Mahendravarman I

Mahendravarman I ruled as a king of the Pallava dynasty from 590 to 630. He governed lands in parts of what are now the states of Andhra and Tamil Nadu in India. He was not just a ruler but also a learned man, interested in art, music, and building.

His father, Simhavishnu, had strengthened the Pallava kingdom before him. During Mahendravarman's time, there were battles with another ruler named Pulakeshin II from the Chalukya dynasty. Though Mahendravarman fought hard to protect his capital, some northern areas were lost to Pulakeshin.

Mahendravarman was also a creative person. He wrote a funny play called Mattavilasa Prahasana in Sanskrit. Tamil literature grew during his rule, with poets like Appar and Sambandhar becoming well-known for their writings called Tevaram. After Mahendravarman’s rule ended in 630, his son Narasimhavarman I took over and later defeated Pulakeshin II.

Patronage of arts and architecture

Construction began during the rule of Mahendravarman I. He was a big fan of art, architecture, and learning. He built a lighthouse at Mamallapuram Lighthouse and a university called Kanchi University where people studied Vedas, Buddhism, Jainism, painting, music, and dance. He was the first among the Pallavas to build temples by carving them out of rock. One famous temple inscription at the rock-cut Mandagapattu Tirumurti Temple says he was called Vichitrachitta and that the temple was made without using wood, bricks, mortar, or metal. During his time, many beautiful temples were built, including the five-celled cave temple at Pallavaram and the Kokarneswarar Temple, Thirukokarnam in Tamil Nadu.

You can see great examples of his rock-cut temples at Mahabalipuram, including two twin temples, and at Seeyamangalam with the Avanibhajana Pallaveswaram Siva temple. He also built a few temples for Vishnu, like the Mahendravishnugrha at Mahendravadi and the Ranganatha Temple at Singavaram in what is now Gingee. He wrote a funny play called Mattavilasa Prahasana about Buddhist and Saiva holy people. Some believe he also wrote another play called Bhagavadajjuka, based on inscriptions found at Mamandur cave shrines near Kanchipuram.

Religion

Mahendravarman first supported Jainism but later turned to the Shaiva tradition thanks to a Shaiva teacher named Appar. One story tells that the statue of Yatotkara Perumal (Vishnu), kept in Kanchipuram, was taken away from the city when its follower Tirumalisai Alvar was treated unfairly by the king. It is said that the Pallava rulers originally followed and helped Jainism.

In literature and popular culture

Further information: List of Sanskrit plays in English translation

Mahendravarman I is a well-known character in Tamil historical fiction. The novel Sivagamiyin Sapatham by Kalki Krishnamurthy tells the story of the first Vatapi invasion into the Pallava Kingdom. It describes Mahendravarman's brave actions during the war, how he protected the Kanchi fort from a large attacking army, and other important events in his life.

He was also known for his clever ideas in building. Inscriptions show that he wanted to use stronger materials instead of wood, brick, metal, or mortar for temples. He was one of the first to use rock-cut inscriptions. Mahendravarman built an important irrigation tank called Mahendratankta and started many monuments in Mahabalipuram. Today, these monuments are recognized as the Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram, a UNESCO World Heritage site.