Trip to Mahabalipuram, Tamilnadu on December 5, 2007
Ganesha Ratham
This is one among the most completed
structure. It is believed that originally there was a lingam in the
garbagriham and this mandapam was then the Arjuna mandapam. The lingam
was lost & the public replaced it with a Ganesha idol with permission
from the Collector in the nineteenth century and henceforth it came to
be known as the Ganesha Ratham. There are two pillars and two half
pillars (pilasters) with a seated lion as base, a cylindrical carved portion
above the lions head, a sixteen sided portion above that and a bracket.
There are two dwarapalakas at the two extreme ends of the ratha.
There are several ganas carved on
the roof, just below the kapotam. On the kapotam, there are kudus
(circular arches) with the carving of a face in each kudu. Just above
the kudus are a row of yalis. There is a highly carved top for the
mandapam in two layers with a single cellular shrine at the top.
There is a single cellular mini shrine
on the roof - sala (wagon head) at the top. If the body of the mandapam
is rectangular, the roof is normally a sala.
Ganesha Ratham, Mahabalipuram, Tamilnadu
Ganesha Ratham, Mahabalipuram, Tamilnadu
Ganesha Ratham, Mahabalipuram, Tamilnadu
Ganesha Ratham, Mahabalipuram, Tamilnadu
Ganesha Ratham, Mahabalipuram, Tamilnadu
Ganesha Ratham, Mahabalipuram, Tamilnadu
Ganesha Ratham, Mahabalipuram, Tamilnadu
Ganesha Ratham, Mahabalipuram, Tamilnadu
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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