Tuesday, February 19, 2013

India - Mahabalipuram, Five Monoliths


Mahabalipuram
Five Monoliths
Sahadeva-ratha
Seventh century

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Mahabalipuram is a  town in Kancheepuram district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, now officially called Mamallapuram.  It was a 7th century port city and has various historic monuments built largely between the 7th and the 9th centuries.  It has been classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Sahadeva-ratha (shown in the postcard) is one of the five Pancha Rathas Monoliths.

Each monolith is a temple carved whole from a rock outcropping of pink granite. The five monolithic shrines are named after the Pandavas brothers (Arjuna, Bhima, Yudhishthira, Nakula and Sahadeva) and Draupadi their collective wife.

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