V
UNESCO World Heritage
ASI Protected
Varaha Cave Temple
Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu
7th Century CE
A rock-cut cave temple featuring four large relief panels depicting Vishnu in his Varaha (boar) and Trivikrama (three-stride) avatars, as well as Gajalakshmi and Durga. The panels are considered among the finest examples of Pallava art.
Source: Aitihasik heritage database. Use this as a field guide and verify sensitive historical claims before citation.
Details
- Dynasty
- Pallava
- Style
- Rock-cut cave
- Primary Deity
- Vishnu (Varaha avatar)
- Languages
- Tamil, Sanskrit
- Scripts
- Tamil, Grantha
Historical Significance
Contains some of the finest Pallava relief sculpture. Depicts multiple Vishnu avatars in a single cave. Important evidence of Pallava Vaishnavism. Part of the UNESCO Mahabalipuram monuments
Architectural Features
Varaha lifting Earth (Bhudevi) reliefTrivikrama relief panelGajalakshmi panelDurga panelElegant pillar carvings