Draupadi Ratha
The Draupadi Ratha is a monument in the Pancha Rathas complex at Mahabalipuram, previously called Mamallapuram, on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal, in the Kancheepuram district of
the state of Tamil Nadu, India. It is an example of monolithic Indian rock-cut architecture. Dating from the late 7th century, it is attributed to the reign
of King Mahendravarman I and
his son Narasimhavarman I (630–680
AD; also called Mamallan, or "great warrior") of the Pallava Kingdom.
The entire complex is under the auspices of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), and is one of the Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since
1984. The first ratha on the left after you enter the Five Rathas complex is
the Draupadi Ratha, in the form of a stylized South Indian hut. It's dedicated
to the demon-fighting goddess Durga, who looks out from inside, standing on a
lotus. A huge sculpted lion, Durga's mount, stands guard outside.
Resembling a chariot (ratha), it is carved out of a single, long
stone of granite. Though sometimes mistakenly referred to as a temple, the structure was not consecrated because it was not completed due
to the death of Narasimhavarman I. The structure is named after the common
consort Draupadi of the Pancha Pandavas, of epic Mahabharata fame, though the nomenclature is not supported by
history. The unfinished structure is dedicated to the goddess Durga.
Geography
The site is located at Mahabalipuram (previously known as
Mammallapuram) on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal of Indian Ocean in Kancheepuram district. It is approximately 35 miles
(56 km) south of Chennai (previously known as Madras), the capital city, while Chengalpattu is about 20 miles (32 km) distant.
The Draupadi Ratha is at the northern extreme end of the Pancha
Rathas, on the elongated bedrock upon which they are carved. The ground slope
rises from the north end towards the southern direction.
History
The feature of this ratha and the other four cannot be definitely
dated to any other similar constructions in the past in any ancient Indian
architecture.
However, the five Rathas have been forerunners or templates for
the development of Indian temple architecture. Like the other four Pancha
Rathas, this stone one is a replica of a wooden version which preceded it.
Though it is considered to be a monolith temple,
"temple" is a misnomer given that the five Rathas were never
completed, as it is evidenced by uncarved bedrock at the pinnacle. Hence,
the Rathas were neither consecrated nor worship offered. The incomplete status
of all the five Rathas is attributed to the death of the king Narasimhavarman I
in 668 AD.
Even the epic name, Draupadi, the common spouse of the Pandavas, is not supported by history. Along with several other monuments,
this ratha gained UNESCO World Heritage Site distinction in 1984 as "Group
of Monuments at Mahabalipuram". The temple is dedicated to the Goddess
Durga, though the deity is reported to be of a later period.
Architecture
All the Pancha Rathas are aligned in a north-south direction and
share a common plinth. They have no precedent in Indian architecture and have
proved to be "templates" for building larger temples in the South
Indian tradition of Dravidian temple architecture. Though cut out of
monolithic rocks, they are carved in the form of structural temples in regular
building form and hence termed as “quasi monolithic temple form”.
Layout
Draupadi is the smallest of the five Rathas at the site and is
carved out of single long stone of granite. It is built in the form of simple
hut, sharing an upapitha (secondary platform) with Arjuna Ratha.
The ratha is in a square plan and is in the shape of
a bangla ("a hut in Bengal"). Its exterior dimensions
are 11 by 11 feet (3.4 m × 3.4 m), rising to a height of 18 feet
(5.5 m). Over the upapitha, which forms a common platform with the
Arjuna Ratha, a stupi has been carved
out of the bedrock in the corner and has not been separated from the main
shrine.
The roof has curvilinear shape and ends as a square of 2.5 feet
(0.76 m) at the top. The finial is missing. The thatched
roof, Kutagara, is a Vimana shrine. It has been carved out of granite
rocks, beginning from the top of the rock working downwards to the base. The
roof is similar to that of a hut, with decorative motifs in the joints. The
entrance of the temple faces west.
The entry door is carved over a high rise platform, which is
supported by on which is supported on elephant and lion heads of large size in
alternating sequence. There are "makara torana" arch decorations with two bends above the entrance door;
these toranasare
typical of Mahendraverma's style and are also seen in caves and later got
modified to a single bend style during Rajasimha’s rule. The entrance door is
6’-7” by 2’-11” in size and the chamber which houses the deities measures 6.5
feet (2.0 m) in length and 4.5 feet (1.4 m) width.
Features
Numerous images of Durga are seen represented in the temple,
notably on the sanctum and also on the exterior surface of the east facing
wall. The shalabhanjikas or two female Dwarapalakas guard the doorway, which are also in the form of the Goddess. The
temple is stated to generate "primal energy" in consonance with the
characteristics of deity of Durga; the Dwarapalikas on the left has a bow in
her hand and that on the right has a sword.
The sanctum depicts Durga on the back wall standing on a lotus, in
what is termed as "sambhaga" (standing) posture with four
hands, with the upper hands carrying a shankha and a chakra and one lower hand is in an abhaya mudra(posture of a blessing) and the other hand is on hip. The ornament
worn is a breast-band without any halter straps.
She is surrounded by devotees with a devotee on her left about to
decapitate himself as an offering (in another version it is inferred as a
flower offering by the devotee), and another devotee (with tied tresses
exposing his neck to be cut) on her right mutilating his body parts, also in
offering; this was a Hindu rite associated with the Kapalikas.
This type of offering to a goddess, though ghastly, is seen in
many Durga temples; it is related to the myth of her role as Mahishasuramardhini (slayer of demon Mahishasura). Durga images in niches have depictions of the goddess standing
on a buffalo head representing the Mahishasura.
The adoption of the elephant-lion combination is inferred as more
of a Buddhist tradition which was modified in the Pallava architectural style
when animal motifs were added. The lion, which is the vehicle of Durga, is a 6
feet (1.8 m) high stone sculpture carved from a boulder located in
the prakara of the ratha.
In the three niches in the chamber of the temple carvings are
shown within two pilasters with decorations of a "florid makara
torana" with double bends. The depictions inside the ratha also include
four ganas (goblins) at the top of the central panel, flanking Durga; two goblins on
outer side are holding small swords where as those on inner side are shown with
one hand raised in worship mode.
