Olakkannesvara Temple, Mamallapuram
The Olakkannesvara Temple ("flame eye"; commonly Olakkanatha;
also known as, "the Old Lighthouse") is in Mahabalipuram town, overlooking the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal in Kancheepuram District in Tamil Nadu, India. Like the Shore Temple, the Olakkannesvara Temple is a structural temple.
Built in the 8th century, it is situated directly above
the Mahishasuramardhini mandapa on a hillock which provides scenic views of the town. As the
area is within a high security zone because of a nuclear power station a few kilometers
to its south, photography is prohibited.
The Olakkannesvara Temple is sometimes mistakenly referred to as a
Mahishasura temple. It is dedicated to an incarnation of Shiva. It is one of the Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram that were designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since
1984.
The Olakkannesvara Temple was built during the reign of the
Pallava dynasty king Rajasimha. Archaeologist A H Longhurst observed that prior
to the construction of the present lighthouse at this site in 1900, the roof of
the Olakkannesvara Temple served as the lighthouse with perhaps a wooden shed
structure on the roof. Worship was offered in this temple till the nineteenth
century.
The structure is built of grey-white granite. The shikara or tower
of the temple is interpreted to have been built originally to the same style as
the Shore Temple tower in Dravidian Architectural style but is now non-existent.
A small ardha-mandapa (half hall) leads into a rectangular shrine. An unusual
feature is that of the carving of Dvarapalas (guards) of the main shrine, which
are in half-profile though the space available could have used to make a
full-face profile as per traditional practice of the front facing style. The
building was formerly lined with brick masonry. There are no images of any
deity inside the temple.
Etymology
Commonly, the building has been known as the "Olakkanatha
Temple". Its original name, however, was Olakkannesvara, a corruption of
"Ulaikkannisvaram" (meaning: the temple of Siva whose forehead
contains the crescent moon or eye of wisdom). Olakkannesvara is mistakenly
called a Mahishasura temple as it is situated above the Mahishasuramardhini
mandapa (cave temple).
Geography
Olakkannesvara Temple is located in Mahabalipuram town. Facing
east, the temple is accessed only be a series of cut steps on exposed rock.
It is situated on the top of a hill, above the Mahishasuramardhini
mandapa near the modern lighthouse. It is approximately 58 kilometers
(36 mi) from Chennai city (previously, Madras) and about 20 miles
(32 km) from Chengalpet. The area is a high security zone as there is a nuclear power
station about a few kilometers to its south.
History
Like the Shore Temple, the Olakkannesvara Temple was built during
the reign of the Pallava dynasty king Rajasimha. Archaeologist A H Longhurst observed that
prior to the construction of the present lighthouse at this site in 1900, the
roof of the Olakkannesvara Temple served as the lighthouse with perhaps a
wooden shed structure on the roof. Worship was offered in this temple till the
nineteenth century.
Features
The structure is built of grey-white granite. The shikara or tower of the temple is interpreted to have been built
originally to the same style as the Shore Temple tower in Dravidian but is
now non-existent. A small ardha-mandapa (half hall) leads into a
rectangular shrine. An unusual feature is that of the carving of Dvarapalas (guards)
of the main shrine, which are in half-profile though the space available could
have used to make a full-face profile as per traditional practice of the front
facing style. This is typical of Mahabalipuram Pallava style and a similar profile
of Dvarapalas is noted in the Trimurti Cave Temple.
This is interpreted as a transition from the Mahendra style of
architecture to the Rajasimha style; the transformation was from a full front
facing to three-fourth and then to half profile facing each other. However, the
guardians carved on the back wall of the temple are in full frontal profile. The
building was formerly lined with brick masonry.
On the exterior walls, there are two sculpted images in the niches
of the ardha-mandapa. Enclosed within pilasters, these images of Shiva
as Kalari killing "Kaala" (Yama) are later additions, not attributable to the Pallavas. On
external walls of the main shrine, there are other niches or devkoshtas;
on the south wall the sculpture is of Shiva as Dakshinamurthi under a tree in seated posture, on the west face an image of
Shiva and Parvati seated on Kailash Mountain with Ravana trying to shake the mountain, and an image on the north wall
is of Shiva in the posture of Nataraja. The sculptures are much ruined, and were plastered and painted
over hence the originality is much less visible. There are a large number of
lion pilasters on the walls. There are no images of any deity inside the
temple.
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