Mahabalipuram. Elephant west of Draupadi Rath

Date

Authors

Photographer: Arthur Llewellyn Basham

Journal Title

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Abstract

Description

One of the life-size guardian figures at Mahabalipuram is this magnificent elephant to the west of the Draupadi (Durga) Rath which, like the little shrines occupying the rest of the site, was carved from a single granite outcropping. Visitors to Mahabalipuram find a veritable petrified city of temples peopled only by rock-hewn creatures such as this one solemnly standing guard and being venerated in their own right as the Four great Animals of Brahman worship. The elephant is one of the Four Great animals: elsewhere in the complex are two others - the lion and the bull. The fourth, a horse, is not represented here. Elephants have long been objects of worship in India, for they represent masculine virility, the dignity of royalty and perhaps the most universal of all, the overcomers of obstacles in life's way. For this reason, the god ganesha has the head of an elephant although his particular vehicle is that of a rat - which also overcomes obstacles, but by more devious paths than the mighty elephant.

Keywords

Pallava-- Mahabalipuram (Mamallapuram) - Pallava, architecture, stone sculpture, slide set

Citation

Source

Type

Image

Archives Series

Basham Collection

Date created

circa 1970s

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License Rights

This item is provided for research purposes. Contact the Australian National University Archives at butlin.archives@anu.edu.au for permission to use.

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Restricted until

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The Australian National University acknowledges, celebrates and pays our respects to the Ngunnawal and Ngambri people of the Canberra region and to all First Nations Australians on whose traditional lands we meet and work, and whose cultures are among the oldest continuing cultures in human history.


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