Musafir

Till now we have seen the rock-cut temple where a rock face is excavated deep to form a verandah and to accommodate one or more cells on the back wall. Also well known is the fact that Mahendravarman I started this rock-cut shrine fashion in South India. As all the cave temple only show the two dimensional representation of your thoughts what if someone wants to represent his ideas in three dimensions and keeping the long lasting characteristic of rocks. This is where we see the brilliance of Mahendra's successor Narasimhavarman I Mamalla when he started a new style, carving the temple out of a monolith, locally called as Rathas. The freshness of these rathas are still the same as it looks that these were finished very recently. A Ratha literally meant a car or chariot. In old times, as well as in present, the temples used to have their cars in which the main deities were put during the processions. However these carved monoliths do not look like a chariot but a full blown temple itself. The sculptors started from the top as noticed from their incomplete state at the bottom. There are total of ten such rathas at Mahabalipuram. We have already see the Ganesha Ratha earlier. We will visit the others now.

The Pancha Pandava Rathas actually have nothing to do with the Pandavas. It was a custom in the earlier period to associate a construction to a mystical figure and moreover the number of constructions are five. Four out of five rathas are carved out of a single whale-back rock which has a gradual increase in height from north to south. This rock is utilized in its fullest and from it came out four magnificent specimen of Pallava architecture. Most of the scholars assign these constructions to Narasimhavarman I Mamalla, however some of these might have been completed by his successor Parameshvaravarman I.

The Draupadi Ratha is the smallest of the group and located on the northern most end of the rock. Being the smallest and dedicated to female goddess, this is named so. In architectural style, this looks like a thatched roof of Bengal where curvilinear roof is usually topped upon the structure. This kind of huts would have been quite in use not only in Bengal but other parts of India, such as in present time also we see such huts in our villages. The finial would have been placed in old time, however now it is missing. This west facing ratha is constructed on a high rise platform, which is supported on a large alternating elephant and lion heads frieze. The front facade has two female dvarapalas, proper right one holding a sword and proper left one holding a bow. At the corners of the roof is seen beautiful creeper designs.

On the back wall of the cell inside, is a magnificent image of Durga. She is shown standing on a lotus. Depicted with four hands, she is carrying a sankha and chakra in her upper hands while her one lower hand is in abhaya mudra and another lower hand is resting on her waist. There are two devotees, left one trying to cut his head in offerings to the goddess while the right one is offering flowers. The devotee on the left is shown with long tresses and he is holding those in order to keep his neck tight to accommodate smooth cutting. We also see four ganas (goblins) on the upper side of the panel, two on either side of the goddess. Two, at extreme ends, are shown holding a small sword while the two inner ones are shown with one hand raised in adoration.

There are three niches carved at the three walls of this ratha. The niches are carved within two pilasters and are shown an icon of Durga who is standing on a buffalo head, which represents Mahishasura, the buffalo demon. In her upper hands she carries sankha and chakra while her one lower hand is in abhaya mudra and another resting on her waist. In front of this ratha is carved a 6 feet high lion out of a boulder. As the ratha is dedicated to Durga hence her lion in front and this shows the utilization at the maximum, simply outstanding.

The Arjuna Ratha is west facing and measures 11.5 feet by 16 feet and 20 feet high. It shares the platform with the Draupadi Ratha. This is a two storey complex with a octagonal dome like structure on the top. This top would have been adorned with a finial, as this finial can be seen on the platform near this shrine. The front facade is supported on two pillars and two pilasters on the front. The pilasters are supported by lions, which are shown facing each other. The second storey (first floor) has eight niches adorned with couples, two on each side. There is a small mandapa in front which leads into the garbha-griha which is a almost square cell of 4.5 feet by 5 feet in size. The Garbha-griha is empty now, but it was  reported by earlier historians that they found a head with trisula prongs. Hence this structure seems to be dedicated to Shiva. The niche images on external  walls also supports this deduction.There was not much space for dvarpalas inside the cell or in mandapa hence those are carved on external walls.

On north niche is shown Vishnu on Garuda. Vishnu is shown carrying sankha and chakra and shown in the act of mounting on to Garuda. On proper right to this niche is shown a couple and proper left niche is empty. On the corner niches are shown two dvarpalas, with one hand raised in adoration. On east wall is shown Subramanya on his mount, elephant in the central niche. As Indra is also depicted with his elephant so this could be Indra as well, however as the monument is dedicated to Shiva hence Subramanya seems to be better fit. Also his headdress is similar to the Subramanya image of Trimurti Cave, hence this image on this ratha can be treated as of Subramanya. On its proper right niche are shown two female figures, in which one figure is of great beauty and grace. On proper left niche is shown a sage with his disciple. On corner niches are shown dvarpalas, in which the proper right one is shown holding a bow and other one with one hand raised in adoration. On southern wall, in middle niche, is shown Shiva where he is shown leaning against his mount, Nandi, the bull. On the either side of this niche are shown two couples, one in each niche. On corner niches are shown dvarpalas, with one hand raised in adoration. On the east of the ratha is a figure of Nandi, the mount of Shiva. As there was no rock found in front of the ratha hence the artists carved this out in the rock at the backside of the monument. In such a case, the artists were able to carve the face of Nandi facing the shrine, as seen in orthodox style.

We will see the other three Rathas in the following article…

The Ganesha Ratha is located on the backside hill of Arjuna’s Penance and is one of the most complete ratha at the site. As this is the most complete ratha hence it might be that it was started earliest among all however there is no evidence to support this. Though the shrine is meant to be dedicated to Shiva, but a Ganesha image is housed inside. This image was placed by the villagers in about 1880s with  the permission of the then District Collector.The original Shivalinga however was installed later below a nearby tree. This west facing ratha has two upper storeys with a wagon roof and is 20 feet long, 11.5 feet wide and 28 feet high, in proportions. There is cell excavated in the centre, measuring about 7 feet by 4 feet and 7 feet high. The west frontal façade is supported on two lion-base pillars and two lion-base pilasters. The lions of the pillars faces front and those of pilasters faces each other, as per the regular arrangement seen in other similar monuments.

There is seen a human face peeping out of the cornice. Above the cornice is seen regular arrangement of oblong and square mini shrines, interconnected by a cloister. This horizontal frieze of shrines separated the first storey with the ground floor. The gabled ends are very interesting in design, east side end is fully survived. These horse shoe shaped windows have three doors carved out, where the central one is shown containing a high Shivalinga like structure. Many scholars suggests that this design is taken from Buddhist style where a stupa is carved or placed under the  central door. The deign does show some affinity with Buddhist style however if such an influence is there then it would have come from Amaravati artists. On the west portico is a Sanskrit inscription, similar to that of Dharmaraja Mandapa. There are total of fourteen verses in this inscription and the twelfth verse  states that this temple is founded by a Pallava king named Atyantakama, Atyantakama-Pallaveshvara-Griham. The other verses eulogized Shiva.

The Mahishasura Mardhini Cave is one of the important monuments in Mahabalipuram and a must visit for its beautiful architecture. This cave temple is below the Olakkaneshwara Temple. This is a three celled shrine, 32 feet long, 15 feet wide and 12.5 feet high hall, where the central one is projected forward compared to the two subsidiary cells. The front facade is supported in four pillars and two pilasters. The central cell has a small mukha-mandapa in front of it which is supported in two pillars with seated lion bases.

The middle sanctum is flanked by dvarapalas (guardians) on either side, and inside it has a panel on the back wall. In this panel Shiva is shown seated majestically on a platform with Parvati. Baby Skanda is shown seated on Parvati’s lap. Shiva’s mount Nandi is shown seated near Shiva’s feet on the ground. Shiva and Parvati are shown  wearing various ornaments such as necklaces, bracelets, ear-rings etc. There is a devotee shown on right side corner. Brahma and Vishnu are shown standing behind Shiva-Parvati. Brahma is shown standing on left side with four heads and four hands. He is shown holding a water vessel and akshamala in his upper hands. Vishnu is also shown with four hands, carrying chakra and sankha in his upper hands. Surya is seen on top, between Brahma and Vishnu.

This cave is with so much detail that once can take even an hour to completely explore each part of it. Let us see the other panels and the sculptures in this beautiful Mandapa.

The most astonishing features of this cave are the two side panels, which are very exquisite in sculpture art. The north wall depicts Durga as Mahishasura Mardhini fighting with demon Mahishasura. This panel is simply put as one of the most elegant example of the Pallava art. Because of this panel, this shrine is named accordingly. If we can divide this panel in two parts with a vertical line, then left part shows the army with Goddess Durga while the right part shows the army of the  buffalo-demon Mahishasura. Durga is shown mounted on prancing lion and carrying weapons in her eight hands. She is shown holding khadga (sword), dhanush (bow), bana(arrows), ghanta (bell) in her right hands while pasa (rope), sankha (conch), dagger in her left hands. Durga is shown getting ready to fire an arrow towards the demon. One chatra(parasol) is held above her head by one of her companion. She is accompanied with her female warriors and ganas(dwarfs). On right is shown retreating army of the demon. Mahishasura is shown in retreating himself back and trying to save himself from falling. He is holding a gada (club) whose heaviness can be felt in his posture. One of his companion is trying to hide himself behind another so to escape from death. One of his soldier is shown falling head down. Another is shown fell on the ground and looking above in fear. The panel depicts the victory of divine power over the evil forces, and sculptors were successful in taking this theme out in perfection.

On southern wall is a panel depiction Vishnu in anantasayana mudra. He is shown with two hands, stretched over the coil of serpent, Adi-sesha. Adi-sesha’s five-hooded head is spread as an umbrella over Vishnu’s head. Two demons are shown  approaching Vishnu near his feet to attack him. Both are shown carrying gada (club). Seeing them approaching near, Adi-Sesha hissed and flames came out of his hoods. Due to these flames, the demons retreated backwards, as shown in the scene. One hand of Vishnu is shown taping over the coil of Adi-Sesha. The rightmost female figure is Bhudevi.

I spent almost half an hour in this Mantapa. It was quite hot that day and i was really tired. I took a break for some quick lunch and moved on to visit the Pancha Pandava Rathas.

Mahabalipuram, derived from 'Mamallapuram' was a 7^th century port city of the South Indian dynasty of the Pallavas around 60 km south from the city of Chennai in Tamil Nadu. It has been identified as the port Melange mentioned in the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea by an unknown Greek navigator of the first century A.D. The name Mamallapuram is believed to have been given after the Pallava king Narasimhavarman I, who took on the epithet Maha-malla (great wrestler). It has various historic monuments built largely between the 7^th and the 9^th centuries, and has been classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

Mahabalipuram is seen as the workshop of Indian sculptures where they experimented with various temple and architectural styles, hence this place has a very important place in study of Indian architecture. Here we find examples of various temple types, be it monoliths or rock-cut shrines. We can categorize the monuments in four different categories:

1. Rock-cut shrines – In this style, a rock face is excavated to make place for temple elements like sanctum, mantapa etc.
2. Monolith structures – Locally called as ‘Rathas’, these are free-standing temples  cut out of a solid rock
3. Bas-relief – These kind of reliefs are only found in Mahabalipuram, where a rock-face is carved extensively with figures and other plastic art elements usually depicting some mythological scene
4. Structural Temples – These are built-up masonry temples

Let us visit each of the places and talk about them. 

The first monument we visit is the Krishna Mantapa. Even though it is called a Mantapa, it is actually a bas-relief of the dedicated to Lord Krishna and some of his stories. The most notable sculpture inside is the lifting of of the Govardhana mountain. The Mantapa was evidently added later in the 16th century. The central figure of Krishna, with Balarama by his side, is shown lifting the hill with his little finger. Enjoying the divine protection, the rest are carrying on their business as usual. The artist suggests this by depicting a cowherd milking a cow while the cow itself is fondly licking its calf.

On the left corner of the relief are shown few animals, mostly lions. One lioness is shown in her cave, above these lions. One lion of interest as it is carved with body of a lion but head of a human. A representation of Narasimha? or this is ‘man/king among lions’ a title, ‘Rajasimha,’ taken up by a Pallava king, Narasimhavarman II. In my understanding, this cannot be taken as a representation of Narasimha, an incarnation of Vishnu. However ‘man/king among lions’ quite fits here. Does that mean Rajasimha was the creator of this relief?

Each figure on this bas-relief is well carved and looks as if they are alive. The cows especially are carved so beautifully even taking care of the small curves. I spent almost 15 minutes inside this small Mantapa and moved on to one of the most wonderful monuments in Mahabalipuram, the Arjuna’s penance.

We entered Warangal Fort and visited the Swayambhu Temple.

Just in front of the Swayambhu Temple is an vast open space which is used as sort of a museum. We bought our tickets and entered. Looking inside, any emotional history and art lover would be in tears; so was i. My friend was confused with my behaviour but as he understands me, did not interrupt.

Inside are various pieces of extraordinary art which were part of magnificent temples and buildings and placed here. They were destroyed during the invasion. We cannot even identify and match two pieces to one construction.

Parts of temples and palaces are collected from various places in the fort and displayed in this enclosure. The ASI need to be appreciated for this. Even though they are not properly maintained, at least they are available. These are the remains of a glorious kingdom.

There are tiles that might have belonged to the floor or ceiling of a building. Idols of various forms are just strewn here and there. The one that you see in the picture should be the beam designs of a temple, now broken, scratched and in ruins. There are various idols that are broken but still has the grace. There are so many idols over here that i cannot place all the pictures here. All of them are masterpieces within themselves. It feels awesome imagining the pleasure that the craftsmen would have got when their products were being worshipped or being used inside palaces.

The most magnificent of the structures in here is the stone chariot. This should have been here all these centuries considering its size. It would be extremely difficult to move a structure which is on the verge of collapsing. This structure, as any others  has been almost taken down save the pillars and a broken base. The most amazing thing that you find in this and nowhere else is the use of pink sandstone.

The ASI has constructed pillars recently to support the structure. The pillars are almost 20 feet in height and are carved with amazing designs. The entire chariot is made of black stone and pink sandstone is used for some of the designs as you see in the picture above.  You can see many other pieces of the chariot lying among the bushes and just  placed on a side. Some say that this construction is the throne of the king, but that is unlikely as it has wheels like a chariot.

The other significant pieces of construction are the four entrances that have been placed here. They are almost 25 feet in height and still intact without any damage. These entrances are the icons of Warangal and are decorated with minute carvings. There are pigeons, lions and peacocks on either side on the pillars.

Once should take at least a couple of hours visiting each idol and sculpture in this enclosure. You can find architecture which is very unique and cannot be found anywhere in South India. Even the broken pieces of art speak stories…

To be continued…