Mahabalipuram Monuments - Part 4 (Structural temples)

Structural temples were the last executed by the Pallavas before their attention was shifted to their capital, Kanchipuram and its environs. However these temples in Mamallapuram were the earliest structural temples in the Tamil country. Even the four that were constructed here bring out the fanciful nature of the clan; the two Shore Temples are built on the very edge of the sea, the Olakkanesvara Temple on top of a hillock and the Mukundanayanar Temple on the ground. The Shore Temples, though highly eroded, have sculptures which would remind of the exceptional grace and beauty in the bygone era.
A presentation by Prof.Subramanian Swaminathan

1. Pallava Mallai
Unfinished poetry in stone -4 Structural Temples
S. Swaminathan
([email protected])

2. Structural Temples
Earliest structural temples
using stones are first seen here.
Two temples,called the Shore
Temples,are on the sea shore.
OlakkaneswaraTemple
is on the top of the main hill.
Mukundanayanar Templeis
on the boundaryof the town.
The very choice of locations
betrays the fanciful minds
of the Pallavas:
the very edge of the sea,
the very top of a hill and
the terra firma

3. The material
It looks that there has been considerable experimentation
on the choice of the material.
It was hard granite for the cave temples and monoliths,
blackish leptinite for the Shore Temples,
reddish granite for the Mukundanayanar Temple,
softer greyish-white granite for Olakkanesvara Temple.
The main reason for the erosion of the Shore Temples is
due to the choice of softer stone.

4. Chronology in Mamallapuram
The Mukundanayanar Temple dedicated to Siva
could be the tentative start
to the structural temple phase at Mamallapuram.
The now more-or-less-gone Olakkanesvara Temple and
the pride of Mamallai, the twin temples
on the seashore followed.

5. Shore Temples
The setting of the Shore Temples is the most dramatic,
washed by the sea waves for centuries!
Its slenderness imparts a special grace to the temples.
Though most sculptures are badly eroded
the architectural proportions and make-up,
and the natural setting on the sea make the edifice
one of the finest monuments in India.

6. There is a belief that a part of the town
has been swallowed by the sea.
But there are strong reasons to believe that
these temples were built on the shore,
at the very edge of the sea.
The parts of the temple which would have been
normally located in front of the temple
are at the back.
It is fairly certain that
the Reclining Vishnu image, a rock-cut one,
sandwiched between the two tall temples,
is an earlier shrine and
the Shore Temple was built around it.
An azhvarhas sung the ‘God on the sea shore’.

7. But why locate a temple on the very edge of sea,
exposing to the vagaries of nature?
It is not uncommon for the Pallava-s
to attempt uncommon enterprises!

8. Shore Temples -a short history
The Reclining Vishnu, of unknown origin,
is the nucleus for the development of this complex.
Rajasimha built two tall stone shrines for Siva
to the east and to the west of this rock-cut figure,
with a prakara wall which runs around the larger temple.

9. The rediscovery
This Pallava wonder, like all the Pallava monuments,
was lying abandoned, many covered by sand,
how long we have no idea,
till the Europeans started frequenting the place, for pleasure.
Towards the end of the 18th century
one Col. Mackenzie, an extraordinary person
dug these temples out of sand.
A photo of 1890s
A painting of 1784

10. Let us first have survey of the complex.

11. Monuments within the complex
All these three shrines are accommodated
in a spacious courtyard,
along with accessory mandapam-s,
prakaramenclosures and gopuramentrances,
but much of it being on the west side.

12. Monuments within the complex
To the north of the Shore Temples
is a well-like deep clearance
in which there are three curios:
a varaha, miniature shrine and a cistern.
Similarly on the south there is
a shrine shaped like a lion.

13. Monuments in the environs
There are a few very interesting monuments
outside the fenced area.
On the south, on the sand is the basement of a shrine,
either incomplete or completed,
but now without superstructure.
A little beyond are a few sculpted outcrops,
like a Mini-Tiger cave.
On to the north is another interesting carved shrine,
called Mahishasuramardini rock.

14. ShoreTemples, its Complex and its Environs
Lithe, sleek and delicate shrines, these are photographers delight.
The setting is dramatic, washed by the waves for centuries.
The two temples dedicated to Siva.
The beginning of gupuramthat became the hallmark of
the south Indian temples can be seen here.
The prakaramonce contained some beautiful sculptures
were eaten away by time and waves.
Between the two shrines lies a rock-cut Reclining Vishnu,
most likely the earliest sculpture of Mamallai.
While the complex houses a number of religious artefacts,
in the environs the Pallavas have attempted
to satisfy their artistic curiosity with every outcrops!

15. ShoreTemples
The east-facing shrine is four-storied
has a square plan and octagonal crown.
The finial, the stupi, adds to its elegance.
The sanctum contains an excellent
Somaskanda relief and a lingam
that was added later.
The attending deities, Brahma, Vishnu
and the gate-keepers are all eroded,
so are most of those on the prakaram.

16. ShoreTemples
The twin temples are a magnificence sight,
the sea and the sky for the backdrop.
The temples are approached from the east, and
enter Kshatriya-simhesvara,
which is the name of the east-facing temple.

17. It would have been extraordinary sight
during the Pallava-s to stand on the base of the temple and
watch the sun rising in the eastern waters.
The splendour is the same even today,
after 13 centuries, the eroded sculptures
adding a mystical charm:
a most befitting entry to the art and commerce
of the Tamil country in the past
when Mamallai was a flourishing port,
and, now, to the ‘poetry in stone’.
The temples are eaten substantially by time and by the sea,
mainly because of the choice of
soft variety of stone, called leptinite.

18. To the east of the temple is a flag staff made of stone,
which used to be in the sea,
before the present protective embankment
was erected some years ago.

19. This is a four-storeyed shrine with a square plan.
The usual sala-s and kuta-s are found only
on the prakara walls and in the second and third levels.
Kshatriya-simhesvara (East-facing temple)

20. On the four corners
on the top of the ground level
are squatting lions and
on the top level bhuta gana-s
blowing conches
occupy these positions.
This arrangement we see
for the first time
and are significant,
for these motifs
came to be adapted
in later temples.
The sikharaand the stupi
are octagonal,
and are made basalt,
which is not available locally.

21. One enters the shrine
through a gateway,
the beginning of
a gopuram.
The shrine is guarded by
two dvara-pala-s,
both badly eroded.
On the two side walls
of the ardha-mandapam
have
Vishnu with his consort
and
Brahma with Sarasvati,
in highly weather-beaten
condition.

22. Sanctum
The sanctum has a relief
sculpture of Somaskanda.
Four-armed Siva is shown
on a rectangular seat in
sukhasana and
on his left side Parvati with
two hands is
seated facing Siva.
In between,
Skanda as a boy is shown
seated and
enjoying the parental affection.
Brahma and Vishnu are
standing behind Siva.
It is an excellent composition.

23. A fluted, but broken lingam,
withour avudaiyar
is also found installed in the
sanctum.
There are interesting
references to the existence
of beams made of sandalwood
above the deity,
which are now lost.

24. Sculptured panels on the prakara
The outer walls of the shrine, the prakara,
have tell-tale marks of some very interesting images.
On the corners are rearing lions,
another motif introduced and popularised by Rajasimha.
Besides this, we have
the elephant, ram, naga-s and bhuta gana-s.

25. A figure of Durga along with her gana-sis carved
on the outside of the back wall of the temple.
Her left leg is resting on her mount, lion and
holds a long bow on his right hand.
This relaxed Durga, is a masterly composition.
If only we had all the originals to view
instead of shapeless weather beaten figures…!

26. The northern wall of the shrine contains a few sculptural reliefs,
some of which are barely identifiable.
In the centre is a very beautiful Tripuranataka,
on the east a lively Mahishasuramardini and
on the west Narasimha.
A host of gana-s, in vibrant poses, are shown below.

27. Till the time of Rajasimha,
Ganesa we don’t find the image
in the Pallava shrines,
though in both the Pandya and
the Chalukya temples,
belonging to the same period,
Ganesa idols are found
prominently.
In the Shore Temples Ganesa
figures start appearing,
which can be seen in many
places.
Here area few.

28. Ganesa in the Mini-shrine
located to the north
of the Shore Temples
Ganesa on the superstructure
of the east-facing temple.

29. On the outer wall of the northern prakara
are kept a number of loose sculpture panels,
and most of them are difficult to be identified.
There are at least a few
interesting and intriguing sculptures,
though eroded substantially, still identifiable.
There are three panels.
that have motifs similar to those
on the Great Penance open-air bas-relief.

30. On the top one can see
the unmistakable
posture of the ascetic.
Below this on the right is the
deer pair, and just to the
left of the pair is the
cheating monkey with a
few mice.
What do these signify and
how did these motifs come to
be sculpted here?

31. The inside surfaces of this wall appear
to have had a series of sculptured panels.
According scholars these illustrate
the history of the Pallava dynasty.
But all of them are now beyond recognition.

32. The inside surfaces of this wall appear
to have had a series of sculptured panels.
According some scholars these illustrate
the history of the Pallava dynasty.
But all of them are now beyond recognition.
This is perhaps the forerunner of
the well-documented series
carved on the prakarawall of
the Vaikuntha Perumal Temple, Kanchi.

33. Narapati-simha-Pallava-Vishnu-griha
(Jala-sayana Vishnu Temple)
Half way through the perambulation of the eastern temple,
just behind its sanctum is a shrine for Reclining Vishnu.
It is called Narapati-Simha-Pallava-Vishnu-Griham,
as per an inscription.
It is the oldestimage of Mamallapuram, and
is excavated in live rock, that is, the earliest monolith too!
Most likely this Vishnu shrine was built by an early Pallava and
did not have a ceiling.

34. Vishnu here is now called
Jalasayana Perumal (‘God-who-lies-by-the-water’),
to identify this shrine being close to water.
This is to differentiate it with
the other Anantasayana Vishnu
in the structural temple in the town
belonging to a much later period, which is known as
Sthalasayana perumal (‘God-who-lies-on-ground’),
to mean that the shrine in inland.
But originally this Perumal was
the Sthalasayana Vishnu, sthalahere
referring to Vishnu sleeping on the floor,
and not on the Ananta serpent.

35. The sanctum is rectangular to accommodate
a reclining figure.
Vishnu is reclining on bare rock,
with head to the south, and has two hands.
The sculpture is somewhat crude, by the Pallava standards.

36. On the southern wall of this shrine is
the scene of Gajendra Moksham and
on the north side is a mural of Kaliamardana.
In the next one Krishna in the form of a horse
is seen killing an asura.
All these indicate that the temples
in this complex are filled with reliefs.
Even in the eroded form
all these show great dynamism.
During the Pallava times it would have been a great sight!

37. Kshatriya-simhesvara (East-facing temple)
This temple is similar to
its twin neighbour,
but shorter and three-storeyed.
Four bhuta-s can be seen seated
at the corners blowing conches
on the two floors.
These positions are taken over
by Nandi-s in the later
Siva temples.
The pilasters on the walls have
rearing lion bases,
as is characteristic of
the Rajasimha temples.

38. Kshatriya-simhesvara (East-facing temple)
In the sanctum is
a Somaskanda panel,
similar to the one
in the other shrine,
but smaller and better
preserved.
There is a socket cut in the floor,
but the lingamis missing.
On both sides of the temple are inscriptions of Rajaraja.
In the sanctum is
a Somaskanda panel,
similar to the one
in the other shrine,
but smaller and better
preserved.
There is a socket cut in the floor,
but the lingamis missing.

39. Main Entrance and Maha-mandapam
In front of the west-facing shrine
is the maha-mandapam, an open-air mandapam.
In fact the main entrance
to the shrines has been from the west.
This is understandable as the east-facing shrine
is at the very edge of the sea,
which would have been often unapproachable.

40. This is a spacious hall with a prakaram.
Time has eaten most, except the basements.
Many sculptures are lost or badly eroded,
some of which are placed in this complex.

41. The inner side of
the pakaramwall
contained relief sculptures
depicting the Pallava history,
the other side,
of warriors riding lions and
were placed on the walls.
Most of these are lost.
Whatever could be retrieved
is kept along
the prakaramwalls.

42. Further west lies the main entrance.
Two sculptures are found at the entrance.
One on the southern side is an eka-pada-murti(‘one-legged-
deity’): three heads, six arms carrying among other things
sulaand snake, supported on one leg.
On the west is the naga-raja standing
under the hood of a snake with many heads.

43. In front of the entrance are three bali-pitha-s,
and these contain panegyric sloka-s
in Sanskrit praising Rajasimha.
The entire complex shows the influence of sea
over a millennium.

44. ShoreTemplesComplex
On the north of the Shore Temples are
a few, interesting, but intriguing objects:
a mini-shrine that has a Siva with his bull
and a Varaha, both excellent sculptures.
On the base of the Varaha and elsewhere
are found some important inscriptions.
There is also a cistern with a royal
maiden in relief.
To the north is a lion. Its chest has a niche of
Mahishasuramardini sitting on the Buffalo-demon.
Two lovely women, shown on the sides, are
guarding the shrine.
Durga is also associated with a lion and deer,
the latter, headless now, being sculpted by the side.

45. The Pallava-s keep us guessing all the time.
Now it is a mini-complex comprising
a host of very unusual, miniature monuments.

46. Butting the twin temples is
a shallow stepped pit,
apsidal in shape.
This complex was unearthed
only recently.
There are three curios,
boar in the round,
a small cylindrical shrine and
a cistern,
and an interesting inscription.
Each of these puzzles us,
but fortunately one thing is clear,
the ‘atyantakama’ here is Rajasimha,
and this is inscribed here!

47. Varaha in animal form
The realistic boar is carved out of live rock.
This must be Varaha trying to find the feet of Siva,
for boar’s snout is rooting downward as in mythology,
and whorls and lotus shown between the legs may represent
ocean.
Its being carved in the round is also important,
as the Pallava-s didn’t sculpt many sculptures in the round.

48. There are three important inscriptions
on the front of the pedestal,
which are titles of Rajasimha, in the Pllava Grantha script,
in the characteristic Pallava calligraphic hand.
The titles inscribed are: in the front are
Sri Rajasimhah(‘lion-among-kings’),
Sri Ranajayah(‘victorious-in-battles’) and
Sribharah(‘upholder-of-prosperity’), and
one, Sri Chitrakarmmukah(‘wonderful-archer’)
on the western flank.
That the same titles in the same order appear
in Mamallapuram, Kanchi Kailasanatha Temple and
Talagirisvara Temple in Panamalai,
add to their importance.

49. Very close to the boar,
on the inner faces of three upper rim stone slabs
on the south-west side of the well
Is another important inscription.
The same text is repeated in a temple
by Rajasimha in Vayalur.

50. For all the self-praise and after causing
a number of shrines for Siva in the complex,
why did Rajasimha create this unique image of
an avataraof Vishnu in this complex?
There is a possibility
that this image
has suffered vandalism,
broken into pieces.
It looks these were
collected and assembled,
whose tell-tales marks
are visible.

51. Mini-shrine
To the north of Varaha
is another curio,
an unusual mini-shrine
dedicated to Siva,
a complete temple in
miniature.
The east facing temple,
is cylindrical
from bottom to top,
and is made of five parts.

52. The base is part of the
mother-rock.
A ring open on the east is
the wall of the shrine,
with four half pillars
with lion-riders,
a Rajasimha motif.

53. The sanctum houses
Vinadhara Siva,
sitting on a bull,
a very beautiful
miniature idol.

54. The side walls are
Vishnu and Brahma
attending on him.
all these miniatures are
the unique Pallava
contributions.
Time has taken the toll,
and
all these wonderful
images are badly
eroded,

55. The superstructure has
all the components of
a regular temple.
Third part is a block
placed like a lid,
with chaitya-windows
at the bottom,
vyala-s and gana-s
alternating above,
and finally,
with a grivawith gana-s.
The fourth forms the
crown, with four
kudu-s.
The last, the stupi,
is missing.

56. We have seen similar mini-shrines shown
in relief on the roof of the Bhima,
the Sahadeva and the Ganesa Ratha-s.

57. Mini-well
To the north of the mini-shrine,
is a small well cut in the mother-rock.
It would have no significance
if it did not have a relief image in it.
It is a beautiful goddess or a royal lady
with two female attendants.
This composition is
another excellent miniature relief.

58. Isn’t the entire complex exciting and intriguing?
All these fantastic pieces of spiritual art,
seen for the first time, and the last time.

59. Mini-Durga Temple
A Durga Temple in miniature
in the Shore Temples Complex
is another Pallava gift.
Durga seems to be
a favourite deity
for the Pallava-s and
we have her shrines and
her idol in numerous shrines
elsewhere too
in Mamallapuram.
But the composition
of this temple is most unusual,
even by the Pallava standard.

60. Watercolour of the Shore Temple, with a palanquin and resting bearers
by the shore at Mamallapuram, by George Chinnery, 1802-05.
Shore Temples

61. Watercolour of the Shore Temple at Mamallapuram, by an anonymous artist, 1784
Shore Temples

62. 'N W View of two ancient Temples by the Seaside. Mahabilipoorum. J. Gantz'. 1825
Shore Temples

63. FromJames Fergusson's 'Ancient Architecture in Hindoostan'.
Shore Temples

64. Watercolour of a general view of the Shore Temple and beach
at Mamallapuram, by Elisha Trapaud, c.1805
Shore Temples

65. Shore Temples –a photo in 1890s

66. To the north of the shrines is a hillock
that has a niche for Durga. On the face
of the rock it is the lion which attacks
the demon. Done in low relief this is
a remarkable composition.
To the south, a number
of boulders have been
sculpted as mini-Tiger
Cave, sitting lion, running
horse etc.
There is no end to
the Pallava riddles!
ShoreTemplesenvirons

67. There is no doubt of
the Pallava infatuation for Durga.
On most available rock the Rajasimha sculptors
celebrated the Devi.
Here on the northern side another outcrop
we have yet another Durga temple.
And it is a Pallava marvel!
ShoreTemplesenvirons

68. It is a small rock-cut
Mahishasuramardini temple facing the sea.
Being nearer to the sea and left without protection
both nature and vandalaism, this piece of art of yore
would be lost to us in a very short time.

69. The small cave shrine facing the sea
enshrines a relief image of eight-armed Durga.
The doorway is provided with lion-based pilasters,
and is guarded by highly eroded female-gatekeepers.

70. The surprise is on the outside.
In low relied the fighting scene, a unique composition,
we see the vahana of Durga mauling
the buffalo demon which is running away in agony.
This scene is the only one of its kind;
The Pallava sculptor abhorred monotony.

71. Here is a reproduction of a painting done by
a European artist in early 19th century.
This tells you the details that we have lost.
And in the near future, we would lose the remaining too!

72. To the south, a number of boulders have been sculpted as mini-Tiger
cave, sitting lion, running horse etc.
There is no end to the Pallava riddles!
ShoreTemplesenvirons

73. A few hundred metres south of the Shore Temples
along the sand are a few astonishing object d’art.
Among the outcrops,
there are three low ones close to each other.
These have been shaped into varieties of shrines.
Interestingly, all of them have models elsewhere,
but are not stereotypes of their models.

74. There are three boulders which had the benefit of
the Pallava chisels working on them.
On the extreme left is the mini-tiger cave.
which is much smaller, and not so grand
as the original Tiger Cave in Saluvakkuppam.
The boulder itself is far thinner, and
couldn’t accommodate any more than a few vyala-heads.

75. On the extreme right is a
slightly bigger boulder,
which has been shaped into a
mini-Durga temple
on the chest of a lion.
This has more details.
On the back side of this
is sculpted in relief
an elephant with howdah with
an unidentified figure inside it,
like in Saluvakkuppam.
Is it a shrine? If so,
is it for Indra or Subrahmanya?

76. In front of the mini-Durga shrine,
on the smallest outcrop,
is a couching lion in repose.

77. All of them are disfigured considerably
exposed to the natural elements for centuries.
One would wonder
whether the Pallava-s or their silpi-s
were ‘atyantakama-s’!
Aren’t these quaint? Or crazy?

78. Olakkanesvara Temple
The Pallava fancy in action, again;
constructing a temple on the top of a hill!
This abode for Siva has lost its
superstructure, and to add to the woe,
most of the exquisite sculptures are now
mostly eroded.
Being the tallest point, one can have
a view of the sea and around.

79. Olakkanesvara Temple
This is a very interesting structure,
sadly neglected and unwisely used
for a few centuries in the near past.
Why was a structural temple built
on the top of a hill,
we may never know.
Perhaps again the Pallava desire
to be fanciful triumphed.

80. Located on the hill directly above
the Mahishasuramardini cave,
is approachable by
a narrow flight of stairs.

81. The Temple is without its superstructure and only a few
sculptures remains to appreciate the past glory.
Today it looks rather severe, bereft of the Pallava charm.

82. We don’t know how this temple was called in the Pallava time.
In the 19th century this temple was under worship.
We understand that it was the practice in those days of collecting
a measure of oil (Uzhakku-ennai) from the community for
the permanent light of this temple.
Thus it came to be called Uzhakku-Ennai-Isvarar Temple.
Olakkaneswra is its corruption is a view.

83. It is believed that there grew
a banyan tree
on its superstructure and
this was the reason for
its damage.
The rape of the monument
was not the handy work
of nature and
the apathy of the people alone.
The British used this for
a light-house
in the 19th century
till a new one, around 1900,
was built.
What a shame, to use a
cultural signpost for signaling!

84. Believed to have been the contribution of
the structural-temple poineer, Rajasimha,
has his stamp of rearing-vyala-based pilasters
on the four corners of
the garbha-grihamand the ardha-mandapam.
What we see today just the outer shell of
adi-talaand ardha-mandapam.
The sculptures on the niches and pilasters
of the outer walls, though extremely eroded,
give a glimpse of the Pallava art.
There are a few relief sculptures on the outer walls
which are still discernable.

85. On the south is Dakshinamurti, Siva as a teacher,
heralding a practice in all Siva temple then on,
Siva as the divine dancer on the eastern wall and
finally, on the north side, an exquisite relief of Siva
subduing Ravana who had the temerity to lift Mount Kailasa.

86. This is the highest point of Mamallai.
It gives a commanding view of
the vast stretch of the agricultural fields all around,
dotting Pallava creations here and there,
the spread of the Bay of Bengal,
the Shore Temples standing as permanent sentries
and the milling crowd, mostly aimless.

87. Mukundanayanar Temple
Because of the poor quality of
work, it is unbelievable that
this was caused by the Pallavas.
But the Somaskanda image in
the sanctum and a few relief
sculptures on the supersturcture are
the only saving graces!

88. Mukundanayanar Temple
Because of the poor quality of
work, it is unbelievable that
this was caused by the Pallavas.
But the Somaskanda image in
the sanctum and a few relief
sculptures on the supersturcture are
the only saving graces!

89. Mukundanayanar Temple
The Mukundanayanar Temple,
at the entrance to the town,
is an oddity in Mamallapuram,
a Pallava drishti-parikaram.
Scholars wonder
how the greatest aesthetic
Pallava clan
could build such
an uncouth edifice.

90. It is a pity, that as an introduction to the treasure of
Mamallapuram, it its least attractive;
the architectural elements don’t balance,
a very freak un-Pallava shrine by the Pallava-s!

91. An inscription mentions its name as
Tiru-makalippa-mudaiyar Temple.
Its importance is not in its architectural features,
but because it is the earliest structural temple by Rajasimha
and contains some interesting sculptures.
The material used is reddish granite.
It is different from
leptinite used for the Shore Temples and
softer greyish-white granite for Olakkanesvara Temple,
the three Pallava structural temples of Mamallapuaram.

92. The oblong temple has a pillared ardha-mandapam
beyond which is a square garbha-griham.
The outer walls contain no sculptures.

93. Kuta-s, on each on both the floors look incongruous.
The upper floor is squarish and plainer, and
the octagonal grivalooks rather tall and
the sikharamabove is correspondingly short.
These give the shrine a squat and unbalanced look.
Added to this is the poor stone-work.

94. But there is some compensation;
there are a few beautiful
sculptures.
The sanctum houses a typical
Pallava Somaskanda,
a beautiful composition.
Also found in the sanctum, a
round lingam.

95. On the griva are also found some beautiful sculptures:
Uma-sahita-murti in the east,
Dakshinamurti in the south,
Yoga-Narasimha in the west and, finally,
Brahma in the north.

96. 'An old ruined Temple about half a mile North of the Village Choultry
Mahabilipoorum; from a Sketch by Mr J. Braddock'; 1825
Mukundanayanar Temple
Mukundanayanar Temple

97. ‘View from the S.E. of a Ruinous Temple buried in the Sand North of the
Mavellapooram Rock. Copied by J.S. May, 1819 from the original by J. Newman.’
Mukundanayanar Temple
Mukundanayanar Temple