.... a continuation post to Ganesha Ratham,
Mahabalipuram, A Heritage Visit – Part -9
08th June 2017.
Apart from the well-known UNESCO notified Temple,
caves, and sculptures, which we had seen in the earlier posts, there are small monuments scattered around the hill and on the seashore. These are being
maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India ( ASI ) and we could cover only a few during our one-day heritage visit to Mahabalipuram. Some of them ( which we had seen ) are...
OLAKKANATHA
TEMPLE.... The of the temple
may probably be Olakkannisvara ( flame
eye ) Shiva. This is above the Mahishamardini cave, a masonry temple-like shore
temple. This might have been constructed during Rajasimha Period (690 – 715 AD) and the superstructure is missing now. There are usual rampant lions and panels representing
Shiva’s various forms. They are Dakshinamurthy, Ravanaaugraha murti
( Shiva showing mercy on Ravana ), Alidhanrittamurti ( Shiva dancing in the pose
of the warrior in action )
LOCATION: CLICK HERE
Ravanaanugraha murti ( Shiva showing mercy on Ravana )
Alidhanrittamurti ( Siva dancing in the pose of a warrior in action )
VIJAYANAGARA
PERIOD UN-FINISHED GOPURAMS....The
Rayala-gopuram is an unfinished gopuram or Rajagopuram of the Vijayanagara
period showing typical decorations on the jambs. This is the second unfinished
Vijayanagara Gopuram at Mahabalipuram opposite to Sthalasayana Perumal Temple.
Rayala-gopuram
Rayala-gopuram
Sthalasayana Perumal
Temple gopuram
Sthalasayana Perumal
Temple gopuram
Sthalasayana Perumal
Temple gopuram
VALAYANKUTTAI
AND PIDARI RATHAS....These
Rathas are near the Buckingham Canal. These monolithic Rathas are smaller in
size compared to Shore temples. The Valayankuttai Ratha resembles the Arjuna
Ratha and close to this, there are two unfinished rock-cut shrines facing east.
LOCATION: CLICK HERE
MUKUNTHA NAYANAR
TEMPLE....This temple is at the
entrance of Mahabalipuram. This is rectangular in shape with a mukha mandapam
facing east. This temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and Somaskandar is on the
back of Shiva linga. The other murtis are Dakshinamurthy on the south, Yoga
Narasimhar on the west, and Brahma on the north.
LOCATION: CLICK HERE
Photograph of small temples north of the village of Mamallapuram in Tamil Nadu, from the Archaeological Survey of India Collections taken by Alexander Rea in the 1880s.
PENANCE
PANEL.... This is about 200
meters away from Krishna Mandapa. This is very similar to Arjuna’s penance
sculptures but unfinished and there is no answer as to why this was abandoned.
Experts believed that before carving the
present Arjuna’s Penance the sculptor might have experimented with this rock.
LOCATION: CLICK HERE
---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---
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