The Shore Temple
Whipped by the wind and eroded by the thundering waves is the stunning Shore Temple. It is situated in the state of Tamil Nadu. Over the centuries, Pallava architects evolved their techniques of cutting into the rock to create their temples. The first and most apt example of this development is the Shore Temple.
It is thought to be India’s oldest free-standing temple and was built in the early 8th century. The temple was built so close to the shore that its entrance is from the back, i.e. the west. It has a compound wall with a charming line of seated Nandis. In fact, there are two shrines dedicated to Shiva.
The main sanctum is reached by walking along the passage to the east onto the garbha griha. Inside it, the damaged basalt lingam of Shiva, originally designed to receive the first rays of the morning sun, stands, within a shrine decorated with bas-relief panels of the God and his consort. Another shrine shows Vishnu, deep in his cosmic sleep.
