Saturday, February 12 2005 14:53 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Mamallapuram (TN): The Tsunami that hit at least 13 coastal districts of Tamil Nadu on December 26 last, claiming nearly 8,000 lives, came as 'a blessing in disguise' to the centuries-old shore temple in Mamallapuram, as a big block of stone carvings came to view from under the water.

Some sculptures that have shot into view include that of lions, a horse, and a miniature cut-in shrine. A structure at the ground level light consists of a fallen outer wall and an inner wall, perhaps belonging to a temple.

A much-eroded relief of an elephant and a structure, which may be part of an edifice, has now been laid bare and the Archaeological Survey of India has decided to conduct a detailed survey in TN soon, according to official sources.

A technical underwater survey is likely to commence around next month. A team of officials and photographers from Delhi are likely to arrive in this town, situated about 60 km from Chennai, to start full swing operations next month, the sources said.

When the Tsunami struck several areas of the State, including Mamallapuram, also known as Mahabalipuram, waves of over 30 feet height swept into the shore and filled the seashore temple with sand. But when the water receded, the waves took away with them, a good portion of the sand stretch.

"The shorelines have now become notably shallower and appear to have changed much", say some fishermen of the area.

One of the survivors was actually swept high up the big arch near the shore, where he clung on for life.

"A temple is visible under the sea from where he sat', he told sources in TN recently, while adding that officials had not given much thought to this aspect (excavation).

This town is famous for heritage monuments and its shorelines are decorated with elegant shore temples. It was a port where a great volume of trade was carried on during the times of the Pallava kings, with Kancheepuram as the capital.

The sculptural marvels in the shore temple, the famous 'five raths', Arjuna thapas and the five minor raths (chariots) have made the place the favourite haunt of art lovers. But the sea around here is known to be swift and moody and many arrangements have been made periodically to prevent erosion.

The lone shore temple in the beach here, built between the seventh and eight century AD, has always fuelled speculation among Archaeologists it does not stand alone and must have had other 'peers.'

Being the port of the Pallava kings, who were supposed to be seafaring and maritime entrepreneurs and conquistadors, there ought to be much more to show on the shore than what is now available, like a jetty, a canal way and some structures that stored goods, which will go to make a good harbour port.

The great Pallava king Narasimha Varma had carved this dream port town out of rocks. The rock temples here are examples of the 'first phase' of Pallava architecture. The five temples, dedicated to the five Pandava kings, are monoliths, and hewn from a single rock.