MAHABALIPURAM

One of the oldest cities in India, Mahabalipuram is known for its various stone carved monuments and ancient temples. Mahabalipuram has always enticed travellers with its bag full of irresistible sun kissed beaches, World Heritage–listed temples and grand historical edifices.  This beautiful coastal town in Tamil Nadu is blessed with some stunning stone carved heritage sites which narrate exceptional stories about the town’s past which make it one of history's fascinating enigmas. Mahabalipuram remains a popular stopover for wanderers coming from Chennai and Puducherry.

Attractions

Embark on a journey to Mahabalipuram by visiting the majestic Arjuna’s Penance, a huge open-air sculpture intricately carved on two giant rocks. This UNESCO World Heritage Site stands 43 feet high and is 100 feet in length. One can spend quality time exploring beautifully carved scenes of Hindu mythology showing animals, human figures and many gods.
Another ancient wonder of this town is Thirukadalmallai built by the Pallava Kings around 6-8th century BCE. This is known for being one of the 108 popular temples dedicated to Lord Vishnu. Its Dravidian Pallava style architecture looks jaw dropping with white colour gopuram and other golden gopurams dotted around the complex. Talking of architecture, Shore Temple is another popular masterpiece of Mahabalipuram edging the coast of Bay of Bengal. This granite built pagoda looks beautiful with a clear sky giving it a perfect backdrop. It is said that this is the only temple that survived the Tsunami out of the seven shrines.

Also visit the legendary Pancha Rathas, in the south end of the Mahabalipuram, flaunting five chariots or pancha rathas which got their names from the Pandavas from the Mahabharata. Here you can also eye the largest collection of Seashells at India Seashell Museum and Aquarium. The complex astonishes visitors with over 40,000 different kinds of rare and unique shells apart from diverse fossils, whale fins and shark teeth.

The complex houses a Maya Bazaar where you can buy seashells and beautiful pearls which make great souvenirs. You can also spend some time at the fascinating Krishna’s Butterball which is a gigantic granite boulder. It houses a 16 feet tall rock stands on a short slope for more than 1200 years which looks unreal.

Mahabalipuram also has a Crocodile Farm where visitors can spot Indian and African alligators and crocodiles and learn some facts about them.

Best time to Visit Mahabalipuram
March to May marks summer season here. Summer remains hot; therefore touring Mahabalipuram around this time is not a good idea. Especially sightseeing and outdoor activities during the daytime is hard for the visitors.

June to September marks the monsoon season in Mahabalipuram. Accompanied by high humidity and scanty showers, the rain beautifies the entire place, making it fresh and green. If you are visiting Mahabalipuram around this time then you are advised to carry an umbrella or a raincoat.
Winter in Mahabalipuram starts from November and lasts till February. Winters are usually pleasant, with warm days and cool nights. It is the best time for the tourists to enjoy the place and move around for sightseeing, outdoor activities are also best around this time.

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