Mahisasur Mardini Mahishasuramardhini mandapa (Cave Temple; also known as Yampuri)[1] is an example of Indian rockcut architecture dating from

the late 7th century, of the Pallava dynasty. It is a rock-cut cave temple located on a hill, near a lighthouse, along with other caves in Mamallapuram. It is the one of the finest testimonials of ancient Vishwakarma Sthapathis (Vishwakarma sculpture). Mamallapuram, also popularly known as Mahabalipuram, is a small village to the south of Chennai, in the state of Tamil Nadu, India.[2] The temple is part of the Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram, a UNESCO World Heritage Site inscribed in 1984.[3] This Cave Temple has many interesting architectural features of which three exquisitely carved reliefs on the cave walls of three sanctums are prominent. One is of Vishnu reclining on the seven hooded serpent, Adisesha, another of Durga, the main deity of the cave temple slaying the buffalo headed demon Mahishasura, and the third sanctum also has a sculpture of Vishnu.[4][5] The cave also depicts many scenes from the Puranas (Hindu mythology stories in Sanskrit dating from the 5th century AD).. The north wall in the cave contains a relief depicting the battle scene of the two adversaries, goddess Durga and the demon buffalo-headed Mahishasura. This panel symbolizes the triumph of good over evil. The carving is considered one of the best creations of the Pallava period. In the war scene, Durga appears with eight hands riding a fierce-looking lion.