Location : 58-Km From Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Called : Mamallapuram, The City Of Bali
Famous : Centre For Pallava Culture And Arts
Important Festivals Celebrated : Dance Festival In The Month Of December
About Mahabalipuram
Mahabalipuram Temple The history of Mahabalipuram dates back to two thousand years, it contains nearly forty monuments of different types including an "open air bas relief" which is the largest in the world, for centuries it has been a centre of pilgrimage, it figures in the early annals of the British search for the picturesque in India in the 18th century, today it attracts shoals of foreigners in search of relaxation and sea bathing, and most strange of all, it has an atomic power plant for neighbours. A small library has been written on it. Over its history and that of its monuments a number of scholarly controversies rage. Sri Lanka's national chronicle, the "Mahavamsa" testifies to this fact.
Most of the monuments like rock-cut Rathas, sculptured scenes on open rocks like Arjuna's penance, the caves of Govardhanadhari and Mahishasurmardini, the Jala-Sayana Perumal temple are attributed to the period of Narasimha Varman-I Mamalla. Mahabalipuram was already a centre of pilgrimage when, in the 7th century Mamalla made it a seaport and began to make temples fashioned of rock. It was through Mahabalipuram that many Indian colonists, who included sages and artists, migrated to Southeast Asia.
Some of the important pilgrimage attractions of the small village of Mahabalipuram include:
Shore Temple - Facing the sea and designed to catch the first rays of the rising golden sun, the Shore temple is perched on top of a rocky outcrop. This shrine is dedicated to both Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu. The temple has interconnected cisterns through which the sea can be let in to transform the temple into a water shrine. But, in recent times, a stone wall as been added to protect the shrine from the rising seas and further erosion.
Mandapas - There are ten Mandapas at Mahabalipuram of which two are unfinished. These were designed as shrine with a sanctum and an outer hall. Excavated from one of the low hills of Mahabalipuram, these pillared pavilions exemplify the glory of Pallava rock art in its finesse. The most famous of these is the Ganesha Mandapa, which is still an active shrine, dedicated to the elephant god, Ganesha. Other important Mandapas include the Vishnu Sayana Mandapa, the Vishnu Sayana Mandapa, the Varaha mandapa, and the yet unfinished Panch Pandava mandapa.
Rathas - Literally 'Rathas' mean chariots. There are eight Rathas, of which five have been named after the Pandava brothers, the heroes of the epic Mahabharata, and their shared wife, Draupadi. The largest is the Dharmaraja ratha which sets the tone for the others. The shape of these temples that were carved in the 7th century became the birthplace of a new style of architecture unique only to Mahabalipuram. The temples are modelled on a Buddhist vihara or monastery, as it sports a square hall topped by a vaulting roof. The Bhima, Arjuna and Nakula-Sahdeva rathas are lesser copies of the Dharmaraja ratha. The Draupadi ratha is the smallest and the quaintest. It is a simple structure, fashioned as a thatched hut borne on the backs of elephants and lions. It was probably the facsimile of a portable village shrine.
The famous Dance Festival of Mahabalipuram is annually celebrated in the month of December. Dances from all over India are staged here including Bharatha Natyam (Tamil Nadu), Kathakali (Kerala), Kuchipudi (Andhra Pradesh) as well as tribal dances, puppet shows and classical / traditional music.
How to Get There
Air : Chennai (58-km) is the nearest airport with both domestic and international terminus. Chennai is connected with all the major places in India through the numerous domestic flights. International flights operate from various parts of the world to Chennai.
Rail : The nearest railway stations are Chengalpattu (29-km) and Chennai (58-km). From these stations one has to take road to reach the Mahabalipuram.
Road : Buses are available from Pondicherry, Kanchipuram, Chengalpattu and Chennai to Mahabalipuram daily. The road to Mahabalipuram is good. Tourists can also hire a taxi from Chennai.
Called : Mamallapuram, The City Of Bali
Famous : Centre For Pallava Culture And Arts
Important Festivals Celebrated : Dance Festival In The Month Of December
About Mahabalipuram
Mahabalipuram Temple The history of Mahabalipuram dates back to two thousand years, it contains nearly forty monuments of different types including an "open air bas relief" which is the largest in the world, for centuries it has been a centre of pilgrimage, it figures in the early annals of the British search for the picturesque in India in the 18th century, today it attracts shoals of foreigners in search of relaxation and sea bathing, and most strange of all, it has an atomic power plant for neighbours. A small library has been written on it. Over its history and that of its monuments a number of scholarly controversies rage. Sri Lanka's national chronicle, the "Mahavamsa" testifies to this fact.
Most of the monuments like rock-cut Rathas, sculptured scenes on open rocks like Arjuna's penance, the caves of Govardhanadhari and Mahishasurmardini, the Jala-Sayana Perumal temple are attributed to the period of Narasimha Varman-I Mamalla. Mahabalipuram was already a centre of pilgrimage when, in the 7th century Mamalla made it a seaport and began to make temples fashioned of rock. It was through Mahabalipuram that many Indian colonists, who included sages and artists, migrated to Southeast Asia.
Some of the important pilgrimage attractions of the small village of Mahabalipuram include:
Shore Temple - Facing the sea and designed to catch the first rays of the rising golden sun, the Shore temple is perched on top of a rocky outcrop. This shrine is dedicated to both Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu. The temple has interconnected cisterns through which the sea can be let in to transform the temple into a water shrine. But, in recent times, a stone wall as been added to protect the shrine from the rising seas and further erosion.
Mandapas - There are ten Mandapas at Mahabalipuram of which two are unfinished. These were designed as shrine with a sanctum and an outer hall. Excavated from one of the low hills of Mahabalipuram, these pillared pavilions exemplify the glory of Pallava rock art in its finesse. The most famous of these is the Ganesha Mandapa, which is still an active shrine, dedicated to the elephant god, Ganesha. Other important Mandapas include the Vishnu Sayana Mandapa, the Vishnu Sayana Mandapa, the Varaha mandapa, and the yet unfinished Panch Pandava mandapa.
Rathas - Literally 'Rathas' mean chariots. There are eight Rathas, of which five have been named after the Pandava brothers, the heroes of the epic Mahabharata, and their shared wife, Draupadi. The largest is the Dharmaraja ratha which sets the tone for the others. The shape of these temples that were carved in the 7th century became the birthplace of a new style of architecture unique only to Mahabalipuram. The temples are modelled on a Buddhist vihara or monastery, as it sports a square hall topped by a vaulting roof. The Bhima, Arjuna and Nakula-Sahdeva rathas are lesser copies of the Dharmaraja ratha. The Draupadi ratha is the smallest and the quaintest. It is a simple structure, fashioned as a thatched hut borne on the backs of elephants and lions. It was probably the facsimile of a portable village shrine.
The famous Dance Festival of Mahabalipuram is annually celebrated in the month of December. Dances from all over India are staged here including Bharatha Natyam (Tamil Nadu), Kathakali (Kerala), Kuchipudi (Andhra Pradesh) as well as tribal dances, puppet shows and classical / traditional music.
How to Get There
Air : Chennai (58-km) is the nearest airport with both domestic and international terminus. Chennai is connected with all the major places in India through the numerous domestic flights. International flights operate from various parts of the world to Chennai.
Rail : The nearest railway stations are Chengalpattu (29-km) and Chennai (58-km). From these stations one has to take road to reach the Mahabalipuram.
Road : Buses are available from Pondicherry, Kanchipuram, Chengalpattu and Chennai to Mahabalipuram daily. The road to Mahabalipuram is good. Tourists can also hire a taxi from Chennai.
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