History of the Pallavas of Kanchi c12.21

c12.21

Monuments of Narasimhavarman I. Improvement of Mahābalipuram.—Like his father, Narasimhavarman I was a lover of building temples all over his kingdom. Some of his earlier monuments such as the cave temples at Trichinopoly district and Pudukotta were excavated from out of rocks as those of Mahendravarman I. The peculiar features of the monuments of Narasimhavarman have been described by A. H. Longhurst as follows :—‘The cave temples are excavated in the face of the rock in the same manner as those belonging to the earlier period, but their facades are usually more ornamental and contain pillars of a different variety. On plan the interiors are much the same as those of the cave temples of the Mahendra style, with similar small square shrine chambers cut in the back wall which are usually free from ornament within. The pillared-hall in front of the shrine often contains large panels cut in the side walls filled with sculptural figures in high relief. These are usually of great beauty and executed with remarkable skill. The interior too of the more ornamental cave temples is provided with cornice and plinth mouldings.