The 'Elephant' found from 'Elephanta' is now placed in:

Question

Accepted Answer

The correct option is 3:
The famous monolithic rock-cut elephant sculpture, which gave the island its name 'Elephanta' (Island of the Elephant) by the Portuguese, was moved from the site after suffering severe damage. The British attempted to transport it, but due to its immense size and weight, it fractured. The damaged sculpture was subsequently repaired, reassembled, and permanently placed in the Victoria Gardens in 1864. While the Victoria Gardens are now known as the Jijamata Udyan, the museum on the premises, which houses the statue, is the Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum. Therefore, the reference to the Victoria Garden Museum, Mumbai, accurately identifies its historical and final location in the city.

The incorrect option is 1:
Patna Museum, located in the state of Bihar in Eastern India, is geographically and contextually unrelated to this artifact. This museum primarily curates archaeological and historical objects pertaining to the Magadha and Bihar regions, such as relics from the Mauryan and Gupta periods. The Elephanta sculpture is a seminal work from Western India's Deccan region, making its placement in the Patna Museum incorrect based on established curatorial history and geographical provenance.

The incorrect option is 2:
The Kolkata Museum, more commonly known as the Indian Museum, is the oldest and largest museum in India, situated in the city of Kolkata in Eastern India. Although it possesses vast collections covering Indian art, archaeology, and natural history, it does not hold the original stone elephant sculpture from Elephanta Island. The sculpture’s historical ties are firmly established with Mumbai (formerly Bombay), the city nearest to Elephanta Island.

The incorrect option is 4:
The British Museum is a major institution in London, England, and is well-known for housing artifacts collected from various parts of the world, including India, during the colonial era. However, historical records confirm that the massive elephant statue was never successfully shipped to England. The damage it sustained during the attempt to remove it from the island led to the decision to keep and reassemble it locally in Mumbai, not transfer it to the British Museum.