Shore Temples of Mahabalipuram

Posted Date: 23-Jul-2010	Category: UNESCO Heritage Sites	Rating:
Author: Kumaraditya Sarkar	Member Level: Gold	Points: 15 (Rs 7)

Shore temples of Mahabalipuram; Pallava king Narasimhavarman; Siva temple of Mahabalipuram; Vishnu temple of Mahabalipuram and many more information on Mahabalipuram.

Shore Temples of Mahabalipuram

Mahabalipuram was the ancient port city of the Pallava kings long back in the 7th century CE. The city was constructed by the Pallava king Narasimhavarman II. The Pallava kings had built a whole lot of beautiful temples and monuments in Mahabalipuram (also known as Mamallapuram, such as the Five Ratha Temples, Arjuna's Penance, and the most grave one, the Shore Temple of Mahabalipuram.

Historians assert that originally seven splendid temples were constructed by the Pallava King Narasimhavarman II along the Coromandel coastline of Mahabalipuram. Unfortunately, of them, only the shore temple of Mahabalipuram manages to survive till date. The construction of the shore temple of Mahabalipuram was commenced long before, and was finished by the Pallava king Narasimhavarman II.The shore temple of Mahabalipuram is one of the most ancient temples of Tamilnadu. In fact, the shore temple of Mahabalipuram is one of the oldest temples in the whole of India. The shore temple of Mahabalipuram is considered the best exhibition of the Dravidian architecture. This shore temple of Mahabalipuram has gained more popularity of late after being announced as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Shore Temples of Mahabalipuram

Shore Temple of Mahabalipuram Style

The Shore Temple of Mahabalipuram are constructed in the Dravidian school of architecture. Following the suit, the shore temple of Mahabalipuram is full of beautiful carvings and bas relief works. In fact the Shore Temple of Mahabalipuram is not a single temple at all. The Shore Temple of Mahabalipuram is actually a temple complex of three neighbouring shrines. Two of those shrines are dedicated to Lord Siva and are faced East and West respectively. The rest of the shrines in the Shore Temple of Mahabalipuram is a Vishnu shrine. In fact the Vishnu temple of Mahabalipuram is older than its companions. The Vishnu Temple of Mahabalipuram was built by the Pallava king Narasimhavarman I. Later, his son, the Pallava King Narasimhavarman built the two Siva temples.

Mahabalipuram, the Pallava Capital

Sculptures at Mahabalipuram

Siva Temple of Mahabalipuram Style

At the entrance of the Eastward Siva Temple of Mahabalipuram, there are the twin Gate Keeper or Dwarapala statues. This was a familiar custom of the contemporary temple architecture in South India. The insider walls of the temples are decorated with wonderful sculptures of Vishnu and Bramha along with their better halves.

In fact these wonderful sculptures are the main attractions of the shore temples of Mahabalipuram. Nevertheless, the upper portion of the Siva Linga is damaged unfortunately. Inside the Sive Temple of Mahabalipuram, there are beautiful sculptures of Somaskanda – Lord Siva with Parvati, his wife, and the two sons, Ganesha and Skanda. Besides the relief works of Lord Siva icon, there are also the sculptures of Goddess Durga and Narasimha.

Other Tourist Attractions of Mahabalipuram

The other major tourist attractions of Mahabalipuram are the Arjuna Penance, the famous five Ratha Temples of Mahabalipuram, the celebrated Trimurti Cave of Mahabalipuram, the Vishnu Cave Temple of Mahabalipuram, and the Mahishasuramardini Mandapam of Mahabalipuram and so on.

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