Temples of Mahabalipuram

Facts & Figures
Built in	7th–8th century AD
Built by	Various Pallava rulers
Location	Mahabalipuram (Tamil Nadu)

Poetry In Stone

Mahabalipuram is a temple town situated along the shores of the Bay of Bengal in the southern state of Tamil Nadu. The sheer sculptural extravaganza of the rock-cut temples is not only reflective of the artistic tastes of the erstwhile Pallava rulers: the temples are also regarded as the birthplace of an entirely new style of architecture, which came to be known as the South Indian temple architecture.

South Indian Temple Architecture

The basic structure of temples in India is a room or the Garbha Griha (sanctum sanctorum) where the idol of the main deity is kept. The temple is approached by a flight of steps and is often built on a platform. A porch covers the entrance to the temples, which is supported by carved pillars. A prominent roof called the shikharasurmounts the top of the Garbha Griha, and dominated the surroundings. As time went by, small temples grew into temple complexes. The earliest temples were small shrines carved out entirely of a single boulder.

Temple architecture in India is broadly divided into the northern and southern styles, classified by the form and shape of the shikhara and the distinctiveness of its decoration. The shikhara of the temples in South India tend to be made up of distinct horizontal levels that diminish to form a rough pyramid. Each level is decorated with miniature temple rooftops. Some South Indian temples like the Meenakshi temple also have tall shikharas over the elaborate gateways or gopurams, to add to the overall symmetry to the temple complex. The temples of South India tend to be huge complexes, involving large-scale architectural activity and having elaborately carved sculptures.

Temples Of Mahabalipuram

South Indian temple architecture has its origins on the sandy beaches of Mahabalipuram. The style, which started here, went on to reach incredible heights in the temples in Kanchipuram, Thanjavur (Tanjore), and Madurai. The sculptural extravaganza of Mahabalipuram is a living testament of the artistic temperament of the Pallavas who were the trendsetters in South Indian art.

Mahabalipuram is supposed to be the handiwork of three monarchs: Mahendravarman I (AD 600–630), Narasimhavarman I (AD 630–666), and Narasimhavarman II (AD 700–728). Hence, there are three distinctly discernible styles of sculpture reflecting progressive degrees of refinement. One school of thought attributes this wonderland in stone entirely to the multi-faceted artistic genius of Rajasthan, though the coastal village itself derives its name from Narasimhavarman I, hailed as Mamallan or Mahamalla (great wrestler).

The story behind the foundation of Tughlaqabad is an interesting one. Ghazi Malik, the founder of the Tughlaq dynasty, was once a slave of Mubarak Khilji, the last Khilji sultan. One day, while walking by the area where the Tughlaqabad Fort is now located, Ghazi Malik suggested to his master that the rocky prominence would be an ideal site for building a fort. The Khilji sultan laughed at his slave and suggested that the slave build a fort there when he became a sultan. When Ghazi Malik, as Ghiyas-ud-din Tughlaq, founded the Tughlaq Dynasty in 1321, he did just that—Tughlaqabad is Delhi’s most colossal and awesome fort, even in its ruined state.

Rock-Cut Mandaps
There are a number of rock-cut mandaps cut out in the hills of Mahabalipuram. The famous ones being the Varaha Mandap, the Mahishamardini Mandap, the Adivaraha Mandap and the Krishna Mandap.

LEGENDS OF TUGHLAQABAD

There are a number of legends associated with Tughlaqabad. It is often said that the skulls of the killed Mongol marauders were used in the construction material of this awesome fort.

The Varaha Cave , a small rock-cut mandapam (hall), is a faceted and finished gem of a monument, with four panels of the famous Pallava doorkeepers. There is about them a mood of meditative reverie, a lyrical softness and a subtle grace totally at conflict with the primitive machismo their role as guards of the gods imposes on them. In the presence of their divine masters, the surge of manhood is harnessed into a religious fervor.

Feeble sunlight glimmers on panels of enduring beauty in the Mahishamardini Cave . The Somaskanda sculpture radiates peace, power, and wisdom while Lord Vishnu is shown in omniscient repose in a masterpiece of dhwani (the art of suggestion) perfected by the Pallava sculptor. On the opposite side is a huge theatrical panel showing, Goddess Durga’s fight with the demon Mahishasura, an episode culled from the celebrated Sanskrit poem Devi Mahatmya. According to Hindu mythology, the great demon Mahishasur had become so powerful that he began to disturb the balance of life on the planet. The gods, in desperation, pooled their powers together and produced a goddess, who was young, beautiful, and invincible to kill the rampant demon. The Pallava sculptors have tastefully depicted the two locked in mortal combat, in which the Goddess finally vanquishes the demon.

The Adivaraha Mandap is an elegant shrine, having a simple façade with the famous lion-based Pallava pillars. A large panel within this hall depicts Varaha (the boar incarnation of Lord Vishnu) rescuing Earth (depicted as a beautiful lady) from the depths of a catastrophic flood. The scene is very calm, and especially tender is the careful way Varaha lifts the goddess above the swirling waters below.

Arjuna’s Penance
A sculptured marvel at Mahabalipuram, often called Arjuna’s Penance , is an enormous relief made on two huge boulders. This colossal piece of art, 27 m long and 9 m high, is perhaps the world’s largest bas-relief. Legend has it that King Bhagirath had to bring down to earth the celestial Ganga to purify and redeem the cursed souls of his ancestors. However, the river in its torrential plunge would inundate the earth, and so he had to undergo a penance to propitiate Shiva who finally received the flood in his matted locks and let it trickle down. This was a sight for the world’s creatures to see and they gathered round. The cleft in the rock depicts the descent of Ganga, a theory supported by the ruins of a stone water tank on the hill. There is a forest with tribal people and all forms of animal life, just as they would appear in their habitat. Women clothed in an aura of ineffable grace, a rich inner beauty transfiguring the plainest of them. The whole scene has a delicate edge of humor. Juxtaposed against the ascetic is a cat doing rigorous penance too, eyes firmly shut, even to the delectable mice scampering around within easy reach.

Rathas (Chariots)
The five rathas (chariots) in Mahabalipuram, south of the mandaps, are architectural precursors of the temples of South India. The smallest and the simplest one is the Draupadi ratha and the largest is the multi-storied Dharmaraja ratha scooped from a monolithic rock. These small-unfinished shrines ravaged by war and weather are things of undiminished beauty.

Shore Temple
However, it is the Shore Temple that evokes the spell of Mahabalipuram. A three-in-one abode of god—a Vishnu temple sandwiched between two Shiva temples, it is a visual delight, its precincts abounding in architectural masterpieces. On either side of it the sea spreads, without limits. The Shore Temple is a structural temple, built block by block rather than cut out of stone, as in the case of the rathas. The compound wall of this temple is lined with charming sculptures of Nandi (bull deity associated with Lord Shiva). The figure of Vishnu is present in the sanctum sanctorum of this temple.

The demise of Tughlaqabad was not brought about by any foreign invasion, but to the curse of a Sufi Saint Nizam-ud-din. The legendary quarrel between the two started when Ghiyas-ud-din Tughlaq did not allow his people to work for the saint on the construction of a baoli (step well). This angered the saint. A protracted tiff followed, which offended the saint and led to his famous prophecy “Hunuz Dilli dur ast” (Delhi is yet far away), for the sultan was then out in Bengal. He made another ominous reference to the sultan’s fort when he remarked “Ya rahe usar, ya basé Gujjar” (Either it remains deserted or be peopled by men of the Gujjar tribe). Both these prophecies proved true. Ghiyas-ud-din was killed at a place near Delhi when a shamiana (canopy, marquee) collapsed over him during a reception arranged by his son. The sultan could not reach Delhi alive. His successor chose to build his own fort and deserted Tughlaqabad. It soon became a haunt for the Gujjars tending their cattle within the abandoned fort of Ghiyas-ud-din.

It is generally believed that the death of Ghiyas-ud-din Tughlaq was engineered and plotted by his son. One story describes that Muhammad bin Tughlaq (Ghiyas-ud-din’s son and successor) killed his father by building a false wooden balcony, which collapsed and killed Ghiyas-ud-din. The son murdered and ascended the throne of Delhi, thus making the prophecies of Saint Nizam-ud-din come true.

How To Reach
The nearest airport from Mahabalipuram is Chennai (Madras), which is 64km away. The nearest railway station is 29 km away in Chingelpet. Mahabalipuram is well connected by road with different centers in the state of Tamil Nadu. Travelers can take buses from Chennai to Mahabalipuram (2 hours) or hire taxis and private cars.