Mahabalipuram (or Mamallapuram, its ancient name) is
one of history's intriguing enigmas. Situated just 60 km off
Chennai on the Bay of Bengal coast in the South Indian state
of Tamil Nadu, Mahabalipuram was a flourishing port town of
the Pallava rulers of South India who chiselled in stone a
fabulous open-air museum of sculptures under the vault of
a burning sky. That much is known. But was this sculptural
glorification a king's fancy? A celebration of war victories?
A queen's fantasy? No one actually has any answer. The mystery
of Mahabalipuram lingers, unravelled, but its sculptural extravaganza
is a living testament of the virile artistic temperament of
the Pallavas who were trendsetters in South Indian art.
Sightseeing
Mahabalipuram with its picturesque location on a rocky outcrop
between the beach and a lagoon is a happy combination of
history, good beaches, hassle-free tourism and fabulous
fish and lobster! Despite the many visitors, drawn by the
former Pallava dynasty town, the place is friendly, relaxed,
and the villagers are remarkably unperturbed by their crowds
of visitors. Mahabalipuram is renowned for its series of
charming rathas and the spectacular carved relief depicting
Arjuna's Penance. The magnificent Shore Temple, built by king Rajasimha in the seventh century, is a unique temple that houses the shrines of both Shiva and Vishnu while the Varaha Cave is a rock-cut mandapam with two incarnations of Vishnu-Varaha and Vamana-besides scenes of kings and queens. The Krishna Mandapam has a bas-relief of Lord Krishna lifting the Govardhan hill in his fingertips. Other important attractions of Mahabalipuram include the Mahishasuramardini Cave, Kotikal Mandapam, Ramanuja Mandapam, and the Dharmaraja Cave.
Excursions
Mahabalipuram is a part of the Golden Triangle circuit of
South India along with Chennai and Kanchipuram. As such,
it is generally visited in combination with these two places.
Kanchipuram (65 km) is the synonym for some of India's finest silk saris. This dusty, small town, popularly called the Golden Town of a Thousand Temples, is renowned for the Kamakshi, Varadarajaswami, and Kailasanathar temples, all more than worthy of a visit. And about the Kanchi weavers, any ode would fall short! Vedanthangal is the site of a bird sanctuary, one of India's largest, while Covelong is famous for its golden beach and other historical monuments.
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