Dharmaraja's Throne and Two Other Monuments - Mamallapuram
The earlier European records of Mamallapuram would give us a sense of how Sthalapuranas "get created". William Chambers, who had documented the town's monuments in the 1700s, heard from the locals that Dharmaraja, the eldest among the Pandava brothers of Mahabharata, used the royal throne in Mamallapuram during his exile in the forest. Hence, they called this monument Dharmaraja's Throne.
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Without detailing what the other earliest accounts of Mamallapuram record this place, I thought of sharing a special mention. Kavali Lakshmayya, in his early 1800s manual, has recorded that he saw the remains of a palace near this throne.
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Atop the hill between Koneri Lake and Varaha Mandapa, the rock-cut throne is located. It is technically a couch and not a throne. As I had mentioned in an earlier article, there are four rock-cut couches in the town. It is the most attractive and completely carved couch among the four. With ten feet in length and 3.5 feet in width, it can comfortably accommodate even much taller and fatter person. The highlight of the couch is the sculpture of a seated lion, which forms the cushion. The lion is sculpted perhaps to indicate that this couch was meant only for the royal family members, unlike the other stone couches of the town.
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Near this Simhasana, a small rectangular (though improper) shaped cistern is found. Unlike the bigger cistern, which has a unique name as Draupadi's Bath, there is no name for this small rock-cut water storage made by Pallava sculptors.
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A little away from Simhasana, near the Varaha's Cave shrine, a stone-cut couch is located. It is devoid of any decorations or sculptures. Its edges are not smoothened. It is one of the Pallava-era monuments which hardly anyone pays a visit to or documented in the records.
Happy travelling.
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I dont think the three steps rock you show is a couch. (I expect couches would have been made of wood and cotton and silk, not stone cut). There are also other stairs. We cant be sure whether they are of Pallava Chola or Vijayanagar era.
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