Note on the new excavations at the Shore Temple, Mahabalipuram

Extract

On a recent (December 1990) visit to India, I had the opportunity of visiting the new excavations at Mahabalipuram (Māmallapuram) 50 km. south of Madras, carried out in 1990 by the Archaeological Department of Tamilnadu, and still in progress.

The work is in the area immediately to the north of the ‘Shore’ temple. So far uncovered is an apsidal-shaped tank, its curved end aligned south towards the middle portion of the shore temple. This middle portion consists of a mandapa enclosing a rock-cut image of reclining Visnu, Anantaśayana. From the eroded nature of this piece, and the fact that the Pallava structure over it was clearly an addition, I have long felt this Anantaśayana to antedate the shore temple. The erection of the latter would thus have ‘converted’ this area to Śaiva use, since, as extant, the shore temple consists of two cellae with liiigas, one to the East of the Visnu-figure, the other to the West.