Architecture under Pallavas

600 AD – 900 AD

Syllabus
Temple Development in South India under different dynasties

Pallavas in Mamallapuram & Kanchipuram

[Rock-cut temples (Rathas) and Structural temples]
 Background
Background

The Pallavas in the far south, after the decline of Satvahan kingdom, established their
dynasty and extended their control south ward towards the region around Kanchipuram
and Mamallapuram near Chennai

Granite was the only material, hard

and intractable, used in Pallava
Architecture

Mahendravarman-I, the founder of

Pallava dynasty, dedicated his first
granite cave temple to the
Brahmanical Trinity – Brahma,
Vishnu and Shiva at the granite hill
of Mandagapattu

Mandapas, Rock cut monolithic

shrines and Structural temples – 3
important features of Pallava
architecture
 Pallava Architecture was structured in following 2 phases

1st Phase

Mahendra Group (610 AD – 640 AD) Pillared Halls

(Mandapas)
Wholly
rock-cut
Mamalla Group (640 AD – 690 AD) Monolithic Shrines
(Rathas)

2nd Phase

Rajsimha Group (690 AD – 800 AD) Structural Temples

Wholly
Structural
Nandivarman Group (800 – 900 AD) Structural Temples
Architectural elements during
Pallava Dynasty

Pillared Halls (Mandapas)

Monolithic Shrines (Rathas)

Structural Temples
M A N D A P A M
(PILLARED HALL)
 Early phases of column
Pillared Halls (Mandapas)

A mandapa is an open pavilion, a hall with cells in the back

wall and cut out of a single piece of rock .

Each rock cut mandapa consists of a pillared hall serving

as a kind of portico to one or more cellas deeply recessed
in the interior wall.

The exterior presents a façade formed of a row of pillars,

each pillar of 7 feet in height with a diameter of 2 feet

The shafts of the columns are square in section except for

the middle third which is chamfered into an octagon

A heavy bracket provides the capital (origin – wooden

beam and bracket)

The Mahendra type pillars had no cornice above pillars

but later, the cornice was introduced and was ornamented
at intervals with a motif known as kudu
In Mahendra Phase, 14 early Mandapas have been found at:

Dalavanur, Trichinopolly, Mandagapattu, Pallavaram, Mahendravadi,

Vallam, Malacheri, Singavaram, Tirukkalukkunram, Kilamavilangai,
Bezwada, Mogalrajapuram, Undavalli and Bhairavakonda

In Mamallapuram, the mandapams are found ten in number : (Mamalla Phase)

1. Dharmaraja
2. Kotikal
3. Mahishasura
4. Krishna
5. Pancha Pandava
6. Varaha
7. Ramanuja
8. Five celled Saivite
9 & 10. 2 unfinished
 Arjuna’s Penance – a bas-relief
This stone has been carved near the pancha pandava mandapa
These bas-reliefs, carved in the 7th century, are among the largest in the world

Covering two huge boulders 27 meters long and 9 meters high, the reliefs depict the flow of
the Ganges down from the Himalaya mountains as described in the Panchatantra.
 R A T H A S
(MONOLITHIC SHRINES)
 Monolithic Shrines (Rathas)

The rock-cut architecture is found in the rathas (chariots) of Mamallapuram

which is about 60 Kms. south of the city of Chennai in Tamil Nadu. These
rathas were built by the Pallava king Narsimha (625-645 A.D.). They are small
temples, each of which is carved out of a small piece of rock.

There are total 9 rathas in Mamallapuram

5 Ratha-Complex (southern end of

Mamallapuram) in the name of Pandavas
(Dharmaraja, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula-
Sahadeva and Draupadi)

1 Ganesha Ratha (cut out of a boulder in

the main hill of Mamallapuram)

2 Pidari Rathas (village goddes Pidari)

1 Valaiyankuttai Ratha (near a pond in the

same name)
 Pancha-Pandava Rathas in Mamallapuram

The ‘Pancha-Ratha' cave temples (constructed during 7th cent. AD) are in the point
of transition between the earlier tradition of rock-carved cave temples and the later
tradition of structural temples like nearby shore temples

The structural detailing of the Ratha

temples carefully imitates wooden timber
supports, pilasters, beams, and brackets

Because each temple is carved from a

single piece of living rock, the Rathas are
in a suburb state of preservation and
many of their carvings are as fresh today
as they were 1,300 years ago

The Arjuna and Draupadi rathas, facing west, are dedicated to Shiva and Durga
respectively. The one-storey Draupadi has an interesting thatch-like roof with
imitation posts and beams. The whole looks as if it could be rendered as
effortlessly in timber. The largest of the series is the 3-storey Dharmaraja Ratha
These five Rathas at the southern end of
Mamallapuram comprise a group by themselves.

Of these, the Draupadi, Arjuna, Bhima and Dharmaraja Rathas

standing in a line are cut out of a single whale-back rock extending
north-south

The northernmost section of lesser height has been utilized for

cutting out the shorter Draupadi Ratha and the storeyed Arjuna
Ratha, with a common platform (upa-pitha), below their separate
adhisthanas.

The central longer segment with a fairly horizontal top ridge has
been appropriately utilized for the oblong Bhima Ratha

The southern taller section has been used for 3 storeyed

Dharmaraja Ratha

The Nakula-Sahadeva Ratha (apsidal or Gaja-pristha in form)

has been carved from a separate smaller rock standing in front of
Draupadi-Arjuna Ratha
Pancha-Ratha…..Site Plan

Draupadi

Lion

Bull
Arjuna

Elephant
Draupadi Arjuna Bhima Nakula-Sahadeva

Nakula -
Sahadeva
Bhima

Dharmaraja
n

Mamallapuram Dharmaraja Bhima

(Pancha Rathas)
 DRAUPADI RATHA, MAMALLAPURAM
Shikhara

This is the Smallest Ratha among all the Rathas

It illustrates a very simple hut-like vimana (square plan)

Torana

It is situated on a common upa-pitha (plinth) with Arjuna

Ratha

It has only four angas out of six usual anagas of Vimana

(adhisthana, pada & bhitti, prastara, griva, shikhara & Stupi)

This chaturvarga ratha, as square from base to finial

represents Nagara order of Vimana

Upa-pitha It also represents kuta type vimana with a four sided

domical roof (as bangla hut) crowned by a single stupi

This shrine is dedicated to Durga, whose standing sculpture carved on the rear wall of
the sanctum

The main doorway is framed by a fine torana (makara) with flanking

Dwarpalikas on the either side of the doorway

This ratha lacks an ardha-mandapa unlike the other rathas, and also nasikas
ARJUNA RATHA, MAMALLAPURAM

Arjuna Ratha is double storeyed, square in

section both the talas

This is situated on the common platform (upa-

pitha) with Draupadi Ratha and dedicated to
Shiva

The Griva and Shikhara are octagonal in

section making it Ashtanga of the Dravida
order of the composite variety

There are four nasikas projected from the

four cardinal sides of the griva-shikhara

The ardha-mandapa carries haras* of kutas

and salas of small size *Hara : string of miniature shrines over each
terrace (tala) of the storeyed Vimana
Kuta : shrine of square plan with four sided
Aditala and secondtala have sculpture on its converging roof and single finial
walls Sala: shrine of rectangular plan with barrel vault
roof and series of stupies on its ridge
 Draupadia Ratha, Arjuna Ratha and the Bull (Nandi)

Durga
Durga Shiva
Shiva

Nandi
Nandi

Draupadi
Draupadi R.
R. Arjuna
Arjuna R.
R.
 BHIMA RATHA, MAMALLAPURAM
This is an incomplete monolithic shrine (Ratha)

It illustrates the oblong or ayatasra-vimana of sala

type with wagon top roofs carrying a row of stupies

This shrine is dedicated to Vishnu

The mandapa carries above its

prastara a hara of kutas at the four
corners and sala in between over
the sides
Plan

Shikhara is like a vaulted roof

over griva-wall

On each of the two long sides of Shikhara are 5

well projected nasikas in 3 sizes

The Bhima Ratha has vyaala (Leo) based

columns in front of the mandapa
 Lion-Columns of BHIMA RATHA

Bracket
 NAKULA-SAHADEVA RATHA, MAMALLAPURAM

This is a double-story Ratha dedicated to Indra

This ratha faces south, while the others face west

It well illustrates the dvayasra (two sided apsidal

end) form also called Gajapristha or Chapa (bow-
curved)

It is classified as Vesara order

due to its elliptical plan form
(existence of chapa – vimana)

It has a small mandapa in front, of almost the same width as the

aditala

The two front pillars are vyaala-based (lion) and the rear two are
elephant-based

The hara on the mandapa has sala and kutas

DHARMARAJA RATHA, MAMALLAPURAM

This is the largest Ratha and is 3 storeyed structure

(36’ ht.), square in talas and octagonal in griva-
shikhara region

The octagonal griva-shikhara has four projected

nasikas on the 4 cardinal sides

The topmost tala has a sanctum excavated into it

that enshrines Shiva, with Vishnu and Brahma
carved at the rear wall

All the four sides of aditala, vyaala-based pillars are

present

The small mukha mandapa on the west in front of the

aditala carries a hara which in its composition includes for
the first time the apsidal nida or panjara along with kutas
and salas
Nida / panjara : apsidal miniature shrines
Views of Dharmaraja Ratha
STRUCTURAL TEMPLES

at

MAMALLAPURAM
KANCHIPURAM
SHORE TEMPLE, MAMALLAPURAM
SHORE TEMPLE, MAMALLAPURAM

Shore Temple is a complex of 3 shrines

with mandapas (built in during the period of
Rajsimha) made up of hard stone

The largest is Kshatriyasimheswara

facing east dedicated to Shiva

The smaller is Rajsimheswara facing

west also dedicated to Shiva

There is an intermediate rectangular

vimana of low height, without
superstructure dedicated to Vishnu
(Narapatisimha Pallava Vishnu griha)

A mandapa at the entrance is aligned with

the smaller vimana together with a nritya
mandapa

The whole structure is enclosed within a

massive compound wall
 Smaller Vimana

This is a 3 storeyed structure

All square on plan but with octagonal griva & shikhara
Hara elements exist in each tala
4 seated bhutas at cardinal points of each tala
Stupi (cupola) over shikhara is made up of black basalt
Vyala based (lion) column in aditala

Larger Vimana
This is a 4 storeyed structure
All square on plan but with octagonal griva & shikhara
Haras of kutas and salas are restricted to the top of 2nd
and 3rd tala and also to the top of ardha mandapa
The top tala has 4 bhutas blowing conches
This vimana has a separate prakara
SHORE TEMPLE, MAMALLAPURAM
TEMPLES AT KANCHIPURAM

KAILASHNATHA TEMPLE

VAIKUNTHA-PERUMAL TEMPLE
 Kanchipuram is among the most famous of the 'temple cities' of
KANCHIPURAM
Tamil Nadu. Its temples house different Hindu sects.

The city was the political capital of the Pallava rulers during the
7th - 9th centuries. It remained an important city during the
succeeding Chola and Vijayanagara periods.

The Kailasanatha temple is the finest structural project of the

Pallava ruler Rajasimha. The temple is almost entirely
constructed of sandstone and is integrated into a coherent
complex.

The other temple is Vaikuntha-Perumal temple dedicated to

lord Vishnu

The Ekambareshvara temple is the principle Shaiva sanctuary

and its soaring gopuras dominate the city's skyline.

The Vardhamana temple is the most important Vaishanava

temple. Local legend has it that the temple commemorates the
site where the Lord Brahma performed a yajna (fire sacrifice) to
invoke the presence of Vishnu.

The other templs are Kamakshi Amman Temple,

Devarajaswami Temple
KAILASHNATH TEMPLE, KANCHIPURAM

King Rajasimha, of the Pallava dynasty, built this Shiva temple in the early 8th century
This temple is 4 storeyed and faces east, having square in plan but with octagonal griva
and shikhara

The aditala is double walled and the adisthana offsets at the four corners as well as
sides where two storeyed vimanas are found

These small offsets have kuta

shikharas at the corner and sala
shikharas at the middle

Fourth storey carries four Nandi-s

on the four corners of its top

Vyala based columns exist at the

aditala

A detached multi-pillared oblong

mandapa exists in front – longer
on its north-south axis with vyala
based columns
Columns of Kailashnatha temple, Kanchipuram

mamallapuram

kanchipuram
VAIKUNTHA-PERUMAL TEMPLE, KANCHIPURAM

This temple was built under patronage

of King Nandivarman and dedicated to
Vishnu

It faces west, made up of sandstone

with an mixture of granite in the top
and bottom course of adhisthana

It is 4 storeyed and square in plan

Except the topmost tala, rest 3 talas

have garbhagrihas

The 3 talas are concentric squares descending in shape upwards, have three postures of
Vishnu in each talas

Aditala has two covered circumambulatory passages & has flight of steps at north & south

There are haras of kutas, salas and panjaras – also have metal stupi (cupola) at the top

The whole temple is surrounded by a pillared cloister (covered arcade) running all round on
a raised platform with vyala based pillars on the edge
VAIKUNTHA-PERUMAL TEMPLE,
KANCHIPURAM

Numerous divine sculptures on the vimana

and ardha-mandapa

The unique feature of this temple – series of

paneled sculptures narrating the history of
Pallava Kindom

Other temples in Kanchipuram are:

Mukteswara, Matangeswara, Airavateswara, Valiswara, Kamakshi
Amman, Devarajaswami temple etc.
The End