3. ARCHITECTS WERE FROM THE SOUTH INDIAN
PALLAVA KINGDOM.
IT IS A MONOLITIC STRUCTURE , NOTABLE
FOR IT’S VERTICAL EXCAVATION, CARVER’S
STARTED AT THE TOP OF THE ORIGINAL
ROCK, AND EXCAVATED DOWN WARD.
IT IS ESTIMATED THAT ABOUT 400,000 TONS
OF ROCKS WAS SCOOPED OUT OVER
HUNDREDS OF YEARS OF CONSTRUCT IT OUT
OF A SINGLE ROCK.
4. THE SCHEME OF KAILASA RESOLVES INTO FOUR
PARTS.
1. BODY OF THE TEMPLE
2. ENTRANCE GATEWAY
3. AN INTERMEDIATE NANDI SHRINE
4. CLOSTERS SURROUNDING THE COURTYARD
5. ON EACH SIDE THE
COURTYARD
SUPPLEMENTARY
CHAMBERS HAVE BEEN
EXCAVATED.
THERE ARE TWO FREE
STANDING PILLARS,
DHWAJASTAMBHAS, 51
FEET HIGH, ONE ON EACH
6.
7. The first stage of work was simple . It
consisted in excavating out if the hillside three
huge trenches at right angles , cut down
vertically to the level of the base of the hill ,
thus forming a rectangle 300 feet by 175 feet.
The main body of the temple occupies a
parallelogram approx.150 feet by 100 feet
with sections of its sides projecting at intervals
, like transpects , to support corresponding
projecting features above.
8. PLINTH APPEARS LIKE
GROUND STORY, WHICH
IS 25 FEET HIGH.
CENTRAL SPACE OF THE
SIDES IS OCCUPIED BY A
GRAND FRIEZE OF
BOIDLY CARVED
ELEPHANYS & LIONS.
9. There is no pronounced departure
from the conventional combination
of the mandapa and the vimana.
Architectural elements such as
cornices , and porticos have been
assembled orderly and artistic
manner to form a unified whole.
10. The interior consists of a
pillared hall.
This hall is a well-proportioned
compartment measuring 70
feet by 62 feet.
Having 16 square piers in
groups of 4 in each quarter.
11. There is a nandi shrine
standing on a 25 feet
square solid pavilion.
A living rock bridge
connects the Nandi
Mandap to the porch of
the temple
12. The walls of the temple tell the
story of the epic Ramayana
through intricate, illustrative
carvings.
Apart Lalibela, Ethiopia and
Mahabalipuram ; it is the finest
example of free-standing
carved-out, rock-cut
architecture in the world
13. One of the biggest
monolithic structure
in the world.
Awarded as a
UNESCO world
Heritage site 1983.
