Mahendravarman es Mahendravarman en

Refers to the period of the reign of Mahendravaman I of the Pallava dynasty (late seventh to late eighth centuries) characterized by an inconographic scheme showing the legitimatization of royal power through religion. Monumental sculpture of the period features family tableaus composed as allegorical references to deities. The period also features sculptural art in caves featuring doorkeepers or guardian figures carved in relief at entrances, cylindrical phallic symbols carved into square or octagonal pedestals that signified godhead, and relief panels of Hindu deities. In this period, advances in perspective and foreshortening were achieved in sculpture, resulting in freedom from strict alignment with ground planes and more realistic proportions. The period is also characterized by the prevalence of cave dedications such as wall inscriptions and rock carvings featuring Sanskrit holy and literary texts. Rock architecture from this period incorporates Hindu texts.