Mahabalipuram
Situated about 50 km to the south of Chennai, Mahabalipuram was once a flourishing port city mentioned in Greek, Chinese and other traveller accounts dating back to the first century AD. A poem by Vaishnava saint, Tirumangai, describes how “ships rode at anchor, bent to the point of breaking, laden as they were with wealth, with big-trunked elephants, and with mountains of gems of nine varieties…” Archaeological finds also point to trade relations with the Romans. Read more»
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Located just an hour’s scenic drive from Chennai on the road to Pondicherry, Mahabalipuram is an excellent half-day stopover. A local guide may cost you upwards of Rs. 200 but you can download a Go!Places guide for much less and enjoy the monument at leisure!
Complete reference to Mahabalipuram, UNESCO World Heritage site | colour photos and info blurbs in a comic-style layout | includes 3D map and bibliography | 15 page PDF download
Price: $1.99
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The flourishing economy helped the Pallava rulers fund extensive building programs in Mahabalipuram and elsewhere. The following are of special interest in the Mahabalipuram area:
- Caves: Mahishasuramardhini, Varaha, Trimurti and Yali (or Tiger)
- Free-Standing Structures: The Shore Temple
- Reliefs: Arjuna’s Penance / Descent of Ganges and Krishna Lifting the Govardhan Parvat
- Monoliths: The Five Rathas.
Much about the monuments remains enigmatic, however. Over half are unfinished and most contain inscriptions with titles that could apply to more than one king. Also, the monuments are dedicated to both Shiva and Vishnu, and do not privilege one sect over the other.
The mysteries of Mahabalipuram were further compounded by the tsunami of 2005, which briefly revealed structures submerged in the ocean that may be the remains of the mythical Seven Pagodas that were mentioned in legends about the area.
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