Kantaji (Kantanagar) Temple Dinajpur Bangladesh

Ornate terracota carving at ancient Kantaji (Kantanagar) Temple Dinajpur Bangladesh

 

MAHABALIPURAM ROCK TEMPLE

MAHABALIPURAM ROCK TEMPLE ...... The Group of monuments at Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu
Mahabalipuram (Tamil: மகாபலிபுரம்) ...also known as Mamallapuram (Tamil: மாமல்லபுரம்) was a 7th century port city of the South Indian dynasty of the Pallavas around 60 km south from the city of Chennai in Tamil Nadu. It is believed to have been named after the Pallava king Mamalla. It has various historic monuments built largely between the 7th and the 9th century, and has been classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

It is believed by some that this area served as a school for young sculptors. The different sculptures, some half finished, may have been examples of different styles of architecture, probably demonstrated by instructors and practiced on by young students. This can be seen in the Pancha Rathas where each Ratha is sculpted in a different style.
The monuments are mostly rock-cut and monolithic, and constitute the early stages of Dravidian architecture wherein Buddhist elements of design are prominently visible. They are constituted by cave temples, monolithic rathas (chariots), sculpted reliefs and structural temples. The pillars are of the Dravidian order. The sculptures are excellent examples of Pallava art.
 

Mahadev temple near Chalisgaon, Maharashtra

Little known intricately built Mahadev temple near Chalisgaon, Maharashtra
Dated: ~12 century CE or earlier

 

Ancient cave painting Pachmarhi(Madhya Pradesh)

Ancient cave painting depicted fight between Vyala(feline creature) and swordman,Pachmarhi(Madhya Pradesh)
Dating of these paintings is uncertain.
It is unfortunate that these beautiful ancient painting are constantly under threat due to poor maintenance and chiefly because of lack of sensitivity towards historical monuments shown by visitors.
 

Vaman Temple at Khajuraho

Ancient Vaman Temple at Khajuraho carved with amazing intricacy
The temple is the structural one which built by affixing carved stone without using any type of mortar.
 

Shiva Temple from Cambodia

Ancient Baphuon Shiva Temple from Cambodia
Dated: ~11th century CE
It is a three-tiered temple mountain built as the state temple of Udayadityavarman II dedicat...ed to the Hindu God Shiva. It is the archetype of the Baphuon style. The temple adjoins the southern enclosure of the royal palace and measures 120 metres east-west by 100 metres north-south at its base and stands 34 meters tall without its tower, which would have made it roughly 50 meters tall. Its appearance apparently impressed Emperor Chengzong of Yuan China's late 13th century envoy Chou Ta-Kuan during his visit from 1296 to 1297, who said it was 'the Tower of Bronze...a truly astonishing spectacle, with more than ten chambers at its base.'

 

Rock carved Shiv-lingam at Sahasraling, Sirsi(Karnataka

Rock carved Shiv-lingam at Sahasraling, Sirsi(Karnataka)
Sahasraling is a major pilgrimage site in Karnataka. It is said that there were originally thousand Shivlingam of which very few remain today.