January 18, 2011

India {Mahabalipuram}

After we left Fisherman's Cove, we ventured to Mahabalipuram to visit the ancient temples. Mahabalipuram's temples were carved in the 7th century from stone and represent many different styles of architecture for that time. It is believed that this was a training ground for young sculptors. The temples portray the events in the Mahabharata - a sanskrit epic of India completed in the 4th century and is considered by some to be comparable to the bible, Qur'an, and works of Homer. What's most striking about these temples is they are carved from single pieces of stone, they are not assembled.


One of the Pancha Rathas

Arjuna rathas

Sculpture of Nandi at Pancha Rathas site

Varaha Cave Temple

Arjuna's penance

1 comment:

S B Hadley Wilson said...

Those carvings really are most impressive!