Mahabalipuram City Tour Guide - Tamil Nadu

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 chiseled in stone a fabulous open-air museum of sculptures under the vault of a burning sky. 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.


Mahabalipuram Facts:

• Area 8 sq. km
• Population 13,300
• Altitude Sea level
• Languages Tamil and English
• Best time to visit October to March
• STD code 04114

Tourist Attractions in Mahabalipuram

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! 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 Other important attractions of Mahabalipuram include the Mahishasuramardini Cave, Kotikal Mandapam, Ramanuja Mandapam, and the Dharmaraja Cave.

Tourist Attractions around Mahabalipuram

Mahabalipuram is a part of the Golden Triangle circuit of South India along with Chennai and Kanchipuram. Kanchipuram (65 km) is the synonym for some of India’s finest silk saris. This dusty, small town is renowned for the Kamakshi, Varadarajaswami, and Kailasanathar temples. 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.