Trip to Mahabalipuram, Tamilnadu on December 5, 2007
Saluvakuppam - Tigers cave, Atiranachanda Mandapam, Saptamatrika shrine
Saluvakuppam
Saluvakuppam
village is situated a few kms north of Mamallapuram. Here we visited
three structures the Tigers cave, the Atiranachandesvara Mandapam and
the Saptamatrikas temple.
Tigers cave
It is also
known as the Yali mandapam. There is a huge boulder on which there
are eleven yali faces. The faces at the base are in profile, progressing
to straight posture at the top. All the yalis are facing a central
stage which is 8ft by 3ft depth, about 6 ft from the ground with a flight
of steps to reach the stage. Since there are no dwarapalakas or carving
on the rear wall, this may not have been a temple. Various guesses
have been made it could have been the spot from which the king witnessed
a festival, or it could have been a spot where they rested a processional
deity. There are two soaring lions with riders on either side of
the entrance, beside which can be seen two niches .
On the left,
on a shorter projection of the boulder, are 2 elephant faces with a cell
carved above their head. This looks like the ambari (howdah or decorated
seat) on the elephant. In the cells, can be seen deities with four
hands, but since the weapons are not clear, it is difficult to identify
the deities. We can only guess that it could be Indra or Muruga for
they both have elephants as their vehicle. To the left of the elephants
is a galloping horse. A cleft runs between the yali faces and the
elephant cells.
On the sideface,
to the right of the yalis, a huge lion face has been carved with a niche
cut into its belly, perhaps to engrave a Mahishasuramardhini panel, but
it is unfinished.
There is a
similar but smaller structure like the Tigers cave near the shore temple,
which is unfinished. It could have been an experiment, a trial run
before they excavated this masterpiece. A similar lion structure
with a Mahishasuramardhini panel in the centre can also be seen near the
shore temple.
Tigers cave, Mahabalipuram, Tamilnadu
Tigers cave, Mahabalipuram, Tamilnadu
Tigers cave, Mahabalipuram, Tamilnadu
Tigers cave, Mahabalipuram, Tamilnadu
Atiranachanda Mandapam
It is a cave
mandapam situated a few hundred feet to the North of Tigers cave - an
Iswara temple with a lingam in the main sanctum, an elongated lingam in
the open pavilion in front and a nandi. The two lingams and the nandi
are in a straight line. To the left of the Nandi is a Mahishasuramardini
panel.
The space (raised
portion) in front of the pillars is the Maha mandapam and the section beyond
the pillars is the Ardha Mandapam.
There are two
wall inscriptions of the same sloka on either side of the mahamandapam
in Pallava Grantham on the left wall (southern wall) and in Devanagiri
on the right wall (northern wall). The inscription says that Atiranachanda
raised this temple for Somaskanda (Siva, Uma and Skanda). Similar inscriptions
are also seen in the Dharmaraja mandapam (a cave temple) and Ganesha Ratham
(a monolith). There is a Chola inscription on the floor, indicating
that the temple was under worship in the Chola times.
There are two
whole pillars and two pilasters (half pillars - one half protruding and
the other merging into the wall). The pillars here indicate that this mandapam
must be of an early origin, for there is no ornamentation square base
& eight sided in the middle. There is a kapotam (the roof top) with
24 small niches.
In the ardha
mandapam are three Somaskanda panels two on the walls on either side
of the garbagriham and one inside the garbagriham on the rear wall behind
the lingam. The somaskanda panel in the grabagriham shows Shiva & Uma
sitting with Skanda, with Brahma and Vishnu standing on either side.
The lingam in front is of a highly polished stone with sixteen sides.
It is believed that there were no lingams in the garba griham of the cave
temples of the Pallavas. Prayers were offered only to the panel in
the rear wall. The lingams must be later addition.
The dwarapalakas
guarding the garbagriha are male with wide rounded eyes the dwarapalakas
are holding a club -one on the left in his right hand and the one on the
right in his left hand.
Atiranachanda Mandapam, Mahabalipuram, Tamilnadu
Atiranachanda Mandapam, Mahabalipuram, Tamilnadu
Atiranachanda Mandapam, Mahabalipuram, Tamilnadu
Atiranachanda Mandapam, Mahabalipuram, Tamilnadu
Atiranachanda Mandapam, Mahabalipuram, Tamilnadu
Atiranachanda Mandapam, Mahabalipuram, Tamilnadu
Atiranachanda Mandapam, Mahabalipuram, Tamilnadu
Atiranachanda Mandapam, Mahabalipuram, Tamilnadu
Atiranachanda Mandapam, Mahabalipuram, Tamilnadu
Atiranachanda Mandapam, Mahabalipuram, Tamilnadu
Atiranachanda Mandapam, Mahabalipuram, Tamilnadu
Atiranachanda Mandapam, Mahabalipuram, Tamilnadu
Mahishasuramardini
panel
In front of
the cave, to the left of the nandi is the Mahishasuramardhini panel.
It measures about 6ft by 3ft, much smaller than the panel in the Mahishasuramardhini
cave, but displays the mood and action as effectively. The devi is
seated sideways on the lion (both her legs are visible), left leg resting
on a lotus. She is ready to pull the string of her bow. The
demon is running away with a few ganas chasing him. Joyous ganas can be
seen around the devi.
In the mahishasuramardini
cave, the Devi is sitting astride on the lion with eight arms & the
demon is in a striking posture, swinging his mace with an umbrella over
his head indicating that the fight is still on. There are a yoginis and
female attendants also around the devi.
Saptamatrika shrine
Further north
is a shrine under worship for the Saptamatrikas. It is a construction
retaining the traditional tile roof. Only six devis are seen and
there is no explanation about the missing idol. It could have been
established by a later Pallava, Nandivarma or Dandivarma.
Saptamatrika shrine, Mahabalipuram, Tamilnadu
Saptamatrika shrine, Mahabalipuram, Tamilnadu
Inscriptions near Atiranachanda Cave
To
the north of the Atiranachanda Cave, within 100 metres, is a hill where
is found an inscription of Kulottunga III. From the inscriptions
it becomes evident that there existed a temple for Subrahmanya here and
that the Chozha king was titled Tribhuvana Vira Thevan, and that the place
was known as Thiruvizhichchalur, a Brahmadeyam, belonging to Amur Kottam
in the Jayamkonda Chozhamandalam. It carries the message that the devotees
of the temple sold a plot of land for 300 coins to Andar Karpudaiyar Nambi.
In the Tsunami of 2004, a brick structure close to this rock was uncovered, and excavations are
going on at the site, Mahabalipuram, Tamilnadu
In the Tsunami of 2004, a brick structure close to this rock was uncovered, and
excavations are going on at the site. Very important discoveries are expected
out of the excavation.
Dr.Swaminathan, retired professor from IIT Delhi had organized a trip
to Mahabalipuram to understand and appreciate better the great art
treasures gifted to us by the Pallavas.
We visited only a few mandapams and caves, but at every spot
Mr.Swaminathan shared with us details such as - the Pallava kings who
had contributed, the structural variations / refinement that can be
observed in the structures belonging to different periods. And sadly,
also the vandalism - mostly broken noses, attempt to project a Siva
temple as a Vishnu temple or vice versa and also an attempt by the kings
to take credit without contributing. Since several Pallava rulers seem
to have shared the same titles, that further adds to the confusion.
Mr.Swaminathan first gave a general introduction to the temple
architecture and sculpture - the different styles of rock architecture
seen at Mahabalipuram - the monoliths, cave mandapams, structural
temple, bas relief.
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