Mhabalipuram the ancient capital and sea port of Pallava Kings is famous for its south Indian Temple architecture.But today it is a sleepy village living on its past glory and the tourist traffic. The sculptures and carvings are fascinating. Mahabalipuram is also known as the "city of seven pagodas" for out of solid stone were carved exquisite rock Temples. Five of the Temples are known as "Rathas" and on their walls the story of Hindu mythology has been lovingly carved out. The most famous of them is group of five Rathas. This ratha is dedicated to the five Pandava Princes and their consort-wife Draupadi. A group of Elephants one of them 5 meters long known as "Arjuna Penance" is the most prominent feature of this sculpture.
The monuments of Mahabalipuram temple are picturesquely situated close to the sea about 55 km south of Madras. Most of the magnificent monuments of this ancient sea port were built during the reign of Narasimhavarman I & II of the Pallava dynasty. The monuments at Mahabalipuram can be grouped as: Monolithic temples constructed in the style of rathas or chariots, caves by excavating the hills for temples called mandapa, the masonry temples, and sculptured scenes or carved hill edge. The five monolithic rathas are square or oblong in plan, pyramidal in elevation and varying in their overall dimensions. the Dharmaraja ratha constructed in Pallava style is the largest of all, having huge pillats in the portico with statue of lions, pyramidal tower and turret roof.
Accidentally discovered in 1990, the Bhuvaraha image, the miniature shrine and the well belongs to Pallava King Narasimhavarman Mamalla’s reign, but enclosed by an elliptical enclosure of Rajasimha’s period. These remains are carved on the live bedrock containing the reclining VishnuThe miniature shrine, dedicated to Siva, has its sixteen-side base carved out of the bedrock while the circular wall and superstructure are structural. Its form is unique and differs from all other single tier temples of Pallava period. The Bhuvaraha is shown retrieving the Mother Earth symbolically from the deep ocean. It was intentionally broken for unknown reasons. The base is inscribed with titles of the Pallava king Rajasimha. The enclosure wall built possibly to arrest sand from covering the remains contains an inscription in Pallava-Grantha script on the topmost course equating the king in pun with Arjuna.Recently, remains of two temples were excavated, one to the south of Shore temple and another massive brick temple of Subrahmanya near the Tiger Cave at Saluvankuppam, a hamlet about 7 km from here. So ready to tour to Mahabalipuram temple of south india.
No comments:
Post a Comment