Varaha Cave Temple / Varaha Mandapa, Mahabalipuram - Timings, History, Best Time to Visit

At a distance of 300 m from Mahabalipuram Bus Stand, the Varaha Cave Temple, or Varaha Mandapa is a rock-cut cave temple located at Mamallapuram, on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal in the Kanchipuram district of Tamil Nadu. It is one of the must visit places as part of Mahabalipuram packages.

The Varaha Cave Temple, also known as the Adivaraha Cave, stands as an exceptional representation of rock-cut architecture from the Pallava era, dedicated to Varaha, an avatar of Lord Vishnu. Located in a hilltop village near the Bay of Bengal, it is surrounded by other notable rock-cut monuments and temples that date back to the 7th and 8th centuries CE. This temple is part of the 32 Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram, which have been recognized as UNESCO World Heritage Sites since 1984.

Carved from a single rock, the Varaha Cave Temple exemplifies Indian stone-cut architectural design from the late seventh century. This west-facing cave temple is distinguished as the most complete and intricately decorated cave temple in Mamallapuram. Visitors are captivated by the detailed carvings that adorn the walls and ceilings of the cave. The temple's focal point is a stunning sculpture of Varaha, the boar incarnation of Vishnu, prominently displayed in the central shrine.

The cave temple is designed in the mandapa style, featuring a single hall. Its facade is supported by two pillars and two pilasters, with a shrine carved into the rear wall that extends into the hall. The entrance to this shrine is flanked by a pair of dvarapalas, who are depicted with the traditional symbols of Vishnu, the shankha (conch) and chakra (discus), on their headdresses, indicating their Vaishnava affiliation. In addition to the dvarapalas at the entrance, there are further dvarapalas carved into the side walls of the shrine.

The temple is renowned for its four magnificent relief panels that embellish its interior walls. The most notable sculpture within the cave depicts the Hindu deity Vishnu in his incarnation as Varaha, the boar. Varaha is portrayed standing firmly on his left foot, with his right foot resting upon the hood of Shesha. He is depicted with four arms, holding a shankha (conch) and a chakra (discus) in his upper arms, while his lower arms embrace Bhudevi. Bhudevi is illustrated seated on his right thigh, characterized as a modest yet joyful figure, having been rescued from the underworld. Behind Vishnu stands Brahma, depicted with three heads and four arms, positioned in the tribhanga-mudra.

On the back wall to the left of the central shrine, there is a relief of Gajalakshmi. She is seated on a lotus pedestal, her two hands positioned in kataka-mudra. Accompanying her are four maidens, two on each side. Two of the maidens are depicted holding water vessels, while the other two carry various objects, possibly flowers. In the upper corners, two majestic elephants are shown; one is pouring water from a vessel over the Goddess, while the other is lifting a vessel in preparation to follow suit. This scene symbolizes the celestial bath bestowed upon Goddess Lakshmi by divine elephants, including Airavata, during her emergence from the ocean in the samudra-manthana episode.

On the back wall to the right of the central shrine, a relief illustrates Durga as Korravai, the victory Goddess revered by the Eiynar community. The Goddess is depicted with four arms, holding a shankha and a chakra. The lateral wall on the right side features a relief of Vishnu in his Trivikrama form. Vishnu is represented with eight arms, wielding a chakra, gada, khadga, shankha, ketaka (shield), and a bow. One of his hands is raised with the palm facing upwards, as described in the Vaikhanasagama, while another hand is extended alongside his elevated foot reaching towards the sky.

Timings: 6 AM - 6 PM

Entry: Rs. 10 for Indians & Rs. 250 for Foreigners