Temples of Mamallapuram or Mahabalipuram

[Full title: Temples at Mamallapuram (Mamallapura) or Mahabalipuram (Mahabalipura)]

Leaving other cave-temples illustrating guhārājas, let us now concentrate on Mamallapura [Mamallapuram], the famous seat of Pallava rock-architecture. Pallava-architecture has two phases, wholly rock-cut and wholly structural. The former illustrates Mahendra Group A.D. 610 to 610, pillared halls (maṇḍapas) only together with Mamalla Group A. D. 640 to 690, maṇḍapas and rathas (monolithic temples) and the latter Rājasimha-Nandivarman Groups, Weare concerned here with the first phase. Of the rock-cut examples of Pallava architecture at Mamallapuram, the excavated halls or maṇḍapas are ten in number some of which are unfinished: Dharmarāja, Kotikaḥ Mahiṣāsura, Kṛṣṇa, Pañca Pāṇḍava, Varāha, Rāmānuja—Five-celled Saivite and the last two unfinished.

As regards the series of monolethic [monolithic?] temples called rathas, popularly known as the ‘Seven Pagodas’ they may be regarded a stupendous artistic creation and an entirely novel form of expression.

“Solitary, unmeaning, and clearly never used, as none of their interiors is finished, sphinx-like for centuries these monoliths have stood sentinel over mere emptiness, the most enigmatical architectural phenomenon in all India, truly a riddle of the sands. Each a lithic cryptogram as yet undeciphered, there is little doubt that the key when found will disclose much of the story of early temple architecture in Southern India.”

“As with all the rock productions of the Pallavas, the rathas are of no great size, the largest measuring only 42 feet long, the widest 35 feet, and the tallest is but 40 feet high. They number eight in all, and, with one exception, are derived from the two types of structure hitherto attributed to the Buddhists, the Vihara or monastery, arid the Chaitya hall or temple. The exception is thāt known as Draupadi’s ratha, the smallest of the series, as well as being the simplest and most finished. This example is merely a cell or pansala, and the shape of the roof indicates plainly that it was copy of a thatched structure, most probably a form of portable shrine belonging to a Village community, as shown by its substructure.”

The other rathas go after Arjun, Bhima, Sahadeva, Dharmarāja, Gaṇeśa etc. These monolithic shrines, were of Śaivite attribution as may be confirmed by the images carved in rock, of a lion, an elephant and a bull.