Mahishasuramardini Cave, Mahabalipuram

Mahabalipuram is famous for finely carved rock cut shrines. Adjacent to the hill on which there is a lighthouse, there is a superb rock-cut shrine of Mahishasuramardini Mandapa.

This is a 7th century cave temple where front part adorned with four columns. There are two impressive friezes one at each end of the long veranda.

On the panel in the right, Goddess Durga seated astride on her lion wielding an assortment of weapons. She is slaying a buffalo-headed demon, Mahisha, who disturbs the delicate balance of life. Goddess is accompanied by eight ganas, where as Mahisa with his army of seven demons is retreating. Hence, the name Mahish-asura-mardini meaning ‘destroyer of demon’.

At the opposite end of the veranda, Lord Vishnu is lying under the protective hood of the seven-headed serpent Adishesha in the sea of eternity. Below Vishnu there is Bhu-devi, Mother Earth. Above and below the God are shown four flying ayudh-purushas - divine weapons of Lord.