Pancha Rathas (Five Chariots) (Mahabalipuram / Mammallapuram)

India / Tamil Nadu / Mamallapuram / Mahabalipuram / Mammallapuram
 sculpture, place with historical importance, hinduism, hindu temple, 7th century constructions
Pancha Rathas an example of monolith Indian rock-cut architecture dating from the late 7th century located at Mamallapuram, a tiny village south of Madras in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. The village was a busy port during the 7th and 8th century reign of the Pallava dynasty. The site is famous for the rock-cut caves and the sculptured rock that line a granite hill, including one depicting Arjuna's Penance. It has been classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Pancha Rathas shrines were carved during the reign of King Mahendravarman I and his son Narasimhavarman I. Each temple is a monolith, carved whole from a rock outcropping of pink granite. The five monolithic pyramidal structured shrines are named after the Pandavas (Arjuna, Bhima, Yudhishtra, Nakula and Sahadeva) and Draupadi. As noted, each shrine is not assembled from cut rock but carved from one single large piece of stone. It is likely their original design traces back to wood constructions.
Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pancha_Rathas
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   12°36'31"N   80°11'22"E

Comments

  • Some amazing photos of the 5 Rathas from Flickr! - http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=pancha%20ratha&w=all&s=int
  • A must to see for foreigners visiting India
  • Yes indeed. A must see for an Indian also. After all it is our rich heritage.I have visited this place on 17th July 2009.
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This article was last modified 4 years ago