mahabalipuram temple, chennai. 17 pictures

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Namaskar Mitra,

 

let us travel to the Temples of Mahabalipuram.

 

1. To see pictures - http://www.esamskriti.com/html/new_photo.asp?subcatid=108

2. To read about Temple history, architecture -

http://www.esamskriti.com/html/mahabalipuram.htm

Mamallapuram, the famous center of Pallava art & architecture is located 58 kms

south of Chennai. The coastal town is named after Mamalla, one of the titles of

Narasimhavarman I (630-668 A.D.) of the Pallava dynasty. Amongst the great

Pallava rulers was Mahendravarman I (610-630 a.d.) who introduced the cave

temple architecture in Tamil Nadu. His son Narasimhavarman introduced a

different mode of executing the temple by chiseling out the surface of single

boulder called monolithic temples or the Ratha. He also introduced a system of

depicting the puranic stories in the form of sculptures known bas-relief.

Narasimhvarman II (700-728 a.d.) introduced a new type of architecture known as

structural temple meaning using blocks of stones for constructing temples.

1. The Cave Temples were excavated by scooping out the scarp of the hill. The

scooping work starts from front to back. The cave temple is usually divided

into inner & outer mandapas, distinguished by the difference in levels.

Bas Relief – the depiction of Puranic story in the form of sculptural

panel. The cliff of the natural rocks has been chosen to carve these puranic

stores. The bas-reliefs found at Mamallapuram are Arjuna’s penance. All

bas-reliefs ascribed to Narasimhavarman I period.

2. The Monolithic Temples are locally known as Rathas. They were executed by

chiseling out the exterior face of the boulder. Work started from top to

bottom. The pyramidal vimana with sikhara at the top is an important feature of

this style. It can be rightly said that these monolithic temples must have paved

the way for the structural temples with elaborate architectural & sculptural

details in the subsequent stage. There a total number of 8 monolithic temples

found in Mamallapuram. The five rathas in one place, Ganesha Ratha,

Valayankuttai Ratha & Pidari Rathas.

3. Shore Temple – after the cave & monolithic temple the Pallavas

introduced the last & best variety of temple category involving the masonry

architecture known as structural temple. It meant using blocks of stones for

constructing temples. The Shore temple is an example. The structural temples on

the Pallava period are based on the Manasara. A kind of sandstone was

predominantly used for the structural temples. The foundation laid by the

Pallavas in this town led to the development of temples with the mighty vimana

at Thanjavur, Chidambaram etc. The Shore temples is a temple complex consisting

of two Siva temples and a carving of Anantasayana Vishnu.

Share the Wealth, Cheers & Om

sanjeev