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Trip to Mahabalipuram, Tamilnadu on December 5, 2007

Mukunda Nayanar temple


The board by Department of Archaeology, Southern Circle at the entrance states that this is a “Stone Siva temple of inferior workmanship and disproportionate parts. Poor specimen of Pallava architecture. Rajasimha style. A.D 674-800.”

There is a Somaskanda panel in the rear wall of the garbagriham and a lingam is installed in front of the panel, which must be a later addition. There are no decorations on any outer wall. There are sculptures only in the neck of the grivam at the top – Dakshinamurthy, Narasimha...

Mukunda Nayanar temple, Mahabalipuram, Tamilnadu
Mukunda Nayanar temple, Mahabalipuram, Tamilnadu
Mukunda Nayanar temple, Mahabalipuram, Tamilnadu
Mukunda Nayanar temple, Mahabalipuram, Tamilnadu
Mukunda Nayanar temple, Mahabalipuram, Tamilnadu


Dr.Swaminathan, retired professor from IIT Delhi had organized a trip to Mahabalipuram to understand and appreciate better the great art treasures gifted to us by the Pallavas.

We visited only a few mandapams and caves, but at every spot Mr.Swaminathan shared with us details such as - the Pallava kings who had contributed, the structural variations / refinement that can be observed in the structures belonging to different periods. And sadly, also the vandalism - mostly broken noses, attempt to project a Siva temple as a Vishnu temple or vice versa and also an attempt by the kings to take credit without contributing. Since several Pallava rulers seem to have shared the same titles, that further adds to the confusion. Mr.Swaminathan first gave a general introduction to the temple architecture and sculpture - the different styles of rock architecture seen at Mahabalipuram - the monoliths, cave mandapams, structural temple, bas relief.