Mahabalipuram - A City of Carved Stones & Shore Temples
Mahabalipuram - A Melody in Stones:
The ancient town of Maha-Bali -Puram or Maa-Mallan-Puram, is 1 hour journey from the city of Chennai. For Tourists from India and abroad, the city is one of the main Tourist attractions.
The town was the important place developed by Pallava Dynasty next to Kanchipuram. The Kings Mahendra Varman and Narasimha Valla Pallavan or Maa-Mallan (A great wrestler) developed it and it attained the glorious time during their times.
Mahabalipuram is a UNESCO declared heritage site visited by thousands of Travellers from around the world. The town has a strong infrastructure and can be reached from Chennai, the capital of Tamilnadu State in India or from the Temple Town - Kanchipuram. A Seaside town, Mahabalipuram has lots of resorts, restaurants, hotels and star hotels to the needs of a budget to a luxury traveller.
The town is famous for its Rock cut & carved temples and some of them are Monoliths - carved from a single stone or block. If you are visiting India, this is one of the places for you to visit as a Tourist attraction. Also visit cities Tanjore and Mahabalipuram.
We made the write up, full of pictures, to give the visual treat to the Tourists.
Cameras & Mobiles at full time work:
Five Chariots Temple
Elephants & other Sculptures
Krishna's Butter ball - Carved Stone with no base
Temple Tower
Sea Shore Temple
Varaha Mandapam - Stone carved site
Krishna Mandapam - Depiction of cows, peasants & women walking
Lord Narayana in resting pose - A Hindu deity
A Sitting Bull - Vehicle of Lord Shiva
Majectic Elephant - Shore Temple
Lord Vishnu - A Hindu Deity
Mahishasuramardhini Mandapam
Intricate Sculptures
Lord Durga - Mahishasuramardhini fighting Asura king - Mahishan
Mahishan - A Bull headed opponent of Lord Durga
God's image in a standing Posture
Water pond carved in Stone
Shore Temple Compound
Beautiful Beaches & Holiday Homes:
A Stand AloneTemple
Pristine Beach - Mahabalipuram
Submerged Temples - Mahabalipuram
A Depiction of NarasimhaVarman in 7th Century Tamil language script.
The History:
The town own its popularity to 6th and 7th centuries, Pallava Kings - Mahendra varman and Nara-simha-Varman. The king Narasimha varman, who was never defeated by another king was one of the key founder of the city and its glory.
The famous chinese philosopher and Traveller - Hieun Tsang, visited during his reign to Mahabalipuram. Hieun Tsang - known as the Prince of Travellers, is one of the first buddhist visited the city of Kanchipuram and Mahabalipuram 1300 years before.
Once a bustling Port town on the Bay of Bengal, now it boasts a 1300+Years history and welcome the travellers from far and wide.
The famous Tamil language novelist - Kalki wrote a historical novel called - Sivakamiyin Sabatham. The novel narrates, the town's history and its reputation as a Trading center, Port and famous for its arts and culture - The famous bharatha nattiyam.
A large part of the sculptures had been taken away by the nearby Sea - Bay of Bengal with its fury. The local fishermen comes across places engulfed by the sea during their fishing ventures. A great town with a long history, still living with vibrancy and colour!!