Mahabalipuram also known as Mamallapuram is a town situated along the shores of the Bay of Bengal in Kancheepuram district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It was a 7th century port city of the South Indian dynasty of the Pallavas around 60 km south from the city of Chennai in Tamil Nadu. The name Mamallapuram comes from the Pallava king Mamalla. It has various historic monuments built between the 7th and the 9th century, and has been classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The temples of this ancient town were built largely during the reigns of Narasimhavarman and his successor Rajasimhavarman and they showcase the transition from rock-cut architecture to structural building. Some structures are modelled on the Budhist viharas or monasteries and some bear traces of resemblance to the rock-cut caves of Ajanta Caves and Ellora Caves. The modern city of Mahabalipuram was established by the British in 1827

The Shore Temple is a structural temple, built with blocks of granite in Dravadian style and dates back to the 8th century AD. The temple is the masterpiece creation of the Pallavas with a combination of three shrines that features a Vishnu temple built in between two Shiva temples.

Arjuna’s Penance, 27 meters long and 9 meters high, is a gigantic relief made on two huge boulders and is perhaps the world’s largest bas-relief, a universe itself in stone. The cleft in the rock describes the descent of the Ganga, brought to earth by King Bhagiratha to emancipate the cursed souls of his ancestors.

The Ganesh Ratha Temple is a temple carved out from a rock to resemble a chariot and is located towards the north of the Arjuna’s Penance. Earlier it was dedicated to Lord Shiva. But when the original lingam was removed, the temple came to be known as the temple of Lord Ganesh.

Trimurti Cave Temple, is located towards the north of the Ganesh Ratha and is dedicated to the three chief gods of Hindu pantheon, namely, Lord Brahma-the Creator, Lord Vishnu-the Protector and Lord Shiva-the Destroyer.
The Five Rathas are the rock-cut temples in Mahabalipuram carved in the shape of a chariot and were built during the Pallava period. The five rathas are called the Draupadi Ratha, Dharamraja Ratha, Bhima Ratha, Arjuna Ratha and Nakula-Sahadeva Ratha, named after the five Pandavas and their wife of Mahabharata. The smallest and the simplest is the Draupadi ratha and the largest is the multi-storied Dharmaraja ratha carved from a monolithic rock.

The Tiger’s Cave is located just 4 km north of Mahabalipuram and was built as an open-air theatre, where cultural programs were held during the Pallava period. The Varaha Cave Temple is a small rock-cut mandapam dating back to the 7th century. Inside the temple side walls there are large sculptured panels depicting Vishnu as Varaha, the boar, holding up Bhudevi, the earth goddess.

Best time to Visit: November to February

How to reach

By Air:  Chennai is the nearest airport, 58 km away

By Rail: The nearest railway stations are Chenglapattu, 29 km away and Chennai, 58 km away.

By Road: Mahabalipuram is connected by road to Chennai, Chegalapattu, Pondicherry, Kanchipuram and other important cities in Tamil Nadu.

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