The Mahabalipuram temples are located in the Mahabalipuram town, in the state of Tamilnadu, India. From Chennai (the capital city of the Tamilnadu State) Mahabalipuram is about 58 km.
The actual name of Mahabalipuram is “Mamallapuram” which was kept in the honor of the King Narasimha Varman I, king of the Pallava Dynasty, who has built the ancient monuments in Mahabalipuram. However, the place became popular as “Mahabalipuram” or the “Bali City”, which means sacrifice.
The Mahabalipuram has the history of about 2,000 years back, where almost forty monuments are inscribed. Mahabalipuram has become a great pilgrimage place since the 1st century attracting a large number of scholars and foreigners from all over the world.
Mahabalipuram is famous for its temples and its architecture; some of the major temples are listed below
Temples at the Shore
During the past, there are three major temples at the Bay of Bengal shore. The first temple is “Vaishnava”, which is devoted to Lord Anantasayi. The temple and the idol of Lord Anantasayi are made with a massive rock. The Saiva and Vimanas are the other temples, but these temples vanished over the years.
The Shore Temple
The Shore Temple is located to the edge of Bay of Bengal. The tides entered into the walls of the temple since 13th century. However, a single structure has not sunk in the water over the centuries.
Sthalasayana Perumal Temple
The Vijayanagar Dynasty emperors have built the Sthalasayana Perumal Temple. The Sthalasayana Perumal Temple lies on the edge of the sea. To the west of Sthalasayana Perumal Temple, five Rathas (chariots) are located, where the deity of the temple will be placed on the Rathas on festivals.
Events at the Temples
Every year the Tamilnadu government organizes the “Mahabalipuram Dance Festival”, which starts on 25th December and ends on first week of February. This festival describes about the ancient history of traditions of the Pallava Kings.
In addition, a number of dance festivals and music competitions are conducted, where musicians and dancers from all the country take part in it. Among the events Kuchipudi, Bharathanatyam, and folk dances are a special attraction.
Traveling to Mahabalipuram:
Mahabalipuram being a pilgrimage place, is connected with all means of transport.
Chennai International Airport is the nearby airport. Chennai being the capital city of the Tamilnadu state is well connected with all the parts of India and all regions of the world.
Chegalpattu is the nearby railway station, which is about 29 km, frequent train services are available from Chennai.
Frequent bus services are available from all the regions of Tamilnadu.