Remains of Subrahmanya temple found near Mamallapuram

Renews debate whether it was one among the Seven Pagodas

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Discovery close to the Atiranachandesvara cave-temple

Remains of the 1,200-year-old temple include two granite pillars bearing inscriptions of Pallava kings

Bricks and potsherds found from the ruins

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These are the remains of the 1,200-year-old Subrahmanya temple, found on the beach close to the Tiger Cave, a few kilometres off Mamallapuram. On the right are the two pillars with inscriptions in Tamil, belonging to the Pallava kings, Dantivarman and Nandivarman III, that speak about the existence of the temple there. On the left are the remains of the temple's plinth, made of granite slabs, and the inner core. In the background is the big rocky outcrop, with three inscriptions.

CHENNAI: The remains of a Subrahmanya temple belonging to the Pallava period (circa 8th century A.D.) have been found on the beach close to the Tiger Cave, a few kilometres off Mamallapuram, near here.

The discovery has renewed the debate whether the temple was one among the Seven Pagodas that reportedly existed on Mamallapuram's shores that are famed for its Pallava monuments. The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), Chennai Circle, had unearthed in February and March this year the massive remains of a Pallava temple a few hundred metres from the Shore Temple.

Now comes the latest discovery close to the Atiranachandesvara cave-temple, popularly called the Tiger Cave. "This temple may belong to an earlier period than the temple discovered close to the Shore Temple because it has a brick foundation. These bricks belong to the Pallava period," said T. Satyamuthy, Superintendent Archaeologist, ASI, Chennai Circle. The remains of this 1,200-year-old temple include two granite pillars. While one pillar bears the inscription of the Pallava king Dantivarman, and is dated to 813 A.D., the other pillar has an inscription of another Pallava king, Nandivarman III, and is dated to 858 A.D.