Olakkannesvara Temple

Olakkannesvara Temple
Olakkannesvara Temple
Location of
Geography
Coordinates	12°37′00″N 80°11′30″E / 12.6167°N 80.1917°E / 12.6167; 80.1917Coordinates: 12°37′00″N 80°11′30″E / 12.6167°N 80.1917°E / 12.6167; 80.1917
Country	India
State	Tamil Nadu
District	Kancheepuram district
Location	Mamallapuram
Culture
Sanctum	Shiva
Architecture
Architectural styles	Dravidian Architecture
Number of temples	1
History and governance
Date built	Early 8th century
Creator	Pallava Kingdom

The Olakkannesvara Temple ("flame eye"; commonly Olakkanatha; also known as, "the Old Lighthouse") is in Mahabalipuram town, overlooking the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal in Kancheepuram District in Tamil Nadu, India. Like the Shore Temple, the Olakkannesvara Temple is a structural temple. Built in the 8th century, it is situated directly above the Mahishasuramardini mandapa on a hillock which provides scenic views of the town. As the area is within a high security zone because of a nuclear power station a few kilometres to its south, photography is prohibited. The Olakkannesvara Temple is sometimes mistakenly referred to as a Mahishasura temple. It is dedicated to an incarnation of Shiva. It is one of the Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram that were designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1984.

Commonly, the building has been known as the "Olakkanatha Temple". Its original name, however, was Olakkannesvara, a corruption of "Ulaikkannisvaram" (meaning: the temple of Siva whose forehead contains the crescent moon or eye of wisdom). Olakkannesvara is mistakenly called a Mahishasura temple as it is situated above the Mahishasuramardini mandapa (cave temple).

Olakkannesvara Temple is located in Mahabalipuram town. Facing east, the temple is accessed only be a series of cut steps on exposed rock. It is situated on the top of a hill, above the Mahishasuramardini mandapa near the modern lighthouse. It is approximately 58 kilometres (36 mi) from Chennai city (previously, Madras) and about 20 miles (32 km) from Chingelpet. The area is a high security zone as there is a nuclear power station about a few kilometers to its south.

Like the Shore Temple, the Olakkannesvara Temple was built during the reign of the Pallava dynasty king Rajasimha. Archaeologist Albert Longhurst observed that prior to the construction of the present lighthouse at this site in 1900, the roof of the Olakkannesvara Temple served as the lighthouse with perhaps a wooden shed structure on the roof. Worship was offered in this temple till the nineteenth century.