25 April, 2007

Varaha mantapa -- Mahabalipuram


A little beyond Krishna's Butterball is the Varaha mandapa. Heraldic lions support the ornamental pillars. These are perhaps the earliest to display a motif that became the signature of southern architecture-the lion pilaster.



Varaha mantapa is a small rock-cut hall. It has two incarnations of Vishnu-Varaha (boar) and Vamana (dwarf). Particularly noteworthy here are four panels of the famous Pallava doorkeepers. The hall was built during the time of Narasimhavarman I. Varaha Cave has four impressive carvings of Vishnu, Gajalakshmi, Trivikrama and Durga.







2 comments:

Venkat said...

nest destination?

Casey said...

Hey Venkatraman,

Thanks for visiting my blog.