Panch Pandava Rathas
The initial sight of these five (panch) monolithic stone shrines, set in a sandy fenced-off clearing, is dramatic, even though the structures themselves -- named for the five brother-heroes of the Mahabharata and resembling temple chariots (rathas) -- are incomplete. The ancient sculpting techniques are astonishing: Carved out of single pieces of rock from the top down, these shrines reveal perfect, precise planning. The dome-shaped shikhara (tower finial) found on some of the temples became the template for later South Indian temples, successful experiments that were further refined and enlarged.
The initial sight of these five (panch) monolithic stone shrines, set in a sandy fenced-off clearing, is dramatic, even though the structures themselves -- named for the five brother-heroes of the Mahabharata and resembling temple chariots (rathas) -- are incomplete. The ancient sculpting techniques are astonishing: Carved out of single pieces of rock from the top down, these shrines reveal perfect, precise planning. The dome-shaped shikhara (tower finial) found on some of the temples became the template for later South Indian temples, successful experiments that were further refined and enlarged.
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