After my buddies managed to pull me out of Dhalavanur's awesomeness, out next destination was Mandagapattu.
Mandagapattu is very very special. This is the first ever rock cut cave temple in Tamil Nadu by Mahendra Varma Pallava I.
There is just 1 inscription here in Sanskirt Grantha script. The inscription calls Mahedra Varma is Vichithrachithan. The inscription also informs that this temple called Lakshithayathan, was built or rather, excavated by him with for Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu, and Lord Siva out of stone instead of brick, wood, metal or mortar.
The rock cut cave structure has 2 pillars in the front to hold it. On either sides are 2 dwarapalas.
As I said in my earlier post here as well the dwarapalas are softer than the later era - without vampire teeth, without 4 hands, not gory looking. However there seems to be some problem in the anatomy, esp. at shoulders' angle which is not seen in the later eras. The inner wall is divided into 3 sections. The 3 sections are meant for Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, but there are no reliefs or sculptures in. Its believed that the 3 images may have been painted as fresco which may have got erased in course of time.
As we landed there on our car we were mobbed by a bunch of school kids, who tugged along to the caves.
And I managed to explain them the greatness of the rock cut caves in their locality and they did seem interested!!!
And they posed for a photograph with me and one of those little ones ran back home, changed her uniform to a good outfit and ran back for another photograph!!! That's innocence and love, isn't it???
Just in front of the rock cut caves is a huuuuuge water body... Coming back with more on 'Mahendra Trail'.
TO REACH THERE:
From Gingee: 18 km on towards Villupuram.
At 17 km from Gingee, a road to the left with an arch and board that says 'Route to Pallava Rock Cut temple' can be seen. A km into this road, and you can spot a hillock to the left with the blue ASI board. That's our location.
On Google Maps: http://goo.gl/maps/Fqdfl
Picture Courtesy: First pic and the third last pic belong to Gopu
Dedicated to Prof. Sivaramakrishnan, Gopu, Siva, Siddharth.
Ms. Discoverer, you keep amazing me every time with all these untrodden places. Nice work Bhusha.
ReplyDeletehttp://rajniranjandas.blogspot.in/2012/12/the-sussegad-beaches-of-bardez-goa.html
Ha ha! Thanks for that title Niranjan!!! :) :) :)
DeleteThanks for sharing , Its the first cave temple in south India .
ReplyDeleteIts my pleasure! :)
DeleteI belong to Neyveli. But never heard of this place. Thanks for sharing friend. next time i will try to visit this place.
ReplyDeleteDo visit. Its located in the middle of fields and its so beautiful.
DeleteYou'll definitely love this place!!!
good post and photos also good
ReplyDeletethanks
some photos are resemblance of my chitharal journey near kanyakumari
http://krishnasepages.blogspot.com/2011/06/chitharal-rock-cut-temple-jain-monument.html
Thank you Krishna! :)
DeleteNice Blog.... Good Discoverer.... Best Photography.... Keep it up...
ReplyDeletehttp://www.spiritualcbe.blogspot.in/
Thank you so much Saravanakumar! Guess this is your first visit to my blog. Welcome. Do visit often! :)
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