Trip to Mahabalipuram, Tamilnadu on December 5, 2007
Mukunda Nayanar temple
The board
by Department of Archaeology, Southern Circle at the entrance states that
this is a “Stone Siva temple of inferior workmanship and disproportionate
parts. Poor specimen of Pallava architecture. Rajasimha style.
A.D 674-800.”
There is a
Somaskanda panel in the rear wall of the garbagriham and a lingam is installed
in front of the panel, which must be a later addition. There are
no decorations on any outer wall. There are sculptures only in the
neck of the grivam at the top – Dakshinamurthy, Narasimha...
Mukunda Nayanar temple, Mahabalipuram, Tamilnadu
Mukunda Nayanar temple, Mahabalipuram, Tamilnadu
Mukunda Nayanar temple, Mahabalipuram, Tamilnadu
Mukunda Nayanar temple, Mahabalipuram, Tamilnadu
Mukunda Nayanar temple, 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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