The Panch Rathas of Mahabalipuram

Pragya Nagar

The Panch Rathas of Mahabalipuram

Located at the southern edge of Mahabalipuram, the Panch Rathas are five free-standing monolithic temples. A unique contribution of the Pallavas to art and architecture, what stories do these structures tell at present?

Sketch of the complex by Friedrich & Karl Bertuch, 1810; Source Columbia.edu

Tamil Nadu’s quaint town of Mahabalipuram has played a significant role in ancient Indian history. Should one look at history, the first mention of Mahabalipuram was made by an unknown Greek navigator in his work Periplus of the Erythraean Sea. Ptolemy, the Greek geographer, however, referred to Mahabalipuram (or Mamallapuram) as Malange*.*

As the mighty Pallava dynasty grew in the early third century, it became a centre that housed many of the magnificent structures built during its reign. The Pallavas were a maritime clan who spread their culture, including their script Pallava Grantha, throughout Southeast Asia. The structures in Mahabalipuram were largely constructed during the sixth and eighth centuries, and their rock reliefs and sculptures show a unique blend of natural elements, culture, and religion.

The structure has a rectangular base, an ektala vimana, and faces west. The design of the chariot is reminiscent of the architecture of Buddhist caves like Sala-Shikhara. This temple, presumably dedicated to Lord Vishnu, features a barrel-vaulted terrace and a decorative columned porch. Carved from pink granite stone, the incomplete floor reveals a circumambulatory passage around the central sanctum. It has an open veranda with massive pillars on both sides, colonnade galleries, and horseshoe arches.

Arjuna Ratha

The Arjuna Ratha, carved from live rock, faces west and is dedicated to Lord Shiva. It shares a secondary platform or upapitha with the Draupadi Ratha. Similar to the Dharmaraja Ratha, it has dvitala vimana. The structure has an octagonal roof and a finely carved stone lion in the front. The garbhagriha or the sanctum sanctorum features a pillared inner porch. The ratha's **entryway is supported by two pillars and lion-mounted, carved pilasters.

Nakula Sahadeva Ratha

There are a total of forty heritage sites in Mahabalipuram, but the **Pancha Rathas stand unique. The complex was constructed under the patronage of Narasimhavarman I (630–668 CE) and consists of five monolithic temples chiselled in the shape of rathas or chariots out of massive blocks of stone or monoliths of granite, as is typical of rock-cut architecture prevalent during the Pallava dynasty in the seventh century. The five chariots **are symbolically named after Draupadi and the five Pandava brothers from the popular Indian epic Mahabharata. Following Narasimhavarman's death, the structures were left incomplete, never consecrated. Yet, these are often mistaken for temples.

The Pancha Rathas are remarkable given that they are among the first monuments of their kind in India. Historians claim that during the time of the Pallava dynasty, first, wooden prototypes were made of the rathas, **and then the rock was cut in the designated shape. This is even inscribed on an Archeological Survey of India tablet at the site today. These Dravidian-style structures ultimately served as models for temples of a considerably larger scale that were subsequently built in the region.

Even though the construction stopped after Narasimhavarman I's death in 668 AD and the complex was never completed, the architecture is a remarkable edifice that exhibits ingenuity in design, material, and construction technique alike. Based on the types of superstructures present, the craftsmen have experimented with a variety of roof designs, so when we look at the Pancha Ratha complex, we may be looking at an early mediaeval laboratory field.

### The Five Chariots

Dharmaraja Ratha

This ratha **dedicated to Lord Indra was named after the Pandava brothers Nakula and Sahadeva. It is the only ratha **of the five that faces south and resembles a Buddhist prayer hall. A massive elephant sculpture stands alongside the ratha. This dvitala or two-tiered building has an apsidal layout and is built on the same base as the Dharmaraja, Bhima, and Arjuna rathas. Although there is no deity within the sanctum, the inner walls of the ratha **are adorned with carved sculptures of gods and demigods.

Draupadi Ratha

Named after Draupadi, this ratha **is devoted to Goddess Durga. Located at the northern end, it is the smallest of the five rathas, with a bangladar (bungalow-like) roof. The curvilinear roof lacks a finial but is adorned with motifs along the outer edge. The high platform leading to the entrance door is adorned with alternate sculptures of lion and elephant heads. Images of Durga adorn the ratha, most notably on the sanctum, which depicts the goddess standing on a lotus.

The complex, located near Chennai on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal, was recognised as a World Heritage Site in 1984. The monument is centrally protected by the Archaeological Survey of India and is part of the UNESCO-designated "Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram," consequently gaining popularity as a tourist attraction. The incomplete marvel cut out of stone is an astounding testament to the prowess and efficiency in the architectural realm of the era and continues to hold great wonder for the visitors.

The most imposing and ornate structure of the five, the Dharmaraja Ratha is dedicated to Lord Shiva. This intricately sculpted structure faces west and features a trital vimana. The vimana **has open porches and progressively smaller levels, giving it the form of a pyramidal tower. Sculptures of Shiva, Krishna, Skanda, Brahma-Sasta, Harihara, Brahma, and Ardhanarisvara decorate the corners of the shrine. Alongside the sculptures is a portrait of a king, presumably Narasimhavarman I, that has inscriptions of his titles. Kudus or horseshoe arches adorn the upper part of the structure. The shafts of the pillars are supported by sculptures of lions in a seated stance. The first storey is ornately decorated with twenty-two sculptures depicting Lord Shiva as Natesa **and Gangadhara and Lord Krishna, dancing on Kaliya Mardhana **and resting on Garuda.

Bhima Ratha