Question

What do you know about the monolithic temples at Mahabalipuram?

Answer 1

Hint: Mahabalipuram, a calm town in Tamil Nadu, holds a vital put inside the portals of Indian history. It is here that the forceful Pallavas once ruled and built their lovely monuments.

Complete answer: Among the forty heritage sites in Mahabalipuram, the Pancha Rathas hold a rather unique position. Mahabalipuram’s Pancha Rathas: The five unique monolithic free-standing temples. These rathas are a group of five monolithic free-standing temples that were cut out from solid granite and dioxide rocks. The five temples are typically named after the Pandavas and Draupadi but don't have any associations with the Mahabharata.
1)Draupadi Ratha is the smallest and takes after a mud cottage with a covered Bengal roof. The entryway faces west and has two dwarapalakas on either side. The niches on the other three dividers appear standing Durgas, whereas a four-armed standing Durga is seen inside the sanctum.
2)Arjuna Ratha stands on the same plinth as the Draupadi Ratha and exhibits a square structure with stairs driving to a shallow pillared porch in front. It includes a two-tiered roof and a hexagonal vimana. The sanctum is purged, whereas the four walls hold various sculptures that include a lovely Shiva inclining casually on his Nandi, and a young-looking Vishnu with his Garuda. Straightforwardly before this sanctuary could be a tremendous solid lion.
3)Bhima Ratha is the biggest structure here and has a vaulted barrel-like roof. It stands on a rectangular stage and is elongated with no sculptures on its walls. From its prolonged shape, it is accepted that the temple could have once held an Anantasayi Vishnu.
4)Dharmaraja Ratha stands at the southern end and is the highest temple. It contains a square base with a pyramidal beat appearing a number of reducing storeys. There are eight figures on the corner squares that hold Brahma, Harihara, Skanda, King Narasimhavarman I, three four-armed Shivas, and a beautiful Ardhanarishvara.
5)Nakula-Sahadeva Ratha appears at the south entrance with a shallow pillared patio. There are no carvings on this temple. There's a gigantic solid elephant right next to it, which is suggestive of the elephant-back shape of this may be a deficient looking sanctuary.

Note: the temples were built by Pallavas in the Seventh Century in the south Indian Dravidian architectural style. The structures have the shape of rathas, which means “chariots”. Now they are maintained by Archaeological Survey of India.