Conjeeveram. Kailasanath Temple, detail of upper portion.
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Photographer: Arthur Llewellyn Basham
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This beautiful detail of the upper portion of the main shrine gives us a good idea of the profusion of decorative elements employed in Pallavan architectural decoration at this phase in its development. Animals, in this case Nandi bulls (the vehicle of Siva, to whom the temple is dedicated), appear amid jewel-like garlands and the tiny vestigial lookout posts of the tower. Siva in kingly repose, sits near the top of the gopuram, practically dwarfed by the huge capstone crowning the tower. The very elaborate 'brimming vase' motif is clearly visible and resembles a highly ornate palace pavilion rather than an overturned pot from which it is said to derive. One can easily see why the temple has been called a 'Magic Mountain.'
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Archives Series
Basham Collection
Date created
circa 1970s
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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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