2025-04-15 Tue

The third stamp in the mesmerizing Archaeological and Historical Monuments Definitive series of 1949 features the remarkable sculpture of Sadashiva with a face value of 9 pies. Popularly known as Trimurti, this sculpture is from the ElephantaCaves in Gharapuri near Mumbai, Maharashtra. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Elephanta Caves dates back around 6th—7th century CE. It comprises five Hindu cave temples dedicated to Lord Shiva and two Buddhist caves and stupas. Fun Fact: The Trimurti is actually a Panchmukhi or five-faced Shiva! He is represented with five heads, each depicting a different avatar. It includes Sadashiva or Maheshmurti (Front: ultimate divine energy), Aghora-Shiva (Left: fearsome) and Vamadeva (Right: blissful). The two invisible heads are Tatpurusha (Back: the power of concealment) and Sadyojata-Shiva (Top: the power of creation). Blended with art and history, the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) proudly features the Trimurti with the iconic GatewayofIndia in the background as their official logo. Note: One can visit Gharapuri through a ferry via Gateway of India.