Pallava architecture

 

While researching for my book on Rajaraja Chozha, being published by @Leadstart, I did some comparison of the architecture of stone temples between the Pallava and Chozha periods from narratives available in a few excellent publications on the subject. This was the time when architecture, art and painting reached a zenith. Towns and cities were mushrooming. New productive forces were being unleashed. The imagination of the craftsmen was taking full flight.

Early temples were structures of brick and mortar, unable to withstand the ravages of nature. When the Pallavas in the time of Mahendravarman built rock-cut temples, that signified a big advancement. Within another two centuries, the Pallavas perfected the art of erecting structural temples of stone.

The Kailasanathar temple at Kanchipuram, built in the late 7th century, is believed to be the first structural temple in stone built in South India. Narasimhavarman II (Rajasimha) started the construction and his son, Mahendravarman III, completed the front façade and the gopuram.

The temple became the trend setter for other similar stone temples in South India. It is believed that Raja Raja Chozha I visited the temple and drew inspiration to build the Brihadeeswara Temple, three centuries later.

The pillars of the mandapam of the Kailasanthar temple have the repetitive features of mythical lion mounts. The garbhagrha of the Kailasanathar temple is a composite structure, with a central cella facing east to west to which are attached smaller shrines built onto its walls of the three free sides and the four corners of the main shrine.

In contrast, in the early Chozha temples, the sub-shrines are detached from the main sanctum, and arranged as separate shrines around it in the courtyard, facing the main shrine and its axis, each dedicated to a subsidiary deity.

Photo credits: My friend and class mate, GV Balasubramanian, Engineer by Qualification, Banker by Profession, Photographer by Passion!