Mamallapuram, also known as Mahabalipuram, is one of South India’s prime tourist destinations. Recently it has been declared by the UNESCO as the World Heritage Site and is frequently visited by people from all across the globe. This place was actually a 7^th century port city that was under the rule of the Pallavas. It is a city that has a rich historic background and has many historic monuments that have captured the interest of historians worldwide.

The most significant tourist destination of Mamallapuram is the Shore Temple. The temple is known for its resplendent beauty when the moonlight falls on the temple. Built by Raja Rajasimha during the 7^th century and has shrines of both Vishnu and Shiva. The most beautiful aspect of Mamallapuram is that its monuments are monolithic and rock-cut structures. The temples are rich with Dravidian architectural structures. Mamallapuram also has many cave temples, structural temples and monolithic chariots that leave the tourists mesmerized in their gorgeous beauty.

Mahabalipuram is also known for its pristine beaches that make the city a perfect destination for beach vacationers. The Varaha Cave is another famous rock-cut cave that is carved beautifully. Mahabalipuram also has some excellent places nearby that can be visited during your vacation here. Located just 60 km from Chennai, Mamallapuram is the most prominent tourist destination in Tamil Nadu.

Mahabalipuram is also the cultural hub of Tamil Nadu and major dance festivals are conducted here annually during December and January. These two months experience hordes of tourists visiting the land to experience the rich cultural dances of India namely Bharatanatiyam, Kathak, Kuchipudi, Oddissi, Kathakali etc.

Amongst the most prominent carvings of Mahabalipuram the most prominent is “Arjuna’s penance”. This stone carving is carved on two huge boulders and is considered to be the biggest open-air rock canvas in the world. The massive carving is 9m in height and 31m in width. This structure has various carvings of saints, Gods, beasts, men’s, semi-divine creatures etc. that magnify the beauty of the structure even more.

The gorgeous beach of Mahabalipuram has clean sandy beaches and tourists can enjoy lots of water sporting activities like wind surfing, swimming, diving and boating. Very near the Mahabalipuram beach is another famous tourist destination called “Dakshinachitra” which is a heritage village developed by the Ministry of Culture. Another famous tourist destination of Mahabalipuram is “Tiger’s Cave” which is an open-air theatre that regularly features many cultural facets of Tamil Nadu.

Mahabalipuram has the world famous “Crocodile bank” located just 14 km from the city. This is a natural park that is a habitat for African and Indian alligators and crocodiles. The city is also known as the “City of Bali” and the best time to visit the place is from October to March. The weather here is quite hot hence the rest of the year is not quite conducive to travel. But since the city is quite heavily booked during the peak seasons it would be advisable to book well in advance to avoid any last minute travel hassles.

Article Posted By : kayal  On May 30, 2011lView All Articles

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http://www.veethi.com/articles/mamallapuram-article-33.htm

Keywords :
Mamallapuram , Mahabalipuram , Tamil Nadu