The previous reviews pretty much described what to expect from a visit to the Elephanta Caves, a collection of rock-cut cave temples dedicated to Shiva. Here are some observations and updated info from my visit to the island in January 2024. 

1. Logistics - getting to the caves remains the same: you get on a ferry from the Gate of India, sail for about an hour, catch the toy train upon arrival, walk uphill and dodge eager vendors, and pay the entrance tickets. Unless I missed it, there didn't seem to be an option for "luxury" ferry anymore, as everyone got one type of ticket at INR 260 return, with an option to pay extra INR 10 for a seat on the upper deck. I took the toy train (INR 18) and paid INR 5 for the local tax (or 'village' entry fee). I also decided not to buy a guide booklet being sold for INR 180 as I've had internet connection and knew that there would be info panels at the caves. As usual, foreign tourists had to pay a significantly higher fee (INR 600) than the locals, but we all get used to it, I guess. By the way, heaps of garbage on the shores of the island, and it really ruins the experience for me.

2. Cave 1 - as mentioned in previous reviews, cave 1 is the highlight and tells what this site is all about. Some comments on the things you'd see in Cave 1:

• Columns - I find them quite interesting as the capitals of these columns somehow resemble that of one type of ancient Egyptian columns.
• Shrines - A shrine housing a massive linga is found to your right upon entry (on the western half of the cave). This shrine has a square plan and is surrounded by giant guardians, though some are significantly damaged. The east shrine is connected to Cave 1 through an open courtyard. Note the carved wall on the west side of the east shrine, although you'd need a torch to appreciate the details. A tiny shrine is also found on the west side of Cave 1, where I have seen some devotees remove their shoes upon entry.
• Sculptures - Various representations of Shiva are seen on the walls of Cave 1, although many of them had been vandalised, mutilated, or eroded. My personal favourites are the (1) Nataraja Shiva (dancing Shiva), (2) Andhakari Shiva (depicts a terrifying Shiva slaying the malevolent asura Andhaka), (3) Gangadhara Shiva (a relatively intact sculpture depicting Shiva, Parvati, and the triple-headed Ganga), and the main attraction, (4) the Sadashiva, which shows a three-headed Shiva. 

3. On Sadashiva - speaking of Sadashiva, Wikipedia and Britannica refer to Sadashiva as trimurti, a term that Frederick attested to be confusing. We often associate the term trimurti with the trifecta of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. However, in Shaivism, trimurti in this case simply refers to the 3 heads that represent various aspects or facets of Shiva. But you know what's more confusing? An info panel at the entrance of the site describes Sadashiva as panchamukha linga ('pancha' is five and 'mukha' means face in Sanskrit). This means that this sculpture represents Shiva having 5 faces, although only three are seen as the 4th one is behind the bust and thus implied, while the 5th one is never carved as it is beyond "the sight of the mortals". As this website attests, the use of trimurti here is a misunderstanding. 

4. Other caves - I'd like to emphasise that the other caves (caves 2 to 5) are worth visiting as they would give you an idea of what the caves look like at varying levels of excavation and development. Cave 3 also has an impressive facade with rows of massive pillars.

5. Five or seven? There are actually 7 caves on the island. The other two are located on a hill opposite to where the five caves are. One website says that cave 6 was converted into a church while cave 7 had several Buddhist stupas around it. I only learned about the two other caves upon re-viewing the map of the site when I arrived back in Mumbai, so I kinda regret not knowing about them before visiting. For future reviewers of this site, it would be handy to have these two other caves included in your personal reviews. An excellent blog entry on Elephanta Island by a photographer named Kevin Standage gives a glimpse of these less-visited caves.

Lastly, it is natural to compare Elephanta Caves with Ajanta and Ellora as they are all rock-cut temples. While I have not been to the other two, comparing them may be quite unfair as they are all quite different: Ajanta is Buddhist, Elephanta is Hindu (of Shaivism tradition), and Ellora is multi-religious (Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain). I guess the best way to appreciate Elephanta is to visit it first and then gradually move to the other, bigger caves. This allows for a more informed comparison and may preclude disappointment if you find the other caves to be much more impressive.