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The primary source material for the study of social and cultural history of the Pallava period in this thesis was mainly sculptures found in various rock -cuts, rathas and structural temples. Apart from the primary sources, i.e. sculptures, data from the inscriptions and literature of the Pallava period were also utilized as secondary source for corroborative study. The earliest source in the form of sculptures in this period is the numerous rock -cut cave temples executed under the royal patronage of Mahendravarman I and his successors Narasimhavarman I and Paramesvaravarman I which can be seen at Mandagapattu, Pallavaram, Mamandur, Vallam, Mahendravadi, Dalavanur, Tiruchirappalli, Siyamangalam, Vilappakkam, Aragandanallur, Tirukkalukunram, Singaperumal-koil, Singavaram, Melacheri, Kuranganilmuttam, Saluvankuppam, Kilmavalingai and the cave temples and rathas at Mahabalipuram. The later rulers of the Pallava period from the time of Narasimhavarman II Rajasimha concentrated more on structutral temples, even though rock -cut type continued in comparatively fewer numbers. Of the structural temples, the most important are at Mamallapuram, Kuram, Tirukkalukunram, Panamalai, Kanchipuram, Tirupattur, Uttiramerur, Takkolam and Tiruttani. Apart from these, in situ loose sculptures found from several places^[1], where Pallava temples seems to have existed and got renovated subsequently were also utilized as source.

Approximately 172 temples of Pallava period are known to have existed as listed in Appendix. However many temples among these retain only inscriptions of the Pallava period and no sculptural remains can be found. This may be due to the fact that, those temples were either rebuilt in subsequent periods or the material of the old temple was reused in the construction of new temples somewhere else. The most authoritative support for this can be found from the inscriptions itself, which mentions to the fact that the earlier existing temple was renovated and the old inscriptions are re-engraved on the newly constructed walls of the temple. Inscriptions of this nature can be found engraved on the walls of the Tirukkodisvara temple at Tirukkodikkaval (Kumbakonam taluk, Tanjavur district)^[2], Bilvanathesvara temple at Tiruvaigavur (Papanasam taluk, Tanjavur district), etc.^[3] This can be seen as a kind of conservation method adopted by the past society. A chronological list of all the temples known so far belonging to Pallava period is included in the 鈥楢ppendix鈥� of this thesis. Even those temples, where no architectural or sculptural remains are found, but seem to be of Pallava origin as attested by their inscriptions are also included in the 鈥楢ppendix鈥�.

However, for research purpose only the following 65 selective temples (vide map) having potential sculptures for knowing the social and cultural history have been studied throughly.

Sno	Place	Name of the temple
CUDDALORE DISTRICT PANRUTI TALUK
1	Tiruvad``i	Virattanesvara temple
KANCHEEPURAM DISTRICT CHENGALPATTU TALUK
2	Saluvankuppam	Atiranachanda mandapam
3	Do	Yali mandapam
4	Vallam	Vasantesvaram cave temple (no.1)
5	Do	Lower Siva cave temple (no.2)
6	Do	Northern Vishnu cave temple (no.3)
KANCHEEPURAM TALUK
	Kanchipuram	Ekambresvara temple
7	Do	Iravatesvara temple
8	Do	Piravatanesvara temple
9	Do	Airavatesvara temple
10	Do	Valisvara temple
11	Do	Muktesvara temple
12	Do	Matangesvara temple
13	Do	Vaikunthaperumal temple
14	Do	Ulagalandaperumal temple
15	Do	Kailasanatha temple
16	Do	Tantonrisvara temple
17	Kuram	Adi-Kesavaperumal temple
18	Do	Siva temple
19	Tirumukkudal	Venkatesaperumal temple
20	Tirupparuttikunram	Chandraprabha temple
TIRUKKALUKKUNRAM TALUK
21	Mamallapuram	Dharmaraja ratha
22	Do	Draupadi ratha
23	Do	Arjuna ratha
24	Do	Bhima ratha
25	Do	Nakula-Sahadeva ratha
26	Do	Arjuna鈥檚 penance (Larger)
27	Do	Arjuna鈥檚 penance (Smaller)
28	Do	Adivaraha perumal temple
29	Do	Ganesa ratha
30	Do	Ramanuja mandapa
31	Do	Varaha cave temple
32	Do	Mahishasuramardhini mandapa
33	Do	Shore temple (formed of three temples namely, Rajasimhesvara, Kshatriyasimhesvara and Narapatisimha- pallava-vishnu-griham
34	Do	Dharmaraja mandapa
35	Do	Trimurti cave temple
36	Do	Kotikal mandapam
37	Do	Koneri mandapam
38	Do	Smaller Yali mandapa
39	Do	Mahishasura rock cut cell
40	Do	Mukundanayanar temple
41	Do	Olakkanesvara temple
42	Tirukkalukkunram	Orukal mandapam (Mulasthanattup- perumanadigal)
43	Do	Vedagirisvara temple
44	Do	Tirumulasthanattup-perumanadigal shrine or Tiru-Abharana Kottadi (strong room) in Bhaktavatsala temple complex
UTTIRAMERUR TALUK
45	Uttiramerur	Sundaravarada perumal temple
46	Do	Vaikuntha perumal temple
47	Do	Kailasanatha temple
TIRICHIRAPPALLI DISTRICT
LALGUDI TALUK
48	Tiruvellarai	Pundarikakshaperumal temple
TIRUCHIRAPPALLI TALUK
49	Tiruchirappalli	Lalitankura-pallavesvara-griham
TIRUVALLUR DISTRICT
TIRUTTANI TALUK
50	Tiruttani	Virattanesvara temple
TIRUVANNAMALAI DISTRICT CHEYYAR TALUK
51	Kuranganilmuttam	Kalmandapam cave
52	Mamandur	Northern cave temple (no. 1)
53	Do	Rudravalisvaram cave temple (no. 2)
VANDAVASI TALUK
54	Siyamangalam	Avanibhajana-pallavesvara-griham
VELLORE DISTRICT ARAKKONAM TALUK
55	Kaverippakkam	Muktesvara temple
56	Do	Konkanisvara temple
57	Do	Varadarajaperumal temple
58	Mahendravadi	Mahendra Vishnugriha
59	Takkolam	Jalanathesvara temple
WALAJAPET TALUK
60	Panchapandavamalai	Rock cut temple
VILLUPURAM DISTRICT GINGEE TALUK
61	Dalavanur	Satrumallesvaralaya
62	Melacheri	Sikhari Pallavesvara griham
TINDIVANAM TALUK
63	Kilmavilangai	Vishnu rock cut cell
VILLUPURAM TALUK
64	Mandagapattu	Lakshitayatana cave temple
65	Panamalai	Talagirisvara temple

Footnotes and references:

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[1]:

For example at Memalur, Satyamangalam, Perangur (all in Villupuram district), Manimangalam, Mangadu (Kanchipuram district), Ukkal, Brahmadesam (Tiruvannamalai district), etc. and many others deposited in museums.

[2]:

South Indian Inscriptions, Vol. XII, nos. 55 and 74.

[3]:

South Indian Inscriptions, Vol. XII, no. 58.