The Shore Temple of Mahabalipuram: How many structures are there, actually?
Mahabalipuram, a town located in the Chengalpattu district of Tamil Nadu, houses one of the finest examples of Indian architecture from the seventh century. Famously called the Shore Temple, it overlooks the shore of Bay of Bengal and is situated on the Coromandel Coast of Tamil Nadu.
The temple came into existence during the reign of the Pallavan king Rajasimha/Narasimhavarman II in the 7th century AD. Constructed with granite, the shrine is one of the oldest and significant structures of South India. The feature that is most striking about this five-storeyed temple is the pyramid-shaped top. This temple was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984.
Currently, only two structures are visible which have three sanctums. While two are dedicated to Lord Shiva, one is meant for to Lord Vishnu. The west-facing sanctum of Shiva has the linga missing and the east-facing one houses has a broken fluted linga. The sanctum for Vishnu has a small porch.
Though we can see only two temples now, the records of medieval travellers suggest that there were shore temples in Mahabalipuram, known as Mamallapuram back then. So, what’s the truth? Let’s find out.
Medieval records of the Shore Temple
In his book, medieval explorer referred to the Shore Temple as the Seven Pagodas of Mamallapuram, A medieval world map known as Catalan Atlas published in 1375 referred to the temple cluster as Setemelti, derived from the Italian Sette Templi, meaning seven pagodas. On the other hand, Italian jeweller Gasparo Balbi, in 1582, described it as Seven Chinese Pagodas of Mamallapuram.
The tsunami of 2004 and the secret it revealed
The story of seven temples had no actual proof until the deadly 2004 Tsunami that hit Southern India. Right before this big wave hit the shores of South India, including Tamil Nadu, the sea pulled back around 500 meters. At this time, tourists and fishermen saw a row of rocks, inscriptions and sculptures emerge from the water. These rocks were in the shape of lions, cows, peacocks, and elephants. This is what they thought to be parts of the remaining temples. However, after the tsunami these remains submerged again. once the Tsunami hit, these rocky remains once again submerged in water. This incident pointed out that the story of the seven temples might be true!
Later on, archaeologists came across an underwater site 700 metres east of the Shore Temple. There, they found ruins of walls, old sculptures, blocks of rectangular stones and the remains of about 40 other monuments. All these led to the development of a school of thought which believes that a part of old Mamallapuram is hidden under the sea.
Legends behind the Shore Temple
There are quite a few myths about the formation of the Shore Temples.
The legend of Lord Vishnu: Prince Hiranyakashipu (Asura and king of Daityas) did not like worshipping Lord Vishnu. In contrast, his son Prahlada was a great devotee of this God. As a result, Prince Hiranyakashipu removed his son from the house but ultimately allowed him to return. When Prahlada returned, he told his father that Lord Vishnu existed everywhere, leading the later to kick a pillar. What was surprising was that Lord Vishnu, in the form of a man with a lion head, emerged and killed Prince Hiranyakashipu. After this incident, Prahlada became the king, and his grandson created the Mahabalipuram temple.
The legend of Lord Indra: The Shore Temples had such an eye-catching appearance that even gods were jealous. Lord Indra initiated a great storm which caused floods in the town. As a result, the temple cluster and the rest of the town sank. In the end, only one temple survived this disaster, which tourists now visit.