The document provides information about the Bhima Ratha monument located at the Pancha Rathas complex in Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu. It discusses the history and construction of the Pancha Rathas during the reign of the Pallava kings. It then focuses on describing the location, history, architecture, layout, features, plans and elevations of the Bhima Ratha specifically. Key details include that the Bhima Ratha resembles a chariot carved from granite, has a barrel vaulted roof and ornate columns, and its unfinished state provides clues to the original planned structure.
The document provides information about the Bhima Ratha monument located at the Pancha Rathas complex in Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu. It discusses the history and construction of the Pancha Rathas during the reign of the Pallava kings. It then focuses on describing the location, history, architecture, layout, features, plans and elevations of the Bhima Ratha specifically. Key details include that the Bhima Ratha resembles a chariot carved from granite, has a barrel vaulted roof and ornate columns, and its unfinished state provides clues to the original planned structure.
Original Description:
The monolith created in Mahabalipuram. This is said to be a prototype of Dravidian temples.
The document provides information about the Bhima Ratha monument located at the Pancha Rathas complex in Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu. It discusses the history and construction of the Pancha Rathas during the reign of the Pallava kings. It then focuses on describing the location, history, architecture, layout, features, plans and elevations of the Bhima Ratha specifically. Key details include that the Bhima Ratha resembles a chariot carved from granite, has a barrel vaulted roof and ornate columns, and its unfinished state provides clues to the original planned structure.
The document provides information about the Bhima Ratha monument located at the Pancha Rathas complex in Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu. It discusses the history and construction of the Pancha Rathas during the reign of the Pallava kings. It then focuses on describing the location, history, architecture, layout, features, plans and elevations of the Bhima Ratha specifically. Key details include that the Bhima Ratha resembles a chariot carved from granite, has a barrel vaulted roof and ornate columns, and its unfinished state provides clues to the original planned structure.
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BY-
PANCHA RATHAS : BHIMA RATHA
Sanjay.K.S
DSATM
INDEX 1. Intro/history of rathas 2. Some info 3. Location 4. About bhima-ratha 5. Geography and history 6. Architecture 7. Features 8. Plan/elevations 9. Views 10.Some of our sketches 11. What did we learn??
INTRO Our team visited Mahabalipuram,Tamil Nadu. for the case study project about pancha rathas which is a place of Architectural interest, and a UNESCO World heritage site.( as in VTUs scheme and syllabus.)
HISTORY OF THE RATHAS
According to a plaque displayed at the site by the ASI, the Pallava dynasty had planned the structures as models of chariots in rock based on prototypes of ancient rathas built in wood. The Pancha Rathas were carved during the reign of King Mahendravarman and his son Narasimhavarman . Work on these five rathas was discontinued following the death of Narasimha Varman in 668 AD. The purpose of their construction is not known as the structures were not completed. Part of the collection within the Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram, they were classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984.
Pancha Rathas Pancha Rathas(also known asPandava Rathas) is a monument complex atMahabalipuram, on theCoromandel coast of theBay of Bengal, in theKancheepuram districtof the state ofTamil Nadu,India. Pancha Rathas is an example ofmonolithicIndian rock cut architecture. These 7th century shrines (or temples; either term is appropriate) were carved during the reign of King Mamalla after whom the site is named. The temples are unfinished, and so were never consecrated or used for worship. It is attributed to the reign of KingMahendravarman Iand his sonNarasimhavarman I(630680 AD; also called Mamalla, or "great warrior") of thePallava Kingdom. An innovation of Narasimhavarman, the structures are without any precedent inIndian architecture. The
Each of the five monuments in the Pancha Rathas
complex resembles a chariot (ratha), and each is carved over a single, long stone or monolith, of granite which slopes in north-south direction with a slight incline. The structures were never consecrated because they were never completed following the death of Narasimhavarman I. The structures are named after thePancha Pandavas and their common wifeDraupadi of epicMahabharatafame. In order of their size, they include theDharmaraja Ratha,Bhima Ratha,Arjuna Ratha,Nakula Sahadeva Ratha, andDraupadi Ratha.
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 edifice 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 evidenced by un-carved bedrock at the ground floor and 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 associated with thePandavas is not supported by history
Geography
The monument 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 (56km) south of Chennai (previously known as Madras), the capital city, while Chengalpattu is about 20 miles (32km) distant.[
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 quasimonolithic temple form.
Layout
Bhima Ratha is anektalaor single tiered oblong temple, with a
barrel-vaulted roof and ornate columns. It is the third ratha after Draupadi and Arjuna Rathas, carved over an extended long pink granite rock out crop that gradually rises from the north to south. It is cut out over a base plan of 42 by 24 feet (13m 7.3m), and rising to a height of 25 feet (7.6m) over two floors. The ground floor has remained incomplete. The unfinished features of the lower floor gives a picture of what was planned to be built, namely acircumambulatory passage supported on pillars mounted with lion posts as the base. The oblong scheme of the layout is conjectured as a plan that was intended to house anAnantashayana
