Temples of Mahabalipuram, Mahabalipuram Tour, Tamilnadu Temples, Mahabalipuram Hotels and Resort, Mahabalipuram Temple

Mahabalipuram (also known as Mamallapuram) is a beautiful temple town situated along the shores of the Bay of Bengal about 60 kms from the South Indian city of Chennai. Mahabalipuram was the capital of the Pallava Kings around the seventh and eighth centuries. The Pallavas were master sculptors. This town boasts of some of the finest rock cut caves and sculptures in the world. The Shore temples of Mahabalipuram are an architectural wonder. The sculptures here were created around 600 to 750 AD. The rock-cut monuments of Mahabalipuram belong to the earliest phase of the Dravidian temple architecture. The sculptures at Shore temples or Rathas of Mahabalipuram are breathtakingly real. Among the nine cave temples, the Krishna cave is notable for its realistic Portrayal.

According to historical facts, initially though the Pallava kings followed Jainism, after the conversion of King Mahendra Varman (600-630 AD) to Shaivism, the monuments related themselves mostly with Shiva and Vishnu. Most of the rock carvings and temples of Mahabalipuram are believed to have been built during the periods of Narasimha Varman I (630-668 AD) and Narasimha Varman II (700-728 AD).

Mahabalipuram art is divided into four categories, open-air bas-reliefs, structured temples, man-made caves, and rathas. Today it attracts shoals of foreigners in search of relaxation and sea bathing, and most strange of all, it has an atomic power plant also. A number of scholarly controversies rage over its history and that of its monuments.

The Shore Temple- The Shore Temple is considered the best of all the attractions here. The magnificently carved temple facing the sea has separate shrines for both Shiva and Vishnu in a reclining posture. This temple was built by Rajasimha in the 7th century and was ruined by the ocean waves. To prevent further erosions, a stone wall had been built. Sculptures of Nandi, the heavenly bull line up the compound wall. It is believed that many monuments were buried under the sea over a period of time. The Archeological Survey of India (ASI) is still conducting excavations and surveys around this place.

Caves and bas-reliefs- Yet another attraction is the Krishna Mandapam, where one can see a huge bas-relief in which Lord Krishna is seen lifting the Govardhana hill on his finger tips to protect his people from Indra. Varaha cave is one among the rock-cut mandapams which is in finished state. The small stone hall houses two incarnations of Lord Vishnu - Varaha, the boar and Vamana, the dwarf. The four stone panels where the doorkeepers are on guard are noteworthy and they are masterpieces of art.
Built around the same time, the Dharmaraja cave remains empty with three shrines. Around the sprawling area of around 8 sq. km, we see some of the monuments unfinished. The Mahishasuramardini cave which was built in mid-seventh century is known for its excellent bas-reliefs like the Somaskanda sculpture and Lord Vishnu in his omniscient repose. Goddess Durga's fight with the demon Mahishasura is depicted on the huge panel opposite to this. The mythological story of Goddess Durga's fight with the demon, form the basis of this beautiful panel.

Arjuna's Penance- The enormous bas-relief created on two huge boulders measuring 27 meters long and 9 meters high can be rated as the world's largest bas-relief. King Bhagiratha's efforts by way of penance to bring Ganges to the earth, is depicted here. The huge panel also houses forest life with animals and tribal people. We also see some humorous scenes like a cat doing penance in the same way as the ascetic.

The five Rathas or Chariots- On the southern extreme of Mahabalipuram, the five rathas commonly called the Pancha Pandava Rathas or chariots of the Pandavas stand majestically. They differ in style from the earlier rock-carved shore temples. The monolithic expressions of these rathas are in excellent state of preservation and the carvings are still as fresh as they were several years ago. Facing the west are the Arjuna and Draupadi rathas which are dedicated to Lord Shiva and Durga respectively. The Draupadi ratha has a single-storey with a thatch-like roof. The three-storey Darmaraja ratha, the largest of all the five rathas stands unfinished for reasons unknown.

Air:- The nearest airhead is at Chennai (60 kms), which has both a domestic and international terminus. It is well connected by flights to all major cities of India and the world.

Rail:-The nearest railway stations are Chengalpattu (29 kms) and Chennai (60 kms). From these stations one has to take the road to reach the Mahabalipuram.

November to March