Mahabalipuram, is a town in Chengalpattu district in the southeastern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Mahabalipuram is also known by other names such as Mamallapattana and Mamallapuram. The term ‘Mahabalipuram’ means city of ‘great power’. Mahabalipuram is one of the oldest cities in India. Present day, it is known for its great monuments, caves, sanctuaries and sculptures. Mahabalipuram is also famous for its vast beaches, monoliths, stone carvings and temples.

The monuments of Mahabalipuram are excellent specimen of Dravidian temple architecture and Pallava art. Though it is considered a tourist destination, it is still not that well known as of now. A single day would be enough to visit all the tourist attraction sites of Mahabalipuram. Avoid visiting the places in the afternoon as the weather gets pretty hot at this time.

You can drive in the morning so that you arrive to the place by noon and grab some lunch, get into a nice sea view hotel for lunch, visit the monuments and spend some time in the beach before heading back.

How to reach Mahabalipuram ?

Mahabalipuram is located around 56 km from Chennai. The nearest airport to Mahabalipuram is at Chennai. You can drive from Chennai, or hire a cab, or take one of the several buses that shuttle between Chennai and Mahabalipuram. It can be reached in under two hours by road. The nearest railway station is Chengalapattu, which is around 30 km from Mahabalipuram. On alighting at the station a cab or a bus can be boarded to reach Mahabalipuram.

What is the best time to visit Mahabalipuram ?

Situated on the shores of Bay of Bengal, Mahabalipuram has a moderate and humid climate round the year. Though it can be visited throughout the year, summers get pretty hot. Some travelers venture out in monsoon, as monsoon brings in a fresh look to the place. But by most votes, the best time to visit is during the cooler months of October through March.

Shore temple

Dating back to the 8th century AD, Shore Temple is one of the oldest temples which represent the ancient designs, carving art and constructions. It is claimed to be a part of Seven Pagodas by the legends and is one of the finest places to visit in Mahabalipuram. One can also locate the decorative top of the temple covered with sculptures and carvings, which indeed adds somewhat authentic beauty to it.

The temple is standing strong with the help of the supporting stone that resists it from erosion. Shore Temple is located at the shore of Bay of Bengal which offers a beautiful view of the never ending ocean. This temple has three shrines where two of them are dedicated to Lord Shiva and the other one is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. The place is very clean and its location made it a major attraction among the tourists.

Descent of Ganges

Descent of the Ganges is one of the giant open-air sculptures which was engraved on two stiff rock boulders and it is one of the significant places to visit in Mahabalipuram. This is a great place to explore the history for some time with your family as it has some of the beautiful sculptures and carvings.

This interesting rock relief has very sensitive and realistic carvings to explore and remember for lifetime. This monument was created by King Narsimhavarman of Pallava dynasty and it portrays his great imagination which was used by the workers to carve such an amazing and appealing rock-cut sculpture.

Krishna’s Butter Ball

The Krishna’s Butterball is a strange 250-ton rock boulder, which is standing or resting inclined on a slope. It is known as Stone of Sky God. This is one of the most exciting tourist places in Mahabalipuram due to the mysterious scene it presents. It seems that this giant boulder, known as Krishna’s butterball refuses to give in to gravity, no one is quite sure why.

This place is the perfect destination to spend some great time with family and kids. Tourists love to capture pictures while posing at different angles around the rock. Krishna’s Butterball is the ideal place for aged people to sit and chat. Also, this place offers a huge ground where the kids end up to enjoy a lot.

Varaha Cave Temple

Varaha Cave Temple is a rock-cut Hindu temple that is carved beautifully revealing the ancient South Indian architecture. It is one of the must-visit places to visit in Mahabalipuram, situated behind the Arjuna’s Penance. It is made on a giant piece of granite and has some of the finest pieces of sculptures.

At the entrance of the temple, a primitive veranda can be seen with two independent pillars and two pillars attached to the side walls. All fours pillars are designed to reflect greeting for entrance and horned lions. The carvings are extremely prominent even on today and this place is still so beautiful and underrated at the same time. Varaha Cave Temple seems to be one of the hidden gems of Mahabalipuram.

Mahabalipuram Light House

This is something that is a new addition to the list of the places to visit in Tamil Nadu. Before 2010, it wasn’t open for tourists to walk in here and enjoy the view from the lighthouse. But in 2011, it was finally made open to the tourists to have a mesmerizing view of the surroundings from here.

The first light commissioned in this lighthouse was in 1887. India’s oldest lighthouse dating back to 640 AD is standing next to this modern one and was built by Pallava Kind Mahendra Pallava.

Seashell Museum

Looking for something unique and different to visit? Well here’s a place that will fit the bill perfectly. India seashell museum is the largest museum in its own type and is one of the unique places to visit in Mahabalipuram. Irrespective of one’s age, most of the tourists love this place like nothing else in the world.

The museum houses more than 40,000 varieties of exhibits. The architecture of the museum grants an illusion of the sea and its life. It also houses a shopping area known as Maya Bazaar where one can get different things related to sea lives. Moreover, there is a beautiful and attractive aquarium and a SeaFood Restaurant within its compound.

Panch Rathas

The word Pancha means five, hence the place presents five Rathas built with rocks. It denotes the evolution or rise of the Dravidian architects. The temple also resembles the historical monarchs and shrines of Buddhists, while the Rathas are associated with Mahabharat. Describing the rath, the first one is Drupati’s, which stands in on the right side by the entrance.

Arjuna’s rath is situated just beside Draupadi’s whereas, stands Nakula Sahadev Rath and Bhima is located at the front. Dharamraj Yudhistar’s Rath is the largest. This place seems to be one of the best tourist places in Mahabalipuram.

Mahabalipuram Beach

To please the eyes of the visitors, Mahabalipuram Beach is one of the perfect places to visit in Mahabalipuram. The tourists mostly prefer to relax while listening to the shores of the waves and witnessing the elegantly carved rock-cut sculptures. It presents a perfect scene of nature and art at once.

Alongside, it also offers caves, rathas, temples and chariots, thus providing a complete package for holidays to both locals and foreign visitors. There are a number of attractions located at the beach which includes a school of art and culture, snake venom extracting centre and a crocodile bank housing about 5000 crocodiles of 6 different species.

Arjuna’s Penance

Also known as the Descent of the Ganges, this is one of the majestic monuments of Mahabalipuram. The megalith was engraved upon two adjacent boulders. The magnificent structure is 43 feet high and 96 feet wide and thus its mesmerizing beauty can not be felt completely without viewing it with your own eyes.

Arjuna’s Penance is an important excerpt from the Mahabharata whereas the Descent of the Ganges narrates the story of the penance of Bhagirathi. Each and every part of this megalith expresses its own story. This penance is the perfect destination for history enthusiasts and photographers. The artworks are really amazing and have great historical significance.

Tiger Caves

Situated far from the constraints of the city, the Tiger Cave is an excellent place for people to relax after completing a 5 km trek from Mahabalipuram. The cave consists of a crown made up of the heads of eleven tiger-like creatures called ‘yeli’ (a crossbreed of a lion and tiger).

There is also a Goddess Durga carved on the top of these heads. Like most of the other Mahabalipuram monuments, this too was built by the Pallavas in the eighth century on the coast of the Bay of Bengal. Today, the site is a famous picnic spot and is managed under the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

Crocodile Bank

Under the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972, the Madras Crocodile Bank Trust and Centre for Herpetology or MBCT became a recognised reptile zoo, a research station for herpetology (the study of amphibians and reptiles) and a registered trust.

It was founded to fulfil the mission of protecting specifically three endangered species of Indian crocodiles namely the saltwater crocodile, marsh or mugger crocodile and gharial. Popular events hosted by the centre include Jaws 3 (feeding of the crocodile, Jaw), underwater gharial exhibit and night safari.

Group of Monuments

The group of monuments date to the reigning period of the Pandavas, 7th and 8th century. You can also explore one of the largest open-air rock relief in the world, which is included in the group of monuments. This place offers too many antique temples at one stop. And this place seems to be the perfect destination for the historical enthusiasts.

It is spread over a large area and it is favorable to get a guide who can help you in knowing the stories about each of the temples. It takes an entire day to see the places properly if one is interested to see all of the temples closely. The carvings and sculptures are unique from one another and all of the monuments are well-maintained and clean.