Varaha Well - Mamallapuram

Abutting the northern boundary of the famous Shore Temple complex in Mamallapuram, an apsidal-shaped shallow stepped pit is located. Three interesting things are found over there - a beautiful miniature shrine, an unusual sculpture of a boar, and a cistern with a bas-relief image.

The once severely damaged and now restored sculpture of boar is believed to be Varaha, the incarnation of Vishnu. Varaha is shown with its snout drooping downwards. What does this depict?

As per Vaishnavite Puranas, when Hiranyaksha, an Asura leader, dragged the earth to the bottom of the sea, Vishnu incarnated as Varaha (boar) to eliminate the former. He ultimately raised the earth out of the water with his tusks. 

Shaivite Puranas have a different legend about Varaha. When Vishnu and Brahma contested for superiority, Shiva appeared as flame and challenged them to find his source. While Brahma turned a swan to find the top of Shiva, Vishnu took the form of a boar to discover the base of the holy flame. The form of Shiva, along with Brahma and Vishnu as subsidiary images, is called Lingodbhava.  

In Vaishnavite temples, Varaha is generally represented with a boar head and human body. There are a few exceptions, where he is represented in complete animal form. And mostly, the personified form of earth, Bhumi Devi, is found clinging to one of his tusks. However, in Shaivite temples, Varaha is shown in the complete animal form with his head turned downwards as a small subsidiary representation. 

Here, the sculpture is in full animal form, with its snout drooping downwards. Also, it is situated in the corridor of a Shiva temple. Hence, in all probabilities, it is connected to the legend of Lingodbhava, where Varaha digs down the earth to discover the feet of Shiva.

Unlike the other monuments of Mamallapuram, there is no need to debate or assume about the creator of this sculpture. The four inscriptions in the Pallava Grantha script engraved here clearly indicate that it was sculpted during the time of Rajasimha Pallava. The titles that are inscribed on the front side of the pedestal - Sri Rajasimha, Sri Ranajaya and Sribhara. The fourth title, "Sri Chitrakarmukha" is engraved on the west side.

To the north of Varaha, there is a mini cylindrical shrine. Inside this east-facing temple, Shiva is found along with his mount, Nandi. This form is called Vrishabhantika Murti. It is stated that the inner walls have images of Brahma and Vishnu. (There is no permission to step down the structure, so I never got a chance to see the inner walls.) Outside the shrine, there are four pilasters of rampant lions with riders.

Though it is a mini shrine, the architecture is interesting and noteworthy. The shrine's base, called adhisthana, has an octagonal molding, topped with a 16-sided molding and three circular elements on top. The sanctum that stands above all these elements is cubical in shape. The circular element on top of the shrine, called kapota, has a few horse-shoe-shaped motifs called Nasika or Kudu. The dwarf Ganas and Vyalas are seated above this element. The circular griva bearing images of Ganesha is seen on top. The topmost part is Shikhara,  has nasikas in cardinal directions that bear the images of Ganesha.

On the Vimanas of Ganesha, Bhima and Sahadeva Rathas, the model of similar-styled shrines can be found. 

There is a circular mini well to the further north of this miniature temple. It is cut down with a circular stone opening. It is stated that the sculpture of a royal lady seated on a throne, flanked by two female attendants, is found on the eastern inner side. 

The entire pit was unearthed and discovered by ASI in 1990 CE.

Happy travelling.