Page 12 - apr-Jun 2020

Magnificient Mahabalipuram

Mahabalipuram, in Tamil Nadu, is an important centre of architecture DID YOU KNOW?
from the time of the Pallava Dynasty (7th – 8th centuries CE). It is believed that at Mahabalipuram, six
Near the shore, there were two granite hills that were cut to create other beautiful temples stood. The Ocean
structures. The rock-cut architecture over here is from the time of King God got jealous and submerged them. Some
Narasimhavarman I, who was also known as Mamalla – the Great of these appeared when the sea withdrew
during the 2004 tsunami.
Wrestler. It is because of this that this site is called Mamallapuram or
Darsh Suman Jain, VII C, Akshara School, Kakinada
Mahabalipuram. There are a number of interesting structures here.
S. Kavya, VI B, Glazebrooke Public School, Reddiyur, Salem
TEMPLES

CAVES The Shore Temple is one of
the Seven Pagodas which are
There are a number of believed to have existed here.
caves here. The Adi Varaha Many fascinating architectural
Perumal Cave Temple features and carvings still remain. The other shrines
is the earliest structure are believed to be underwater now.
from this site. The others
are the Trimurti Cave for the Hindu trinity, the PANCHA RATHAS
Mahishasurmardini Cave, and Tiger Cave. The Pancha Rathas are an ode to the fi ve Pandava
brothers from the Mahabharata and their wife Draupadi.
Each is diff erent from the
KRISHNA'S BUTTERBALL other, even though they

are all carved out of a
This is quite an architectural feat! Mahabalipuram
single long stone.
has a number of large
stones situated on hills
at an angle. Many forces ACTIVITY: ARJUNA'S
have been used to move PENANCE
them, but all have failed!
This rock carving, known as a relief, is
These are called Krishna’s
called either ‘Descent of the Ganges’
butterballs.
or ‘Arjuna’s Penance’. Can you describe
it and write your interpretation of the
images carved here?
PATTADAKAL

Pattadakal is a complex containing a series of Hindu and Jain
temples in northern Karnataka. It was built by the Chalukyas on CITY OF CROWN RUBIES!!
the left bank of the Malaprabha River between the 7th and 8th Pattadakal was called the ‘City of the Crown
centuries CE. Rubies’ (Pattada-kisuvolal). After it became the
third capital of the Chalukyas, this is where the
The Early Chalukyas of Western Karnataka started a new
form of temple architecture called Vesara. These temples king was crowned.
contain elements found in
both Dravida and Nagara
architectures. The Pattadakal WORLD HERITAGE SITEs
Group of Monuments include
Mahabalipuram was inscribed as a World
temples like Sangameshwara,
Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1984, while
Virupaksha, Mallikarjuna, etc.
the Pattadakal Group of Monuments
was added to the list in 1987.

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