Mahabalipuram - A World Heritage City [ India - Tamilnadu ]

Mahabalipuram (Or Mamallapuram) Was A Celebrated Port City Of The Pallavas, Situated In Chennai - Tamilnadu. It Has Been Identified As The Port Melange Mentioned In The Periplus Of The Erythraean Sea By An Unknown Greek Navigator Of The First Century A.D. 

The Monuments At Mahabalipuram Are Of Different Types Like The Rock-Cut Cave Temples, Monolithic Temples, Bas-Relief Sculptures And Structural Temples Besides Excavated Remains Of Temples. The Pallava Dynasty, Which Ruled This Area Between 6th-9th Centuries A.D., Patronised The Creation Of These Wonderful Edifices. Among Them, Mahendravarman (AD 580-630), His Son Narasimhavarman I Mamalla (AD 630-668), Paramesvaravarman (A.D. 672-700) And Narasimhavarman II Rajasimha (A.D. 700-728) Contributed The Most In Developing Mahabalipuram As A Centre Of Art And Architecture. Many Monuments Remain Unfinished.

The Mahabalipuram History Is Two Thousand Years Old. It Was The Port City Of South Indian Dynasty Of Pallavas During 7th Century. The Pallavas Ruled Mahabalipuram From 3rd Century To 9th Century. These Historic Monuments Were Constructed During The 7th And 9th Centuries. 

The Monuments May Be Subdivided Into Five Categories:

Ratha Temples In The Form Of Processional Chariots, Monolithic Constructions Cut Into The Residual Blocks Of Diorite Which Emerge From The Sand. The Five Ratha Of The South, Which Are The Most Famous, Date To The Reign Of Naharasimhavarman Mamalla (630-68), The Great Pallavas King (The Cholas Texts, Moreover, Call The City Mamallapuram).

Mandapa, Or Rock Sanctuaries Modelled As Rooms Covered With Bas-Reliefs (The Mandapa Of Varaha, Representing The Acts Of This Avatar Of Vishnu; The Mandapa Of The Five Pandavas And, Especially, The Mandapa Of Krishna And The Mandapa Of Mahishasuramardini).

Rock Reliefs In The Open Air Illustrate A Popular Episode In The Iconography Of Siva, That Of The Descent Of The Ganges. The Wise King Baghirata Having Begged Him To Do So, Siva Ordered The Ganges To Descend To Earth And To Nourish The World. The Sculptors Used The Natural Fissure Dividing The Cliff To Suggest This Cosmic Event To Which A Swarming Crowd Of Gods, 

Goddesses, Mythical Beings (Kinnara, Gandherya, Apsara, Gana, Naga And Nagini), Wild And Domestic Animals Bear Witness.

Temples Built From Cut Stone, Like The Temple Of Rivage, Which Was Constructed Under King Rajasimha Narasimavarmn II (695-722), With Its High-Stepped Pyramidal Tower And Thousands Of Sculptures Dedicated To The Glory Of Siva.

 Monolithic Rathas, From Single- To Triple-Storeyed, Display A Variety Of Architectural Forms, While The Dharmaraja, Arjuna And Draupadi Rathas Are Square In Plan, The Bhima And Ganesa Rathas Rectangular, And The Sahadeva Ratha Apsidal. Structural Architecture Was Introduced On A Grand Scale By Pallava Rajasimha (700-28), Culminating In The Erection Of The Shore Temple

According To Local Guides, The Site's Name Changed During The Centuries. The First Name Was Kadal Malai Meaning "The Land Between The Mountain And The Sea" In Tamil. The Second Name Was Mämalläpuram Meaning "The Land Of The Great Wrestler" As The Region Was Ruled By The Pallavan King Narsimhavarman During The 8th Century Who Was Known For His Strength. The Third Name Was And Is Still There Is Mähäbalipuram Meaning "The Land Of Mahabali". 

Fair & Festival At Mahabalipuram Temple

Open Air Dance Festival

Open Air Dance Festival Is An Annual Celebration Of Mahabalipuram Temple, Which Is Celebrated For A Week. It Is Internationally Famous As ‘Mahabalipuram Dance Festival’, Organized By The Government Of Tamilnadu.
The Festival Starts From 25th December Every Year And Conducted On All Saturdays And Government Holidays Upto The First Week Of February. 

Hours Of Opening:  0600 Hrs To 1800 Hrs On All Days. Sale Of Admission Tickets Will Be Closed At 1730 Hrs.

• Nearest Airport: Chennai Airport (58 Km).

•  Nearest Railway Station: Chengalpattu Railway Station (29 Km) And Chennai Railway Station (58 Km).

• By Road: Mahabalipuram Is Well Connected Through All The Major Cities And Buses Are Available Daily From Pondicherry, Kanchipuram, Chengalpattu And Chennai To Mahabalipuram.