A History of South India from Prehistoric Times to the Fall of Vijayanagar c21.51

c21.51

Of the first type, the Daśāvatār is the largest and best example. A rock-cut entrance leads to an open courtyard of irregular shape with a detached shrine in its centre, probably a nandi-maṇḍapa. Beyond this lies the façade of the temple, in two storeys defined by two rows of square pillars one above the other. Each floor consists of a large pillared hall, the pillars being generally ‘simple square prisms with flat abacus capitals’. But the architecture was only meant to furnish the framework for the gigantic sculptures of Hindu mythology adorning the large sunk panels between pilasters at regular intervals on the surrounding walls. The sculptures on one side are mostly Vaishnava while those on the other are entirely Śaiva. One of the finest of these sculptures is that of the death of Hiraṇyakaśipu.