Olakkanesvara temple, Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu, India
Perched on the rock above the Mahishasuramardini cave temple overlooking the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal - the Olakkanesvara temple was built under the patronage of King Rajasimha from the Pallava dynasty in the early 8th century.
The external walls of the temple illustrate sculptures within niches or devkoshtas of - seated Dakshina-murti under a tree a form of Shiva as a teacher; Shiva's Ravananugraha manifestation where we see images of Shiva and Parvati seated on Mount Kailash and Ravana trying to shake the mountain; plus sculpted Nataraja.
How to reach Mahabalipuram or Mammallapuram?
