Monuments to visit at Mahabalipuram is an overview of interesting places to visit in Mahabalipuram. I’m not going to describe all 40 monuments. I write about a few interesting highlights in Mahabalipuram, like the Shore Temple, the Descent of the Ganges, the Five Rathas, Krishna’s Butterball and the Olakkannesvara Temple.

The village Mamallapuram is known for the 40 ancient monuments. The group of monuments is listed as UNESCO World Heritage Site. The monuments are divided in several categories. The rathas are temples in the form of chariots. Mandapas are cave sanctuaries. There are rock reliefs, stone cute temples and archaeological excavations listed as heritage.

The village of Mahabalipuram

Mahabalipuram is also named as Mamallapuram. It’s a town located 60km south of Chennai in the state of Tamil Nadu. Mamallapuram is a popular UNESCO World Heritage Site. King Narasimhavarman was looking to build a suitable place for a harbour. He decided to built the harbour at Mahabalipuram. The town is named after the king. He is also known as Mahabali.

He did not only build a harbour but also many temples. Narasimhavarman II Rajasimha built beautiful and unique carved rock temples. The city became the second capital city of the Pavalla Kingdom. The stone temples are well-preserved and most of them date back to the 7^th and 8^th century.

The Shore Temple

The Shore Temple is dedicated to Shiva and Vishnu. The temple is located at (surprise surprise) the shore and is different from other temples. The sculptures represent daily life of the population and not the World of Gods. The elegant temple is built in the beginning of the 8^th century during the ruling of Narasimhavarman II Rajasimha.

The temple is the highlight of the architectural style of the Pavalla dynasty. The structure is made of granite blocks and the earliest example of a detached temple. The altars of Shiva and Vishnu are both crowned with a spire. The temple is suffering from salt, sand and water. The structure is under maintenance regularly to prevent the temple from collapsing.

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Pancha Rathas

South of Mamallapuram at 1,5km of the town, are the five rathas. The miniature structures are prototypes of Indian temple architecture in south India. The rathas are built on a rectangular sand plain. Each ratha is carved out of a single monolith of granite. The structures are not exactly temples because they were never consecrated. Construction was not finished when Narasimhavarman died. Each ratha is named after a hero of Mahabharata, one of the two ancient Sanskrit epics. The names in order of their size:

• Dharmaraja Ratha
• Bhima Ratha
• Arjuna Ratha
• Nakula Sahadeva Ratha
• Draupadi Ratha

The names are considered to be a misrepresentation because the structures don’t have a religious significance. They still remain unfinished and unconsecrated. The architecture of the rathas became a model for south Indian temples in later decades. Architectural features and sculptures were not only adopted in India but also in Cambodia and Java.

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Descent of the Ganges

Descent of the Ganges is a monument carved out of two monolithic rock boulders. The relief in the stone structure depict the story of the descent of the sacred river the Ganges. The carvings show how the Ganges descents from heaven to the earth. Hindus believe the waters of the Ganges have supernatural powers. The structure is also listed as UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Olakkannesvara Temple

The Olakkannesvara Temple is like the Shore Temple, a structural temple. It is dedicated to an incarnation of Shiva. The temple is built in the 8^th century and situated on a hill, the Mahishasuramardini mandapa. From here you have an amazing view of the town and the Bay of Bengal. The structure also belongs to the group of monuments listed as UNESCO World Heritage. The roof of the temple served as lighthouse before they built the present lighthouse in the late 19^th century.

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Krishna’s Butterball

This granite boulder is situated on an incline. The boulder is also part of the group of Monuments at Mamallapuram. The best view is at sunrise or sundown to make panorama pictures. The original name is Vaan Irai Kal and translated from Tamil it means Stone of Sky God. The Hindu mythology says lord Krishna often stole butter from his mother butter handi.

The Pallava King Narasimhavarman tried to move the boulder but it never moved. In 1908 the British governor Arthur Havelock also tried to move the boulder using seven elephants but without success. The boulder is 6 meters high and 5 meters wide. The weight is estimated at 250 tons.

Beginners Travel Guide to India

Have a look at the Beginners Travel Guide to India with travel related info, tips, places to visit and links to other India related articles. Or read the Beginners Guide to Indian Culture and Hinduism to learn more about the Indian Culture, the do’s and don’ts and the five most common Hindu Gods.

I also write about sustainable travel and give tips about other practical travel info. If you need some inspiration about places to visit in India, I can recommend visiting the City of Lakes, Udaipur, or go shopping in Jaipur. Explore the colonial architecture in Kochi or the historical temples, palaces and ruins in Hampi.