Shore Temples

Mahabalipuram

A small town in Kanchipuram, Mahabalipuram is a 7th century port city ruled by the Pallavas located strategically 60 km away from Chennai. The places gains its name from the King Mahabali who ruled here. Mahabalipurams Shore Temple, built in the 8th century CE under the reign of Narasimhavarman II, stands at the shore of the Bay of Bengal.

Sixteen man-made caves and monolithic structures, in different stages of completion are scattered through Mahabalipuram, but the most complete of the nine rathas are in a group, named after the five Pandava brothers of the Mahabharata and are situated at the southern part of Mahabalipuram.

The temples of Mamallapuram showcase the movement from

rock-cut architecture to structural building.

The mandapas or pavilions and the rathas or shrines shaped as temple

chariots are hewn from the granite rock face.

All but one of the rathas from the

first phase of Pallava architecture are

modelled on the Buddhist viharas or monasteries and chaitya

halls with several cells arranged
around a courtyard.

Shore Temple is also acknowledged for being the first stone structure made by Pallavas. Before this, the monuments used to be carved out of the rocks or stones. Unlike other monuments of the region, Shore Temple is a five-storied rock-cut structural temple more willingly than monolithical. In southern India, this is one amongst the earliest and most important structural temples. The spire is extensively decorated with carvings and sculptures. In the recent years, a stone wall has been constructed to protect the shrine from further sea-erosion. The exterior wall of the shrine to Lord Vishnu and the internal side of the boundary wall are elaborately carved and sculptured. The images on the sculpted panels depict scenes from everyday life. However, the sculptures are incredibly real and artistic. The exterior walls of the temple are segregated by plasters into bays, where the lower part has been impressed into a series of nurturing lions. The archeological department has excavated certain other figures from the site. Shore Temple is no more a living temple. The structure of the temple makes one to contemplate and perhaps, it was erected basically as a work of art. The Pallavas were known to be the great patrons of art and were keen to create their own style of temple architecture.

The eight rathas are monolithic temples fashioned as chariots. They remain an architectural mystery, for each is apparently a faithful reproduction of a structure built of wood. In fact, even the grain of the timber beams and rafters has been simulated in stone. The largest is the Dharmaraja ratha and it sets the tone for the others. Modelled on a Buddhist vihara or monastery, it sports a square hall topped by a vaulting roof. The Bhima, Arjuna and NakulaSahdeva rathas are lesser copies of the Dharmaraja ratha. The Draupadi ratha is the smallest and the quaintest. It is simple structure, fashioned as a thatched hut borned on the backs of elephants and lions. It was probably the fascimile of a portable village shrine. Among the rathas are three large sculptures: Lion Elephant Nandi bull

PanchaPandava Rathas (Five Chariots) - five monolithic pyramidal structures named after the Pandavas (Dharmaraja, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula and Sahadeva) and Draupadi.

Dharmaraj Draupadi

Bhima

Sahadeva Nakul

Draupadi Ratha is the smallest one. This shrine is shaped lika a thatched hut, with a square roof. It and the nearby Arjuna Ratha are on a single platform -upa-pitham, which also is rised and adorned with figures of lions and elephants. This shrine is devoted to goddess Durga Possibly the best of them is a fine carved panel, which shows Durga on a lotus pedestal. Goddess is surrounded by other characters, including a man which is preparing to cut off his head as a sign of devotion.

Dharmaraja Ratha

Dharmaraja Ratha

Dharmaraj Ratha This ratha is shaped like a characteristic vimana (tower above the shrine) of Southern India of its times. most magnificent and tallest of all rathas, with three storeyes. The shrine is devoted to Shiva and is adorned with one of the best examples of early Pallava plastic art . Dharmaraja Ratha contains an inscription in Pallava - Grantha script - it records the titles of Narasimhavarman I. Inscription mentions also that this was created as Shiva temple of Atyantakama Pallava. Columns and pilasters of this ratha are adorned with lions.

Nakula-Sahadev Ratha This shrine is devoted to Indra and is associated with elephants. Ratha represents an apsidal vimana - horseshoe-shaped shrine, it is almost completed. The roof of this shrine is shaped like a back of elephant.

Bhima Ratha The longest of all rathas - it is 12.8 m long, 7.3 m wide, 7.6 m high. This is Gopura style temple with gabled roof. Most likely this ratha was devoted to Anantshayi Vishnu. The sanctuary of this structure has a circumabulatory passage around it.

The fact that many of the temples and sculptures of Mamallapuram are unfinished, points to the sudden withdrawal of patronage from rock-cut temples when King Rajasimhavarman came to power.

Arjuna's Penance
Said to have been in Himalayas, the rock surface shows carvings of animals. Stories from the panchatantra are the subject line. Arjuna the one among the Panch Pandava brothers and master in archery did a rigourous penance on one leg to appease Lord Shiva. Arjuna's prayers were answered and he received the pashupatashastra form Lord Shiva.

Vishnu in kidantha kolam, Mamallapuram, Tamil Nadu, India

Durga Temple
Aihole, Chalukyan Style

The architecture of Early Western Chalukya reflects diverse influences from neighboring areas. For example, curved towers decorated with blind arches are found in central and western India; pilastered walls with panel inserts are a southern Indian style; while the Deccan style includes balcony seating, angled eaves and sloping roofs, and elaborately carved columns and ceilings.

The name "Durga" refers to a fort, not to the goddess; apparently at one time the building was used as a military outpost (durg). It is not known to which deity the temple was originally dedicated. the left hall is Dravidian (s. India); the middle hall is Rashtrakutan; and the tower is Deccan.

The temple's unusual apsidal form is thought to imitate the earlier Buddhist chaitya halls. An inner wall of similar shape encloses the sanctuary (plan). An incomplete tower perches on the roof above the sanctuary.

Column decoration Entrance Porch, Durga Temple, Aihole

Ladh Khan Temple

Aihole, Chalukyan Style

Ladh Khan temple consists of a shrine with two mantapas in front of it. The shrine bears a Shiva lingam. The mukha mantapa in front of the sanctum has a set of 12 carved pillars. The sabhamantapa in front of the mukha mantapa has pillars arranged in such a manner as to form two concentric squares. There are also stone grids on the wall carrying floral designs. The temple is built in a Panchayat hall style, indicating a very early experiment in temple construction. The windows are filled with lattice style which is a north Indian style.

Tanjavur
Chola period

Referenes:
Indian Architecture (Buddhist & Hindu) , Percy Brown The Monument and the Living Presence; Tanjuvur Brahadisvara: An Architectural Study, IGNCA http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aihole http://www.pazhs.com/gallery/Mahabalipuram.htm http://travel-packages.drishtiinfotech.net/religious-india/mahabalipuram.html