Pallava Architecture, Part I (MASI 17) c2.106

c2.106

The first storey occupies a very much greater area than the ground floor. On plan (Plate IX) it seems to have been designed as a triple-celled shrine which in all probability, was originally dedicated to the Hindu Trinity in spite of the fact that most of the sculptural figures contained within represent Vaishnava deities and legends. On the north side is a small attendant shrine adjoining the main excavation, but not apparently part of the original design. The central shrine is the largest and consists of a small rock-cut shrine chamber about 10 feet square on plan with a pillared hall about 29 feet square in front, the roof of which is supported by four rows of massive square monolithic pillars. The style and ornamentation of the cubical portions of these pillars, their bracket capitals decorated with the roll ornament on the underside, are similar to those found in the Trichinopoly temple and obviously belong to the same period. The cornice of the facade is decorated with a frieze of geese below and the gable-window ornament above. The shrine chamber is empty; but it contains a rock-cut pedestal with a socket hole for the reception of a stone image or linga. On each side of the shrine entrance, carved on the back wall of the hall are figures in panels representing incarnations of Vishnu. They are of late mediæval date and of no artistic merit, having been probably added during some local revival of the Vishnu cult. The facade has four massive pillars dividing the front into five openings with a small flight of steps leading up to the central entrance. The southern end of the facade is decorated with a crudely carved panel representing an elephant uprooting a tree. A narrow flight of rock-cut steps leads up from the interior of the central hall to the second storey but there is no communication between the first storey and the ground floor. The little shrine on the south of the central one consists of a small rock-cut cell about 10 feet square with a small four-pillared porch in front. The shrine chamber is empty and the panels on each side of the shrine doorway are broken and decayed and contain no sculptural figures. The facade has two pillars of the usual kind, and three openings and steps leading up to the front entrance. The small shrine on the north side is similar to the one on the south side in size, style and on plan but it contains two carved figures of doorkeepers in panels, one on each side of the shrine entrance. These two figures are in the Pallava style. The plan of the first storey seems to indicate that it was originally designed as a triple-celled temple similar to the one at Mandagapattu [Plate III (c)]. Both on plan and in style it appears to be a typical Pallava monument of the Mahendra period.