MAHABALIPURAM <from the left panel>

Mahabalipuram (as the place in called today) was known variably as Mallai, Kadal-Mallai and Mamallai in ancient Vaishnav hymns of the 6th-8th century AD. The place however dates back to early historic times on the evidence of stray pottery and roman coins.

  All the monuments here except medieval Vishnu temple in worship in the heart of the village clearly owe their authorship to the Pallavas of the Simha Vishu line who ruled from Kanchi [the ancient Kanchi].  Mahabalipuram was one of the Pallava ports. A majority of the monuments (rock cut and monolithic) would seem to belong stylistically to the reign of Narasimnavarman I, Mamalla (630-688 A.D.) while some others should be of the time of his successors such as Parameswaravarman (672-700 A.D.) and Narasimhavarman II [Rajasimha] 700-728 A.D.  All the for[sic] structural stone temples however belong only to time of the last mentioned king.  The monumental remains at Mahabalipuram are informed by three kinds of mode of execution: excavated cave temples, monolithic temples models and structural erections. The first mentioned are essentially confined to the whole black granitic hillock rising in the centre of the village (E.G. the Trimurti, Mahishasura Mardini, Varaha mandapa, Ramanuja mandapa, Dharmaraja mandapa) etc.  The pillars are both of simple square and octagonal shaft type as well as omate[sic] fluted and lion based forms reflecting the elements of the pillar order.

  The monolithic rathas, however display the full form and features of the contemporary temple style and show many varieties both in ground plan and elevation.  They are of square (Dharmaraja, Arjuna and Draupadi Rathas) rectangular (Bhima Ganesha rathas) and apsidal rathas, Sahadeva rathas and range from single to triple storeys. They carry art motifs as well as carved panels of many divinities on them together with the Valayankuttai and Pidari rathas as isolated boulder on the western side of the hillock. They represent the most impressive and the oldest preserved vimana models of Tamil Nadu. The earliest and most modest of them is Mukundanayanar Temple in the sand dune to the north of the light house and is very omate[sic] though small sized and dilapidated. The Shore Temples in the other hand are the best and give the most finite layout of a southern vimana complete with prakara, dvarasala etc. And majestically fringe the sea most of these temples have Samaskanda (or Vishnu or Durga etc. as the case may be) on the back wall of sanctum. The bas-reliefs of Arjuna's penance and the Govardhana-Dhari are again another very important class of creation of Pallava activity, no less unique are the portrait sculptures with laurels in the Adivaraha Cave Temple, seemingly representing Simhavishnu and Mahendravarman I many minor carvings of merit lie scattered in the place. They all bear mute witness to the variety of Pallava art and religious patronage. The standing structural temple which show a confidence in stone masonry constructions for first time, again have both simple as well complex models.