Mamallapuram, also called Mahabalipuram, is a small town on the Bay of Bengal about 55 km south of Chennai. In the 7th and 8th centuries it was the main port of the Pallava kings, and they left behind a remarkable group of temples and sculptures carved from the local granite. The Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1984.
What to see:
- Shore Temple – two shrines to Shiva and one to Vishnu, standing right on the beach, built in the early 8th century. It is one of the oldest structural stone temples in South India.
- Pancha Rathas – five temples in the form of chariots, each carved from a single rock and named after the Pandava brothers of the Mahabharata, with life-size stone elephant, lion and bull.
- Arjuna's Penance (Descent of the Ganges) – one of the largest open-air rock reliefs in the world, with more than a hundred figures of gods, people and animals.
- Krishna's Butter Ball – a huge boulder balanced on a slope, a favourite photo stop.
- Cave temples (mandapas) with beautifully carved panels, such as the Varaha and Mahishasuramardini caves.
Good to know:
The stone-carving tradition is still alive, and you can watch sculptors at work in the many workshops of the town. Mamallapuram is easily combined with Kanchipuram and Puducherry on a South India tour. Early morning or late afternoon is the best time to visit the Shore Temple.
