. Walking up to the caves you have all these sellers selling stuff at exorbitant prices. At the caves tickets are 250/- for foreigners and 10/- for locals The most of the figures have their faces chopped off by thieves so nothing much to look at. __________________ It doesn't interest me what you do for a living. I want to know what you ache for, and if you dare dream of meeting your heart's longing.

Mar 28th, 2007, 21:43	#8
shahronakm Maha Guru Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Mumbai, India Posts: 1,525	Have still not visited Elephanta Caves. Would like to visit the same may be not for Caves but as an island point of view. Have heard views from the top are good. Can also enjoy a long ferry / boat ride. Ronak. __________________ My Picture Gallery

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Mar 28th, 2007, 12:55	#2
nedhopkins Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: California Posts: 233	I agree with navinkurian. The 2,000-year-old caves at Kanheri (in the Sanjay Gandhi National Park) are far more interesting than those on Elephanta. One could well spend a whole day exploring and admiring them. Plus few if any other tourists would be around.

Mar 28th, 2007, 21:04	#3
edwardseco Maha Guru Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Land that shakes and bakes. Posts: 4,227	I don't know. You can't get transport for free, nobody forces you to buy tourist gimcracky and everybody knows the picture taking scam. The conditions of history are just that and maybe we have to fill in with a bit of imagination. I am sure it is worse that when I visited like a lot of other sites in the world. Wish I had made it to a lot more places since trashed. I am glad I saw it "then" because it was magical..

Mar 28th, 2007, 21:11	#4
kullukid Maha Guru Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: u.k. Posts: 997	I was round at a friends at the weekend & another friend brought a 1959 Murrays travel guide to India. When i flicked through the delicate pages 2 tickets for the ferry/boat to Elephanta fell out they were from 1973 & the cost of the fare was RS12. KK

Mar 28th, 2007, 21:39	#6
georgt Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: italy Posts: 53	old ladies passing by with stainless steel vessels on their head I got exactly the same picture, for a second I thought it was very original, taking casual ladies walking with a metal container on their head making the scene of busy local people attending to normal family needs, fortunately I was able to dodge them before they requested for money moving along fast.

Mar 28th, 2007, 21:42	#7
georgt Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: italy Posts: 53	British soldiers were responsible for a lot of the destruction of Elephanta were not portoghese?

Mar 28th, 2007, 21:58	#10
capt_mahajan (in charge of navel affairs) Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: India Posts: 10,575	Wasn't the British. It was the Portugese. edit: as georgt has pointed out earlier

Mar 28th, 2007, 22:20	#11
Merchant Maha Guru Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: New York Posts: 2,096	I must have confused it with the British attempts to dynamite the Taj Mahal. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lord_William_Bentinck

Mar 28th, 2007, 22:21	#12
moo Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: original york Posts: 118	Jamie11, Whilst I am no great fan of the British soldier or the politicians (of any persuasion) that control them. Let's not lose sight of disaster relief (N. Pakistan), famine relief (Sudan) and so-called 'peace-keeping' (former Yugoslavia). I have a family friend who flies a Lockheed Hercules for RAF Transport Command - he has spent about 75 percent of his active service doing 'peace'. Peace bro', Johnny.

Mar 28th, 2007, 22:23	#13
cyberhippie Account Closed by User's Request Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: the Netherlands Posts: 6,012	Lets not lose sight of the thread topic

Mar 28th, 2007, 22:26	#14
capt_mahajan (in charge of navel affairs) Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: India Posts: 10,575	Ok. Suspect that it may be too late, though

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Mar 28th, 2007, 22:27	#15
moo Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: original york Posts: 118	Nuff said.