Mahabalipuram monuments Prof.Swaminathan

This is a series of inspiring presentations done by Prof. Swaminathan (IIT Delhi)

1. Pallava Mallai
Unfinished poetry in stone -2 Cave temples
S. Swaminathan
([email protected])

2. Let us now visit the Mallai monuments

3. Cave Temples
An overview

4. Worshipping places scooped out of the rock faces
are found all over the country.
They are called, cave temples, technically, rock-cut temples.
They are also called mandapam-s.
The cave temples of Mamallapuram,
like elsewhere in the south,
consist of a pillared hall and
one or more sanctums at the rear of the hall.
The hall may be divided sometimes into two parts,
the front one called maha-mandapamand
the rear, ardha-mandapam.
Number of shrines varied from one to
as many as five in Mamallapuram,
with the presiding deity occupying the central one.

5. The early temples were simple and the sculptural decoration
restricted to dvarapala-s only.
They were characterised by heavy square pillars with octagonal
section in the middle, known as the Mahendra-style.
The pillars support the roof through plain brackets.
The Dharmaraja Mandapam is in this early style.

6. In course of time pillars
became ornate.
From the simple, massive
Mahendra-style pillars,
they became almost round.
A base, a bulbous top and
embellished bracket that
support the beam
came into vogue.

7. The pillar shaft resting on the head
of a sitting lion or vyala is the next
stage, along with greater details on
the bracket above.
It was shafts on standing lions,
the last stage.
This type is found
in the Shore Temples.

8. The plain façade of the early period was
also modified to resemble in relief
the superstructure of
contemporary vimana-type temples.

9. Continuing with such increasing complexities,
the walls of the hall came to be decorated with
relief sculptures of themes from purana-s.

10. In the early stages the deities
in the sanctum in the Pallava temples were
either paintings made or
images in relief made of wood fixed
on the rear wall of the sanctum.
With these images gone due to decay, most
Mamallapuram sanctums are empty.
But in the three sanctums of the Trimurti Mandapam
and in the Draupati Ratha
deities have been sculpted in relief.

11. It was in the later stage that lingam came to be installed
in the sanctum, as in the Shore Temples.
But we may find lingam in many sanctums in
Mamallapuram, and these are later additions.

12. The sanctums would
normally be guarded
by gate-keepers.
They would be
women, if the presiding
deity was a goddess,
like Durga.
It would be possible to
identify the deity
they are guarding,
from the dress,
the ornaments and
the arms they carry.

13. As time progressed greater details were incorporated to the
base of the shrine and elsewhere and also developed
stylisation leading to systemisation.
This is the beginning of Vastu and Agama practices.
All the sculptures were plastered and painted, which are lost
due to centuries of exposure to natural elements.
In Mamallapuram, we have more than ten cave shrines,
in various stages of incompletion, and
of varying degrees of sophistication.
Thus the Kotikkal Mandapam is the simplest and the
Adivaraha shrine is the ultimate in Mamallapuram.

14. Most of the cave temples in Mamallapuram
are excavated on a large hillock that is oriented along north south.
Two are located in Saluvakkuppam, the neighboring village

15. Cave Temples
An overview
Kotikkal Mandapam

16. Cave Temples
An overview
Koti-k-kal Mandapam, must be an early temple
as can be seen from the plain features.
There is no clue as to the meaning of Kotikkal,
nor how it got the name.
It must have been dedicated Durga,
as can be inferred by the presence of female door-keepers.
These very elegant figures are the only sculptures here,
but their dress and ornaments are worth studying.
It can boast of a short inscription.

17. Cave Temples
An overview
The two pillars and the two half-pillars in the front
and the roof part are all plain.
There is a short inscription on one of its pillars
in the Grantha script, Shri vamankusha,
but its significance is not known.

18. Cave Temples
An overview
The hall has no sculptures
and the sanctum is empty.
The only sculptural decoration
in this shrine is
the pair of female gate-keepers
guarding the sanctum.
Both of them are slim, graceful
and stand in elegant poses.
Their poses are similar,
but not same, avoiding monotony.
One rests on a club
and the other holds a bow.

19. Their dress consists of
breast-bandand
waist-band.
There is also a loose girdle
of pleated cloth.
Their hair-do is jata-makuta,
a Siva standard,
laced with ornaments.

20. Dharmaraja Mandapam
This could be
another shrine
belonging to
the early phase
judging from
its simple features,
massive
square pillars and
lack of any
embellishments.
There are three cells, and
it is likely that
the central one was dedicated to Siva.
The mutilated gate-keepers and
the inscription on the wall make it
an important monument.

21. It is an inscription of 11 stanzas written in 14 lines.
The language is Sanskrit, like most inscriptions
of the Pallavas in Mallai period and
the script is Pallava Grantha,
a script created by the Pallavas to write Sanskrit.
The inscription is important for a variety of reasons.

22. It is an elegant writing, Indian calligraphy at its peak.
The inscription says that the shrine was caused
by a king whose title was Atyamtakama,
but we are not certain which Pallava king it is,
for many Pallavas assumed this title.
It is also intriguing as almost similar inscription is
found in the Ganesa Ratha and
the Atiranachanda Mandapam,
which may belong to different periods,
if one were to accept
chronology based on stylistic variations.

23. Here is the facsimile
of the inscription

24. The 5
th
stanza says:
“King Atyantakama,
who has subdued the territories of his foes,
is famed (by the name of) Ranajaya:
he caused to be made
this house of Sambhu (Siva)”
|
||
3
: |
2 :
0 3 0 3||
atyantakAmo nRpatirnnirjijitArAtimaNDala: |
khyAto taNajaya: Sambhostenedam veSmakAritam ||

25. Koneri Mandapam
Koneri Mandapam is located opposite to a tank,
called Koneri Pallam, perhaps,
the reason for the name of the cave shrine.
Its isolation and it being in the midst of an undisturbed
Tropical Dry Evergreen Forest are its two interesting features.
The other is that it is a five-celled cave,
the only one of its kind in Mamallapuram.

26. ThePallava-scontinuetoteaseus.
Whicharethedeitiestobehoused
inthesefivecellsisapuzzle.
Morethanthathaving
squareMahendra-typepillars
onthefrontrowandmorerounded,
well-ornamentedpillars
onthebackrow
dentsthetheoryofchronology
basedonstylisticdevelopment.

27. Eachofthefivesanctumsisguardedbyapairofdvara-pala-s.
Therearesimilaritiesamongthem,butthereisnomonotony.
Theposturesandprofilesaredifferent.
AllofthemareSaivites,withjata-makuta,pairofhornsforming
partoftheirhead-dressorthemassiveclubstheycarry,
allSaivitestandards.
Thegate-keeperontheextremeleftis
fullychippedawayanditscompanionpartly.

28. The shrine is located in wooded area,
a typical tropical ever green forest,
a unique endemic ecosystem
of the eastern coastal area.
Traditional healers use these plants
for curing more than 52 ailments.
Many of what we see in this patch is
200-300 years old. We may see
200-year vintage date palm trees and
creepers are substantial girth.
The only creeper belonging to the ficus family
is among the interesting species here.
Typical flora of Mallai
Tropical Dry Evergreen forest

29. Mahishasuramardini Mandapam
Though unfinished, the three-celled shrine
contains two priceless panels,
Mahishasuramardini and Anatasayanam.
The sanctum contains an early relief of
Somaskanda.
The portico in front of the sanctum is
a unique feature.

30. Mahishasuramardini Mandapam

31. Design of front pillars is
definitely advancement
over the square
Mahendra pillars.

32. The beautiful lion-based pillared
portico in front of the central
sanctum is found only in this
mandapam.
Why are then the pilasters
on the rear are vyala-based?

33. The rectangular pit on the floor,
may be to accommodate
a reclining Vishnu idol,
must be a later addition.
The removal of a pillar in the front,
engraving sanku-chakraon the front pilasters and
modification tried in the porch in front of the central shrine,
are tell-tales marks of the attempt to convert it into
a Vaishnava shrine, perhaps,
in the Vijayanagara times.

34. The presence of a large
Somaskanda panel in the
central sanctum
covering almost the entire
wall is a novel feature.
Its large size and the
presence of bull-mount in
the composition
differ from all the
standard composition of
Somaskanda.

35. That the dvara-pala-s of the southern shrine are clearly Saivite and
that the sculptures of the two dvara-pala-s of the central shrine
seem to be modified,
make some to suggest that the original Vaishnavite temple
has been changed to a Saivite shrine.

36. The two relief sculptures,
Anatasayana and Mahishasuramardini
are among the best representations
of the Pallava art.
That these two scenes are described
in the Devi-mahatmiya,
an episode form Markandeya Purana.
Was this the reason for selection for panels here?

37. Durga Temple (Mahishasuramardini Temple),
Photograph taken by Nicholas and Co in ca. 1880
Mahishasuramardini Mandapam and
the ruins of Olakkanesvara Temple above

38. "Pagodas at Mahabalipuram, engraved by J. Landseer,
after a picture by H.Salt, with recent hand colour." 1811
Mahishasuramardini Mandapam and
the ruins of Olakkanesvara Temple above

39. 'South View of a Small Temple on the Southernmost eminence of
the Hill at Mahabalipoorum. J. Gantz'; 1825
Mahishasuramardini Mandapam and
the ruins of Olakkanesvara Temple above

40. Atiranachanda Mandapam
Situated in Saluvakkuppam,
close to the Tiger Cave, this temple
has a few uncommon features.
In addition to a Somaskanda
in the sanctum,
there are two more in the front hall.
An improperly fixed lingam
in the sanctum,
and one in the front could be
later additions.
The presence of a beautiful bas-relief
of Mahishasuramardini, and
two important inscriptions
calligraphically rendered,
makes this cave worth a visit.

41. Grantha inscription Devanagari inscription
Similar inscription is found in the Dhramaraja mandapam
and the Ganesa Ratha

42. As excavated in 18 century

43. Varaha Mandapam
This dainty shrine has
a well-finished facade, and
vyali-based pillars of later style.
But its importance lies
in the four extraordinary
compositions:
Varaha, Lakshmi,
Durga and Trivikrma.

44. ‘Elevation of the Varaha Avatar Cavern. Mahabalipooram.’
A drawing of Varaha Mandapam

45. Adivaraha Mandapam
Dedicated to Adivara, this is under worship. But the later constructions
mar the appearance. Like Varaha Temple, this has a number of
very beautiful sculptures; some being royal portraits is important.
There are two inscriptions of importance, one of which lists
all the ten avataras of Vishnu.

46. Adivaraha Mandapam
Dedicated to Adivara is under worship, but the later constructions
mar the appearance. Like Varaha Temple, this has a number of
very beautiful sculptures; some being royal portraits is important.
There are two inscriptions of importance, one of which lists
all the ten avataras of Vishnu.

47. Ramanuja Mandapam
What should have been the cynosure of Mamallai,
this cave is a pathetic sight
with all the sculptures fully mutilated.
Relief of single-storied temples on either side is
a tribute to the boundless desire of the Pallavas
to be ever inventive.

48. Trimurti Mandapam
This sheer poetry in stone, is three-celled without front halls,
and are dedicated to Subrahmanya, Siva and Vishnu.
There is also a niche for Durga
These cells contain the deities in the sanctums, an unusual feature.
The dvarapala-s also fine sculptures.

49. ‘Elevation of the cave to the North of the rock at Mahabalipooram,
facing the west with 3 porches well sculptured on the rock, 1816.’
By an anonimous artist
A drawing of Trimurti Mandapam

50. ‘Sculptured figure within the Cave of
Capul Iswar, at Mahabalipooram 1816.
Copied by A. Macpherson.’
Sculptures of Trimurti Mandapam
-Brahmasasta

51. ‘Sculptured Figure within the Cave of
Capul Iswar at Mahabalipooram Central
Compartment.
Copied by J. Gould.’
Sculptures of Trimurti Mandapam
-Siva

52. ‘Sculpture in Cave of Capul Iswar
at Mahabalipooram. Left Compartment.
Copied by J. Gould, 1819.’
Sculptures of Trimurti Mandapam
-Vishnu

53. ‘Figure of Cali at Mahabalipooram
Copied by Paralla.’
Sculptures of Trimurti Mandapam
-Mahishasuramardini

54. Tiger Cave
Many Pallava kings called themselves as Atyantakama
(‘of-boundless-desires’), for which this monument is an example.
The façade is decorated with eleven excellently modelled vyalis.
There is no clue as to the purpose for which this has been excavated.
There are a number of unfinished reliefs: two elephants with
an unidentified deity on the howdah of each, a running horse and
a shrine within a lion, all add to the mystery.