Mahabalipuram - A Poetry on Stone, also known as Mamallapuram is an ancient historic town and major seaport of the ancient Pallava kingdom is situated on the shore of the Bay of Bengal. The name was changed by the king of Pallava dynasty Narashima Varman who has got the title of Mamalla; the great wrestler. It is a world heritage site among the most outstanding examples of Dravidian art and architecture and a jewel in the crown of Tamil Nadu.
Mamallapuram is recognised for its historical monuments, sculptures, scenic beauty, culture and tradition. Under the reign of the Narasimha Varman, this seaport began to grow as a great artistic centre. Of the nine monolithic temples found in Mahabalipuram, the most important are Five Rathas known after the famous five Pandava brothers of the Mahabharata fame. These monuments are carved out a single rock with choice of all known forms of plan and elevations.
Not only known for its architecture, but the heritage town is also known for its casuarinas trees and silver sand beach. The one month long annual Mamallapuram dance festival is conducted during months of Dec-Jan. Classical dances such as Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi, Kathakali, Mohini Attam, Odissi, Kathak etc. are performed by well-known exponents of the art.
STATE : TAMIL NADU
LOCATION : Mahabalipuram is a town in Kancheepuram district in the state of Tamil Nadu and around 55 km south from the city of Chennai.
LANGUAGE : Tamil and English.
WHEN TO VISIT : Throughout the year destination. October to April is the ideal time for Mahabalipuram tourism.
CLOTHING : Light cotton in summer and cotton in winter.
Historic
Nature
Beech
Ancient Place
Monuments
Unesco world heritage
Mahabalipuram is connected by good motorable roads to all major places. There are excellent bus services provided by State Road Transport Corporation, connecting Mahabalipuram to other nearby cities.
Nearest rail head is Chengalpattu, which is 29 km away from Mahabalipuram. Chennai is the major railway station nearby which is connected to all major cities in India by rail. Taxis and buses are easily available from Chengalpattu to Mahabalipuram.
The nearest airport is Chennai International airport, which is located at 54 km away from Mahabalipuram. The airport is well connected to major cities of the country. You can easily get taxis and buses to the reach Mahabalipuram.
Best Season / Best Time to Visit Mahabalipuram
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
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