| Draupadi Ratha | |
|---|---|
 Draupadi Ratha | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Hinduism |
| District | Kancheepuram district |
| Deity | Durga |
| Location | |
| Location | Mahabalipuram |
| State | Tamil Nadu, |
| Country | India |
| Architecture | |
| Completed | c. 650[1] Common era[2] |
The Draupadi Ratha is a monument in the Pancha Rathas complex at Mahabalipuram, previously called Mamallapuram, on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal, in the Kancheepuram district of the state of Tamil Nadu, India. It is an example of monolithic Indian rock-cut architecture. Dating from the late 7th century, it is attributed to the reign of King Mahendravarman I and his son Narasimhavarman I (630–680 AD; also called Mamallan, or "great warrior") of the Pallava Kingdom. The entire complex is under the auspices of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), and is one of the Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1984.[3]
Resembling a chariot (ratha), it is carved out of a single, long stone of granite.[3][4][5] Though sometimes mistakenly referred to as a temple, the structure was not consecrated because it was not completed[6] due to the death of Narasimhavarman I.[4][5][7] The structure is named after the common consort Draupadi of the Pancha Pandavas, of epic Mahabharata fame,[3][5][8] though the nomenclature is not supported by history.[4] The unfinished structure is dedicated to the goddess Durga.[9]
- ^ The Culture of India. The Rosen Publishing Group. 2010. p. 315. ISBN 9780852297629.
- ^ Ramchandani, Indu (2000). Student Britannica India 7 Vols. Popular Prakashan. p. 5. ISBN 9780852297629.
- ^ a b c "Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram". World Heritage. Retrieved 8 February 2007.
- ^ a b c "File:Five Rathas, Mahabalipuram.jpg". Archaeological Survey of India, Chennai Circle. 19 April 2009. Retrieved 9 April 2013.
- ^ a b c "Pancha Rathas, Mamallapuram". Archaeological Survey of India. Retrieved 23 October 2012.
- ^ Stokstad, Marilyn (2008). Art history. Pearson Education. p. 333. ISBN 9780131577046.
- ^ "Mahabalipuram". UCLA Education, South Asia. Archived from the original on 6 October 1999. Retrieved 30 December 2012.
- ^ "The Rathas, monolithic [Mamallapuram]". Online Gallery of British Library. Retrieved 19 February 2013.
- ^ Allen, Margaret Prosser (1991). Ornament in Indian Arch. p. 139.