In the structural evolution of Pallava architecture, which rock-cut cave temple excavated under Mahendravarman I marks the transition from monolithic timber-imitating shrines to permanent stone structures in northern Tamil Nadu?

💡 Solution & Explanation

The rock-cut cave temple at Mandagapattu bears an important Sanskrit inscription by King Mahendravarman I stating that he constructed a temple for Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva without using bricks, timber, metal, or mortar. This monument represents the earliest known stone architectural creation of the Pallava dynasty in Tamil Nadu. The Shore Temple and Kailasanatha Temple belong to the subsequent structural phase initiated by Narasimhavarman II. Architectural epigraphy from Mandagapattu provides precise chronological benchmarks for early South Indian art.