Mahabalipuram

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For the film, see Mahabalipuram (film).

Mamallapuram

Mahabalipuram

town

View of Shore Temple, Mahabalipuram / Mamallapuram

Mamallapuram

Coordinates:

123659N 801158E12.616454N

80.199370ECoordinates:

123659N

801158E12.616454N 80.199370E

Country
State
District
Elevation

India
Tamil Nadu
Kancheepuram
12 m (39 ft)

Population (2001)
Total

12,049

Official

Tamil

Languages

Time zone
PIN
Telephone code

IST (UTC+5:30)
603104
91-44

Mamallapuram, also known as Mahabalipuram, is a town in Kancheepuram district in the

Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is around 60 km south from the city of Chennai. It is an ancient
historic town and was a bustling seaport during the time of Periplus (1st century CE) and
Ptolemy (140 CE). Ancient Indian traders who went to countries of South East Asia sailed
from the seaport of Mahabalipuram.
By the 7th century it was a port city of South Indian dynasty of the Pallavas. It has a group of
sanctuaries, which was carved out of rock along the Coromandel coast in the 7th and 8th
centuries : rathas (temples in the form of chariots), mandapas (cave sanctuaries), giant openair rock reliefs such as the famous Descent of the Ganges, and the Shore Temple, with
thousands of sculptures to the glory of Shiva. The Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram
has been classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
It has an average elevation of 12 metres (39 feet). The modern city of Mahabalipuram was
established by the British Raj in 1827.[1]

Contents
[hide]

1 Climate

2 History

3 Transport

4 Landmarks

5 Demography

6 Gallery

7 See also

8 Literature

9 References

10 External links

Climate [edit]
This city has a tropical climate. In winter, there is much less rainfall than in summer. The
Kppen-Geiger climate classification is Aw. The average annual temperature in
Mahabalipuram is 28.4 C. In a year, the average rainfall is 1219 mm.The temperatures are
highest on average in May, at around 32.6 C. In January, the average temperature is 24.3 C.
It is the lowest average temperature of the whole year. The variation in the precipitation
between the driest and wettest months is 309 mm. The average temperatures vary during the
year by 8.3 C.

[show]Climate data for Mahabalipuram

History[edit]
Megalithic burial urn, cairn circles and jars with burials dating to the very dawn of the
Christian era have been discovered near Mahabalipuram. The Sangam age poem
Perumpn uppat airelates the rule of King Thondaiman Ilam Thiraiyar at Kanchipuram of
the Tondai Nadu port Nirppeyyaru which scholars identify with the present-day
Mahabalipuram. Chinese coins and Roman coins of Theodosius I in the 4th century CE have
been found at Mahabalipuram revealing the port as an active hub of global trade in the late
classical period. Two Pallava coins bearing legends read as Srihari and Srinidhi have been
found at Mahabalipuram. The Pallava kings ruled Mahabalipuram from Kanchipuram; the
capital of the Pallava dynasty from the 3rd century to 9th century CE, and used the port to
launch trade and diplomatic missions to Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia.
An 8th-century Tamil text written by Thirumangai Alvar described this place as Sea
Mountain where the ships rode at anchor bent to the point of breaking laden as they were

with wealth, big trunked elephants and gems of nine varieties in heaps. It is also known by
several other names such as Mamallapattana and Mamallapuram. Another name by which
Mahabalipuram has been known to mariners, at least since Marco Polos time is "Seven
Pagodas" alluding to the Seven Pagodas of Mahabalipuram that stood on the shore, of which
one, the Shore Temple, survives.[3]
The temples of Mahabalipuram, portraying events described in the Mahabharata, were built
largely during the reigns of Narasimhavarman and his successor Rajasimhavarman and show
the movement from rock-cut architecture to structural building. The city of Mahabalipuram
was largely developed by the Pallava king Narasimhavarman I in the 7th century AD.[3] The
mandapa or pavilions and the rathas or shrines shaped as temple chariots are hewn from the
granite rock face, while the famed Shore Temple, erected half a century later, is built from
dressed stone. What makes Mahabalipuram so culturally resonant are the influences it
absorbs and disseminates. The Shore Temple includes many reliefs, including one 100 ft. long
and 45 ft. high, carved out of granite.[4]
All but one of the rathas from the first phase of Pallava architecture are modeled on the
Buddhist viharas or monasteries and chaitya halls with several cells arranged around a
courtyard.[5] Art historian Percy Brown, in fact, traces the possible roots of the Pallava
Mandapa to the similar rock-cut caves of Ajanta Caves and Ellora Caves. Referring to
Narasimhavarman's victory in AD 642 over the Chalukyan king Pulakesin II, Brown says the
Pallava king may have brought the sculptors and artisans back to Kanchi and Mahabalipuram
as 'spoils of war'.[6]
The fact that different shrines were dedicated to different deities is evidence of an increased
sectarianism at the time of their construction. A rock relief on a sculpted cliff has an image of
Shiva and a shrine dedicated to Vishnu, indicating the growing importance of these Sangam
period deities and a weakening of the roles of Vedic gods such as Indra and Soma.[7]
According to local guides, the site's name changed during the centuries. The first name was
Kaalmalai meaning "The land between the mountain and the sea" in Tamil. The second name
was Mmallpuram 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 Mhbalipuram meaning "The land of Mahabali".
According to legends, he was the grandson of the devoted Prahlada.

Mahabalipuram Shore Temple View from beach

Mahabalipuram Art Sculpture Shops

Transport[edit]
MTC and TNSTC (Villupuram) Kanchipuram division buses are operating bus from Chennai,
Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram, Thiruttani etc. Apart from TNSTC MTC operating buses to
Mahabalipuram from various parts of the city with Deluxe and Air conditioned Deluxe buses
MTC bus Routes towards Mahabalipuram
Route
Start
Number
515
Tambaram
568

Adyar

568C

Koyambedu

588

Adyar

588B

Broadway

588C
589
599

End

Via

Mahabalipuram Vandalore Zoo, Kelambakkam, Thirupporur

Perugudi, Sholinganallur, Kelambakkam,
Mahabalipuram
Thirupporur
Vadapalani, Ashok nagar, Guindy, Madhya
Mahabalipuram kailash, Perugudi, Sholinganallur,
Kelambakkam, Thirupporur
Thiruvanmiyur, VGP, MGM, Kovalam,
Mahabalipuram
Thiruvedanthai, Vadanemmeli, Devanery
Annasquare,AIR, Santhome, AMS, Adyar,
Thiruvanmiyur, VGP, MGM, Kovalam,
Thiruvedanthai, Vadanemmeli, Devanery
Mahabalipuram
THIS ROUTE IS AVAILABLE ONLY ON
SUNDAY AND GOVERNMENT HOLIDAYS

Vadapalani, Ashok nagar, Guindy, Madhya

Koyambedu
Mahabalipuram kailash, Thiruvanmiyur, VGP, MGM, Kovalam,
Thiruvedanthai, Vadanemmeli, Devanery
SRP Tools, Thiruvanmiyur, VGP, MGM,
Velachery
Mahabalipuram Kovalam, Thiruvedanthai, Vadanemmeli,
Devanery
Saidapet, Adyar, Thiruvanmiyur, VGP, MGM,
Mahabalipuram T Nagar
Kovalam, Thiruvedanthai, Vadanemmeli,
Devanery

Landmarks[edit]

Panoramic view of sculptures

The monuments are mostly rock-cut and monolithic, and constitute the early stages of
Dravidian architecture where in Buddhist elements of design are prominently visible. They
are constituted by cave temples, monolithic rathas (chariots), sculpted reliefs and structural
temples. The pillars are of the Dravidian order. The sculptures are excellent examples of
Pallava art. They are located in the side of the cliffs near India's Bay of Bengal.
It is believed by some that this area served as a school for young sculptors. The different
sculptures, some half finished, may have been examples of different styles of architecture,
probably demonstrated by instructors and practiced on by young students. This can be seen in
the Pancha Rathas where each Ratha is sculpted in a different style. These five Rathas were
all carved out of a single piece of granite in situ.[4] While excavating Khajuraho, Alex Evans, a
stonemason and sculptor, recreated a stone sculpture made out of sandstone, which is softer
than granite, under 4 feet that took about 60 days to carve. The carving at Mahabalipuram
must have required hundreds of highly skilled sculptors.[8]
In 2004 the Indian Ocean Tsunami washed away tons of coastal sand exposing structures
including a granite lion and an elephant relief. [9]
Some important structures include:

Thirukadalmallai, the temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu. It was also built by Pallava
King in order to safeguard the sculptures from the ocean. It is told that after building
this temple, the remaining architecture was preserved and was not corroded by sea.

Descent of the Ganges or Bagiratha's Penance a giant open-air rock relief

Varaha Cave Temple a small rock-cut temple dating back to the 7th century.

The Shore Temple a structural temple along the Bay of Bengal with the entrance
from the western side away from the sea. Recent excavations have revealed new
structures here.

Pancha Rathas (Five Chariots) five monolithic pyramidal structures named after the
Pandavas (Arjuna, Bhima, Yudhishtra, Nakula and Sahadeva) and Draupadi. An

interesting aspect of the rathas is that, despite their sizes they are not assembled
each of these is carved from one single large piece of stone.

Light House, built in 1894.

Demography[edit]
As of 2001 India census,[10] Mahabalipuram had a population of 12,345.[11] Males constitute
52% of the population and females 48%. Mahabalipuram has an average literacy rate of 74%,
higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 82%, and female literacy is 66%.
In Mahabalipuram, 12% of the population is under 6 years of age.

Gallery[edit]

Mahabalipuram elephant statue

Shore temple, view from the north face

Sunrise at Shore Temple

Namrta Rai performing Kathak Recital at Mamallapuram Dance Festival 2015

Full view of Mahabalipuram Light house.

Panoramic view of sculptures

Five Rathas in Mahabalipuram diagonal view

Mahabalipuram Shore Temples

Shore Temple Mahabalipuram

Elephant and other creatures carved in granite at Mahabalipuram.

Cave Temple at Mahabalipuram.

Monkey picking lice off other monkey at Mahabalipuram.

Pancha Rathas at Mahabalipuram.

Light House

Shore Temple at Mahabalipuram.

Tiger Cave

Krishna's Butter Ball

Submerged Temple at Mahabalipuram

Mahabalipuram Beach

Arjuna's Penance

Mahabalipuram Temple at Dusk

Stone Carvings at Mahabalipuram

Mahabalipuram seashore temple - Recumbent Vischnu

Tank at Mahabalipuram

Shore Temple at Mahabalipuram

Mahabalipuram Beach

Panorama of Shore Temple at Mahabalipuram

Mahabalipuram Beach Panorama

Mahabalipuram Beach Shore

mahablipuram world heritage site, sculpture

Cave Temple of mahabalipuram

Shore Temple of mahabalipuram

Carvings of mahabalipuram

Backside View of mahabalipuram

Lion Statue

Temples of mahabalipuram

Temples of mahabalipuram

Temples of mahabalipuram

Single Stone Elephant Carving of mahabalipuram

Budha Statue of mahabalipuram

Temples of mahabalipuram

Temples of mahabalipuram

Temples of mahabalipuram

Temples of mahabalipuram