Trip to Mahabalipuram, Tamilnadu on December 5, 2007
Varaha Mandapam
This
is one of the almost completed monuments attributed to the time of Narasimha
Pallava. This cave mandapam and the Adi Varaha mandapam which is
currently under worship sport similar wall panels. There are four
wonderful relief panels - Varaha holding aloft Boodevi, Gajalakshmi, Durga
and Trivikrama.
There is a small tank dug at the
entrance of the mandapam. There are two pillars & 2 pilasters
with sitting lion as the base. On the roof there is a level of kudus
with lotus carvings and above that are the salas (mini shrines).
On either side of the empty garbagriham
are two dwarapalakas in three fourth profile, their outer arm on their
hip and the inner arm pointing to the garbagriham. As a rare feature,
there are two more dwarapalakas on the side projecting wall, at right angle,
facing the Varaha & Trivikrama panels.
Varaha Mandapam, Mahabalipuram, Tamilnadu
Dwarapalakas
Varaha Mandapam, Mahabalipuram, Tamilnadu
Dwarapalakas
On the left side are the Varaha
panel on the side wall and the Gajalakshmi panel on the facing wall.
On the right side are the Trivikrama panel on the side wall and the Durga
panel on the facing wall.
The
Varaha panel
Varaha Mandapam, Mahabalipuram, Tamilnadu
Varaha panel
In the centre of the panel is seen
Lord Varaha, a gigantic figure holding aloft the tiny Boomidevi. Varaha
is holding Devi with his right arm, resting her on his raised right leg
placed on a naga hood. His left leg is planted firmly on the ground
and he is holding Devi's right leg with his left arm. In his upper
arms he has the changu and chakra. The naga king, the lotus leaves
and the waves represent the ocean from which Varaha has rescued Boomi Devi.
On the left, is a woman offering thanks and beside her is a sage.
To the right of Varaha is Brahma and an ascetic. At the top are two
heavenly beings one on either side. The halo around the figure on
the left indicates he is the sun or the moon.
Gajalakshmi Panel
Varaha Mandapam, Mahabalipuram, Tamilnadu
Gajalakshmi Panel
To the right of the Varaha panel
is the panel depicting Lakshmi seated on a lotus. She is holding
her arms in the posture of holding lotuses, but there are no flowers in
her hands. Her legs are resting on a lotus. There are four
women, two on either side. The ones closest to Lakshmi are holding
pots. There are two huge elephants on top. The one on the left
is in the act of squirting holy water on Lakshmi and the one on the right
has its trunk wrapped around the pot in the woman's hand.
Trivikrama Panel
Varaha Mandapam, Mahabalipuram, Tamilnadu
Trivikrama Panel
On
the wall opposite the Varaha panel is the scene depicting Trivikrama
(ulagalanda Perumal), Vishnu raising his left leg to reach to the sky.
In his Vamana avatara, the Lord as Vamana, a Brahmin dwarf subdues the
asura Mahabali. (Vamana asks for three steps of land. As the amused
Mahabali watches, he covers the entire earth with one foot, the heavens
with his second step and places his foot on Mahabali's head for the third
step.) In this panel, he is seen measuring the heavens as Trivikrama.
He has eight arms. His main right arm is raised to the roof and he
holds weapons in his other arms. There are figures around Vishnu
in three levels. At ground level are four men, two on either side,
seated to indicate the earth. The first figure on the left seen in a sprawling
posture could be Mahabali. At the second level are the sun &
moon identified by the halo around the head, indicating the sky.
There are heavenly beings, Brahma on the right and Siva on the left in
the 3rd level, seated on lotus, i.e, Lord Vishnu has reached even above
the skies to measure his second step. Beside Brahma is an animal
headed form, beating a drum in jubilation. Just below Brahma in the
second level is seen a figure falling down to earth.
Durga Panel
In the centre of the panel is an
erect standing Durga on a pedestal/lotus with an umbrella overhead.
She is depicted with four arms. The main right arm is in abhaya mudra
(blessing), the main left arm is on her hip and has the changu and chakram
in the upper arms. There are four floating ganas at the top, two on either
side. At the top left is a lion upto the torso, with a stylized mane and
at the top right is a deer. At the foot of Durga on the left is a
seated man ready to chop off his head and on the right is a man kneeling
in prayer.
Varaha Mandapam, Mahabalipuram, Tamilnadu
Durga Panel
Varaha Mandapam, Mahabalipuram, Tamilnadu
Design carved on the ceiling
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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