Discuss critically the development of rock-cut architecture under the Pallavas.

The Pallava architecture shows the transition from the Rock Cut Architecture to the Stone built temples.
The earliest examples of the Pallava art are the rock cut temples of the 7th century AD, while the later examples are of structural temples built in 8th and 9th century.
The rock cut reliefs of the Pallavas are the earliest surviving royal portraits after the Kushana images.
At the end of 6th century, King Harsha ruled in the North and he patronized the Buddhist Institutions. In South, Pallavas expanded themselves from the much of the Andhra Pradesh of today to much of Tamil Nadu.
Mandagapattu rock cut temple-This temple has the icons of large Dwarapalas which later became a characteristic of almost all southIndian temples.

Topics: GS-I: Indian Architecture