The Panch rathas were of 650 - 675 AD period and the rathas were named after Darupadi, Arjuna, Bhima, Dharmaraja. And the fifth infront of these five rathas was named after Nakula & Sahadeva. The Panch rathas is in the UNESCO's World Heritage Site list. Entry Rs 10, Video Rs 25. Ticket valid for Shore temple (UNESCO's World Heritage Site) also.

PANCH RATHAS OR THE FIVE RATHAS

This World Heritage site is located near Mamallapuram bus station, 65 km from Chennai in Tamil Nadu State.

The five Rathas (chariots) is a set of magnificent monolithic rock temples. Panch is a Hindi world which means ‘Five’. These fine rock temples are located in a sandy compound. There chariots are constructed with Towers, The cars of gods, multipillared halls, and sculptured walls which are chissled out minutely. The Rathas have an association to the great epic Mahabharata which describes the heroes of Mahabharata with their wife Draupadi which is termed as pancha pandava rathas. The five rathas are (i) Draupadi’s Ratha, (ii) Arjuna’s Rath, (iii) Nakul – Sahadev’s Rath, (iv) Bhima Rath and (v) Dharamraja Yudhistar’s Rath.

DRAUPADI’S RATH

This is located at the entrance gate, which is spectacular and simple, shaped like a hut and is dedicated to goddess Durga.
Female door keepers stand on the either ride of the Rath, one holding a bow and another, a sword. At the eastern wall a bas-relief stands portraying Goddess Durga standing on lotus and two worshipers at her feet offering flowers and one of the person’s head respectively. Every other walls have the figure of the great goddess, and at the front of the temple is a Lion’s figure, which is the celestial vehicle to the Goddess.



ARJUNA’S RATH

The next Rath is the Arjuna’s Rath. This one is dedicated to Lord Shiva. This has a small portico and carved pillar stones. Inside the shrine there are no inscriptions or figures whereas on the outer walls. There are carvings of gods and humans. A panel on the northern wall is carved with two door keepers. Beautiful carvings of Lord Vishnu and a Garuda on one panel and the other panel with a couple. The eastern wall is carved with a double Dwarka-Palaks, in the middle wall the portrait of Lord Indra riding an elephant, a log standing of the left with has disciples and two beautiful women are perfectly chiseled out. These beautiful carvings hare been praised by many poets. There is also a figure of Nandi bull on back side of the Rath – which is still left unfinished.

NAKUL – SAHADEV’S RATH

In front of Arjuna’s Rath is the Nakula – Sahadev Rath. This is a double decored building, dedicated to Lord Indra – the God of Rain. As in Greek and Roman mythologies, where there are different gods for various aspects and qualified, the Indian mythologies too lane assigned specific gods for different aspects. There is some proof depicting this Ratha to which might have been dedicated to Subramanya associated with elephants. The elephants shaped sculptures face towards the sea and is named as Gajaprishthakara which means elephant’s back side. The elephant sculptures are huge and are highlights of the Panch Raths.

BHIMA RATH

This Ratha is faced towards west and this is laid third of the Rathas. The shrine is gorgeous as it measures 42 ft in length, 24 ft in width and 25 ft in height. The pillars are lion carved whereas the other parts are plain. This Ratha too is an incomplete one. In the epic Mahabharata Bhima the huge guy is bulky and strong he is fond of eating all the time.

DHARMARAJA YUDHISTAR’S RATH

Of all the five Rathas, this last one stands huge. It is named after the eldest of the pandavas. Innovative and well carved designs can be seen in this Rath. This Rath is also dedicated to Lord Shiva like that of Arjuna’s Rath. The ground floor is in complete. Above the ground floor stands minutely designed double floor. The peculiarity in this monumental construction is that there is no stair route from the ground floor to the first floor, but, there in stairs from the first floor to the second floor. There are eight panels in the ground floor. One panel is carved with the portrait of the kind and the rest with gods and goddesses.

On one particular wall the figure of Shiva is named ‘Ardhanariswarar’ which is the mixture of Shiva and Shakti. This is very attractive as one can find the manly structure and the luring female charm. Other portrayals show Lord Shiva as ‘Bhikshatana’ – meaning cosmic designer and the god of death.

Twenty two carves are found on the first floor. The portrait of lord Krishna dancing on top of the fierce Kaliya snake is depicted on the southern wall. Lord Vishnu’s portrayal is found on the Northern wall. Carving of a bearded ascetic holding a bell in his hands, a devotee with a tuft, holding a flower basket, a temple attendant with bunch of keys and carrying offering to god are marvelously inscribed. The second floor is well carved. Figures of Dakshinamurthy, Somaskanda, the sun the moon and other worshipers all found in this floor.

Video

THE GANESH RATH

The only completed sculpture of the five Rathas is the Ganesh Rath. This lies west to the Bhim Rath and it resembles the Arjuna Penance. It was earlier dedicated to lord Shiva and now it is a shrine of Ganesha. There was a lingam structure earlier and now an idol of lord Ganesha has been replaced the pallavas did not stop with there five Raths but they went on to build more sculptures of them four are found lying on the outskirts of mahabalipuram. Two Raths which lie side by side on the way to Tirukkalakundram are named as Pidari Rathas. To the south of these two Rathas lies the Valayankuttai Rath and the fourth one which lies opposite to the Mahishasura Mardini Mandap is nameless.