Travel Guide for Mahabalipuram
Mahabalipuram is a beautiful historic town located in the Kanchipuram district of Tamil Nadu at a distance of around 60 km from Chennai. The town is famous for its monolithic monuments and UNESCO World Heritage sites. The architectural elegance of the monuments of this town has attracted lots of tourists and history buffs over the years.
Getting to Mahabalipuram
Mahabalipuram is well connected to other Indian cities through an excellent network of roads. You can easily get buses and taxis from cities of Pondicherry, Kanchipuram, and Chennai for Mahabalipuram. Road travel from Chennai to Mahabalipuram is a wonderful experience as the road runs parallel to the coast of Bay of Bengal and you can get excellent scenic views through out your journey.
If you are planning to travel by air, then the nearest airport is the Chennai International Airport (around 60 km). Both domestic and international flights operate through this airport.
For rail travellers, nearest railway station is at Chengalpattu (around 30 km). You can either hire a taxi or take a local bus from here to reach Mahabalipuram.
Weather
Owing to its close proximity to the coast, weather of Mahabalipuram remains hot and humid. Temperature raised to around 40 degrees during summer months and gets horribly humid during monsoon. The best months to travel are between November and February when the temperature drops to around 20 degrees and makes the town ideal for tourism.
Tourist Attractions
Pancha Ratha
Located on the Coromandel coast of Bay of Bengal are the five temples in the shape of 'rathas' or 'chariots'. Each of the chariot is carved out of huge monolithic rocks (pink granite) and is a great example of monolithic Indian rock-cut architecture dating back to the 7th century. The five rathas or chariots are named after Panch Pandavas and their wife Draupadi.
Draupadi Ratha, devoted to Goddess Durga, is closest to the entrance. Shaped in the form of a thatched roof, this is also smallest of the five chariots. The main highlight of this chariot is the idol of Durga placed on a finely carved lotus pedestal. Carved sculptures of a sea monster and Durga standing on head of Mahishasura on the entrance and walls of the chariot are other interesting attractions of Draupadi Ratha.
Located adjacent to Draupadi Ratha on the same platform is the Arjuna Ratha which is devoted to Lord Shiva. Magnificently carved walls and facade with sculptures of gods and humans is the main highlight of this chariot. The monoloithic statue of the Nandi Bull outside the Arjuna Ratha is the most photographed point of the Pancha Ratha temple complex.
The third chariot in the row is the Bhima Ratha and is longest of all. It is devoted to Anantshayi Vishnu. Figures of lions adorning the pillars of the chariot are the major highlight of this chariot.
The fourth ratha is the Dharmaraj Ratha named after Dharmaraj Yudhisthir. It is the most magnificent, tallest and impressive of the five rathas. Devoted to Lord Shiva, this ratha is one of the best examples of the exquisite Pallava art. Most interesting highlight of this chariot is the panel depicting reincarnation of Shiva as Ardhanariswarar( half man, half woman) on the ground floor.
The last of the chariots is the Nakula Sahadeva Ratha which stands aside and is not located in the same row as other chariots. This ratha is devoted to Lord Indra with its roof shaped like back of an elephant. Since Indra has been known to own sacred white elephants, a monolithic statue of elephant has been built next to the Nakul Sahdeva Ratha.
A visit to these group of temples will take you into the bygone era of the Pallava rule. Listed amongst the UNESCO World Heritage sites since 1984, this temple complex is a must visit when you are in Mahabalipuram.
Shore Temple
Devoted to Lord Shiva and Vishnu, the Shore Temple is another UNESCO World Heritage site in Mahabalipuram. Overlooking the shore of the Bay of Bengal, this temple is amongst the top most visited tourist attractions here. Depicting amazingly beautiful Pallava art, this temple is truly an architectural wonder and a site that you can not miss when in Mahabalipuram. An interesting fact about this temple is that it was the first one during the Pallava reign to be built in structural style using blocks of granite. Prior to that, all structures were built by carving out huge monolithic rocks.
To get fascinated with the scenic charm of the Shore Temple, it is best to visit it during evening when the rays of setting sun cover the temple walls in its golden hues. The temple is also a photographer's paradise because of the stunning scenery around.
When you are in Mahabalipuram during January-February time frame then do not miss the famous Mahabalipuram Dance Festival that is held every year at the temple.
Arjuna's Penance
Spread over two large monolithic blocks of limestone, the Arjuna's Penance is one of the most famous and beautifully carved stone structures that is in Mahabalipuram. Measuring 31m long and 9m high, it is regarded as the second largest bas relief structure in the world. The carving displays Arjuna undertaking a penance in order to obtain a powerful weapon from Lord Shiva that can give Pandavas victory over Kauravas in the battle of Mahabharata.
Some historians also believe that instead of Arjuna, the carving illustrate King Bhagiratha standing on one leg and praying to bring the holy River Ganges down to earth and hence the structure is also sometimes referred to as "Descent of the Ganges".
Apart from the illustrations of "River Ganges's descent to earth" or "Arjuna's Penance", the relief structure also shows the renditions of various gods, birds, animals, people and legends from the book of Panchatantra. The carvings speak volumes about the skill of the sculptors during that era. You will definitely be speechless on seeing such fine chisel work with perfect precision.
Cave Temples
Varaha Cave Temple
The Varaha Cave Temple, also a UNESCO World Heritage site, is one of the great examples of the rock cut architecture in Mahabalipuram dating back to late 7th century. Main highlight of this temple is the sculpture of Lord Vishnu in the form of 'Varaha' or 'Boar' saving and lifting the Earth Goddess (Bhu Devi). Apart from that, you will also be amazed to see the scenes from Indian mythology that have been strikingly carved on the walls of the cave temple. One of the scenes depict the Vaaman avatar of Lord Vishnu in which he occupies entire earth with one step, entire universe with the second and suppresses the egoistic King Bali with his third step. The other famous sculpture in the temple is of Gajalaxmi seating on a large lotus with two elephants showering her with water.
Krishna Mandapam
Krishna Madapam also known as the Krishna Cave Temple is another famous rock cut temple at Mahabalipuram dedicated to Lord Krishna. Major attraction of this temple is the carving of Lord Krishna lifting the Govardhan Parvat to shelter milk men, milk maids and cattle from devastating rains and floods in Mathura. Other frescoes on the temple walls include the carvings of the milkman milking the cow licking her calf, Lord Krishna playing the flute, and gopiyan (milkmaids) carrying pitchers of milk and butter arranged one over the other on their heads.
If you want to see an amazing rock art then Krishna Mandapam is a must visit tourist attraction in Mahabalipuram.
Mahishasuramardini Mandapam
Famous for its relief sculptures of "Goddess Durga conquering the demon Mahishasura" and "Anantasayana - Lord Vishnu reclining on Anantanag, the serpant king", Mahishasuramardini Mandapam is one more rock cut cave in Mahabalipuram that is worth visiting.
Trimurti Cave
Situated on top of a 100 feet steep cliff, the Trimurti Cave Temple is one of the few rare temples in India dedicated to the concept of Trimurti (Lord Brahma - the creator of universe, Lord Vishnu - the preserver of the universe and Lord Mahesh - the destroyer of universe). You will find here, three shrines dedicated to each god. The shrines contain bas relief structures of the gods with their consorts in different avatars.
Tiger’s Cave
Dotted with palm and casuarinas trees around the surroundings, the Tiger's Cave is yet another exquisite rock cut cave temple and is considered to be a great picnic spot in Mahabalipuram. The temple is being maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India and gets its name from the carving of tiger's head at its entrance.
Krishna’s Butterball
This is also a very famous tourist attraction in Mahabalipuram. Basically, it is a giant ball shaped rock, 5 metres in diameter, resting at an angle of 45 degrees on a smooth slope. What makes his rock so attractive amongst locals and tourists is its unnatural balancing position on a slippery slope. It has been said that the Pallava kings once tried to move this rock with the help of elephants but could not succeed in their attempt.
Mamallapuram Beach
Situated on the coastline of the Bay of Bengal, dotted with swaying palms and rolling hills, the Mamallapuram or the Mahabalipuram beaches are considered to be the most pristine beaches of Tamil Nadu. If you want to laze around and have an awesome sunbathing experience, then visiting a beach here is a must. You can here indulge into activities like diving and water surfing. As the sea is rough, the beach is not recommended for swimming.
Nearby attractions include Crocodile Farm (where around 5000 crocodiles and alligators are kept in open marshy enclosures), School of art and sculpture and a Snake venom extracting centre.
Getting Around Mahabalipuram
Being a very small city and the fact that all tourist attractions lie close to each other, it is best to explore Mahabalipuram on foot. Another famous way of getting around the city is through bikes that can be easily availed on rent through various rental agencies.
Food
As Mahabalipuram lies on the coast of Bay of Bengal, seafood is a speciality here. So, do try out some fresh sea food. One of the must have dishes here is the Fish Curry served with Parota (similar to Punjabi parantha made of all purpose flour).
For vegetarians, the must try dishes include idiyappam, aviyal, puttu and utthapams.
Festivals
Mahabalipuram is famous for its colorful dance festival. The Mamallapuram Dance Festival is a must attend when you are in Mahabalipuram during the months of January and February. This festival is held against the magnificent backdrop of the ancient Shore Temple. Great Indian Classical Dance forms like Kathak, Bharat Natyam, Odissi and Kuchipudi are performed during this vibrant festival. Apart from the classical dances, you can also get a glimpse of some of the Indian folk dances.
Hundreds of dancers from all across the country participate in this 4 weeks long festival with great zeal and enthusiasm.
Shopping
While getting back from Mahabalipuram, do not forget to buy the sculptures of gods and goddesses made from soapstone and granite. Jewellery made of seashells is also a common souvenir item that can be bought from Mahabalipuram.
Image Source: TripAdvisor
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