The Colas c35.50

c35.50

To the north of the *agramaṇḍapa* (IX, fig. 16) is a shrine of Pārvatī facing the porch. The pillars of this *maṇḍapa* and porch have attached pilasters on their sides with *yāḷis* and elephants as their bases, furnishing thus examples of the earliest type of composite pillars which became so common in later epochs. Built against the south wall of the *mahāmaṇḍapa* is the shrine of Śiva in the form of a Śarabha;⁴³ this shrine is also raised on a double plinth with *upapīṭha* and *pīṭha* and has a small pillared porch in front reached from the east by a flight of steps flanked by curved *yāḷi* balustrades.