Best Travel to Mahabalipuram
A travel to Mahabalipuram will acquaint you with the grand architecture of the Pallava dynasty under whose patronage architecture reached its pinnacle.
Mahabalipuram, or Mamallapuram, was the chief seaport of the powerful Pallava dynasty of South India from as early as the first century B.C to the eighth century A.D. The contribution of the Pallavas to the administration, culture and architecture of South India is well-known. The reign of Narasimha Varman in the 7th century AD witnessed the height of glory for the Pallava Empire both in area and architecture.
Mahabalipuram, now a small sleepy village in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, has the distinction of being one of the top travel destinations of not only Tamil Nadu but also South India. Known to the world for its famous Shore group of Temples. These temples bear lavish testimony to the supreme heights scaled by the Pallava architecture.Though the vagaries of nature had played havoc with this magnificent structure, efforts are now on to preserve it and save it from further destruction. An important step was taken in this direction when it was listed as a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO.
Apart from this group of temples, there are also other temples, which deserve our visit. Nearby are the crafts villages where one can have a closer look at the intricate work of stone carving.
Mahabalipuram art comprises four categories: structured temples, open air bas-reliefs, man-made caves and rathas ('chariots' carved from single boulders). The celebrated Arjuna's Penance and the Krishna Mandapa, embellish gigantic rocks near the center of the village.
Arjuna's Penance
The most famous of the Mahabalipuram art, this is carved in relief on the face of a huge rock. It depicts the mythological story of the river Ganges, issuing from its source high in the Himalayas. The rock has exhaustive carvings, presenting the most appealing and natural interpretation of animals. It also shows deities, and other semi gods and legends from the Panchtantra or Five Wise Lessons written by Vishnu Sharma in the 2nd century BC. Arjuna, one of the five Pandava brothers of Mahabharata fame is shown standing on one leg, doing penance to obtain a boon from Lord Shiva. An accomplished archer, Arjuna had traveled to the banks of river Ganga to do penance, to persuade Shiva to part with his favourite weapon, the pashupatashatra, a magic staff or arrow.
The place has some beaches where the waves can be viewed. However they are not worth swimming.
Take a Mahabalipuram pilgrimage travel with best Indian Travel and you will view with awe the architectural grandeur of the Pallavas.
When to Visit Mahabalipuram
The best time to visit this area is in winter, between the months of November and February.
How to Get to Mahabalipuram
There are buses available from Pondicherry, Kanchipuram, Chengalpattu and Madras to Mahabalipuram daily. Madras can be accessed by air or train from any corner of the country. International flights operate from various parts of the world to Madras.
