page_title: Mahishasuramardini Mandapa
section_title: Architecture
hierarchical_section_title: Mahishasuramardini Mandapa / Architecture
caption_attribution_description: Català: Cova de Mahishasura Mardini. Mahabalipuram, Índia English: Mahishasura Mardini cave. Mahabalipuram, India
context_page_description: Mahishasuramardhini Mandapa is an example of Indian rock-cut architecture dating from the late 7th century, of the Pallava dynasty. It is a rock-cut cave temple located on a hill, near a lighthouse, along with other caves in Mamallapuram. Mamallapuram, also popularly known as Mahabalipuram, is a small village to the south of Chennai, in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. The temple is part of the Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram, a UNESCO World Heritage Site inscribed in 1984. This Cave Temple has many interesting architectural features of which three exquisitely carved reliefs on the cave walls of three sanctums are prominent. One is of Vishnu reclining on the seven hooded serpent, Adisesha, another of Durga, the main deity of the cave temple Durga slaying the buffalo headed demon Mahishasura, and the third sanctum also has a sculpture of Shiva.
context_section_description: The mandapa is one of the most important caves in Mahabalipuram. It is dedicated to the goddess Mahishasuramardini, who is considered an incarnation of the goddess Durga. The mandapa is carved into the granite rock face of a hill. The verandah cut at the cave entrance, long and calumniated, has a composition of three chambers; the central chamber entrance depicts guardians (dwarapalas) on the flanks. The back wall of the central chamber features a carving of a Somaskanda panel; this panel is carved with images of Shiva and his consort Parvathi in their regal dress, each wearing a crown known as kirita-mukuta and other ornamentation, with their son Skanda seated between them. This panel also shows the carving of Nandi (bull), Shiva's mount (Vahana). Chandesa, an ardent devotee of Shiva, is carved to the left of the carved images of the trinity gods Shiva, Brahma, and Vishnu, who are shown standing behind the main image of Shiva and Parvathi. The carving of the trinity gods gives the impression that they are pleased with the seated couple of Shiva, his consort and their son. In the individual depiction, Brahma is carved with four heads and four hands, with the upper hands holding a water vessel and akshamala; the lower right hand is shown raised in an appreciative gesture to Shiva, while the left hand is in a kataka mudra. Vishnu's carving is also depicted with four hands; chakra and shankha are held in his upper hands, with the lower left hand showing a gesture of appreciation to Shiva, and the lower right hand held up in a kataka mudra. The image of Surya (Sun) is carved on the top part of the panel, between Brahma and Vishnu. A separate Brahma panel carving appears on the back wall of the left chamber, while the right chamber is repeated with a panel of Shiva that, according to the opinion of archaeologists, was originally meant to host a panel of Vishnu. Another interpretation mooted for the dominance of Shiva panels in this cave is that the religious leaning of the Kings who ruled at that time changed from Vaishnavism to Shavisim. Additionally, the Somaskanda panel in this cave is of a different architectural composition than similar panels carved in Dharmaraja Ratha, the Shore Temple, and the Atiranachanda Cave. Archeologists suggest the panel here was created during the reign of 
  Rajasimha.
  The north wall in the cave contains a relief depicting the battle scene of the two adversaries, goddess Durga and the demon buffalo-headed Mahishasura. This panel symbolizes the triumph of good over evil. The carving is considered one of the best creations of the Pallava period. In the war scene, Durga appears with eight hands riding a fierce-looking lion. She is holding a khadga (sword), dhanush (bow), bana (arrows), ghanta (bell) in her four right hands; her four left hands display pasa, sankha, and dagger. An attendant holds a chatra (parasol) over Durga's head. She is in the battlefield with her army of female warriors and ganas (dwarfs). She is shown attacking, with arrows, the demon Mahisha, causing him to retreat with his followers. Mahishasura is armed with a gada (club).
  On the southern face of the cave, there is a panel of Vishnu in an Anantasayana mudra, a reclining posture, lying on the bed of a serpent. He is shown with two hands holding the coil of the five-headed serpent known as Adisesha, which forms a cover over Vishbu's head. Madhu and Kaitabha, the two demons, are carved near Vishnu's feet in an attacking mode, armed with a gada (mace). The demons are in a position of retreat, as Adisesha hisses at them with flames emerging from its hoods.  Vishnu, unconcerned, is patting Adisesha to pacify him. Also shown in the panel are the two ganas (dwarfs). Dwarfs are Vishnu's ayudhapurushas (as his personified weapons); the male gana is known as shankha or Panchajanya, and the female gana is Vishnu's gada Kaumodaki. Also seen in the panel, at its lower end, are three figures; his chakra (discus) is Sudarshana in ayudha-purusha form, Nandaka on the right is his khadga (sword), and the female figure is Bhudevi, also as ayu
caption: The Somaskhanda Panel of Shiva Parvati and their son Skanda
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