"Foo" Lion

Cave temple of Shiva
Elephanta Island

The small lion crouches, with right paw raised, in front of the east shrine, whose linga is visible photo left. Nobody really knows what these animals are doing here (a similar, but more damaged, lion is placed on the other side of the shrine entrance), but they seem to resemble the later paired "Foo dogs" (lions) that guard the entrance to shrines and temples in China.