Mahabalipuram Shore Temple

Mahabalipuram is located near Kancheepuram, Tamil Nadu. The temple is globally famous for its history and its architectural brilliance. The ancient temples and their significances attract tourists from different corners of the world. The city was established in the 7th century, and the buildings and the old monuments are regarded as the UNESCO World Heritage site.

The shore temples are mainly rock-cut-out and monolithic. The present decaying condition of the temples shows the age and the era they crossed. The shore temples are cave temples, chariot temples, and structural relief.

The Rathas are the old architecture of the Mahabalipuram and to the north-east of the rathas, there are positioned the shore temples of Mahabalipuram. The pilgrimage center was built during the reign of the Pallava ruler Rajasimha. ‘Rajsimha’ is also named as king lion God. The well-curved pillars and architecture attract tourists from different corners of the world. The temple of Shiva bears the structure of Nandis which shows Hindu age-old Hindu mythology.

There is a sculpture of lying Vishnu in the ‘Garba Griha’. and the east is regarded as the holy site and the first ray of the rising sun creates the holy ambiance.

The tower of the shore temple is an elegant sculpture that raises high in honor of the Gupta Empire and the culture. Kailashnath Temple at Kanchipuram is another example of ancient sculpture and architecture.

History of Mahabalipuram Shore Temple

The creation of this structural masterpiece is credited to the King Narasimha Varman II of the Pallava Dynasty who was popularly called Mamallan. Sometime in the mid-7th century, he initiated construction work on the Cave temples and the imposing monolithic Rathas. Work on sculpting the cut-in and cut-out structures continued during subsequent periods during the reign of several South Indian kings. The Chola kings also continued to work on the temple and their involvement in the construction of the temple is evident from the style and design of some structures.

Architecture of Mahabalipuram Shore Temple

Shore Temple is also acknowledged for being the first stone structure made by Pallavas. Before this, the monuments used to be carved out of rocks or stones. Unlike other monuments of the region, Shore Temple is a five-storied rock-cut structural temple more willingly than monolithic.

In southern India, this is one of the earliest and most important structural temples. The spire is extensively decorated with carvings and sculptures. In recent years, a stone wall has been constructed to protect the shrine from further sea erosion.

Perched on a 50 feet square plinth, the pyramidal structure raises to the extent of 60 feet. Presenting a typical specimen of Dravidian temple architecture, Shore Temple generates an exclusive combination of history and natural splendor. The temple was designed to grasp the first rays of the rising sun and to spotlight the waters after sunset. In the words of Percy Brown, Shore Temple served as "a landmark by day and a beacon by night".