File:13th Century Saptamatrikas Panagal Group Of Temples Ruins, Sakti Tradition.jpg
The hero stones and broken temple parts show effects of weathering and uniform erosion. The Hindu deities and Buddha-related artwork, however, show many signs of intentional damage to face, ears, limbs or chopped out Nandi heads during 14th- to 18th-century regional wars between Islamic sultanates and Hindu kingdoms.
The seven mothers (sapta-matrikas) iconography has been found in preserved and in ruins of temples as well as caves built after the 5th-century. They are found in Shakti, Shiva and in large Vishnu temples. The order of the mothers, whether seated or standing, can vary depending on the Sanskrit design manual(s) preferred by the temple architect and artisans. So do the specifics of the vahana (identifying ride) carved below their feets. These rides correspond to their respective male deity consorts, as the couples go together on their ride. When found in completely preserved forms, Ganesha typically sits on one side of the seven mothers. Some reliefs show musicians and dancers above or on their sides (missing in the ruin fragment above).
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