HISTORY, LEGENDS & MYTHOLOGY

Mahabharatha-Pallav era antique idols
excavated at Mamallapuram

     Mamallapuram (Tamil Nadu): The Archeological Survey of India (ASI) has stumbled upon rows of beautiful idols at the five rathas found during an excavation near the Mamallapuram temple. The team was carrying out excavation work to check the original plinth, level or the base of the monument when they found the sculptures of lions and elephants beneath. The five chariots date back to the 7th century A.D. and were built at the time of Narasihmavarman-1 (630-688 A.D). The place has also been named after a Pallava ruler known as "Mamalla" or "great fighter." The five chariots are named after the five Pandavas that is Arjuna, Bhima, Yudhishtir, Nakula and Sahdev. "The unique thing is that it is a double platform and the archeologists thought that it was a single platform. Structural temples of the same period or the later period were constructed...they probably thought that it was a later construction. According to the archeologists two of the rathas were carved by Mamalla...the remaining rathas were carved," said T Sathyamurthy, Superintending Archeologist, Archeological Survey of India, Chennai circle.
-Sept 25, 2004    

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