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East
Coast Road, wide and smooth, where littoral palms, backwaters, brooks
and green fields line the edges. At a distance of 55 kms from Chennai
lies Mamallapuram on the seashores of the Bay of Bengal. Here you
can see Pagodas, rock-cut Caves, single-stone crafted Rathas and
bas-reliefs. All belonging to the times of the Pal lavas, who ruled
from 600 to 750 AD with Kanchi as their capital.
An ancient port with a flourishing maritime trade, Mamallapuram,
earlier called Mahabalipuram, stands today as a centre of art and
as a testimonial to early Dravidian Style of temple architecture.
Here you can also hear the sound of wind on stone and the swish
of waves bathing the Shore Temple. The rich portraits in stone of
various gods, goddesses, celestial beauties and epic stories present
an endless feast for the eye and the mind, at once intriguing and
inspiring. These compositions in stone, built for all years to come,
are works of faith and of love.
A first time visitor to Mamallapuram feels a thrill and an excitement.
The beauty ot the place is that it can be visited again and again.
Mamallapura offers glimpses of the glory of the Pal lava Kings and
the creativity of the craftsman, who is both a supreme artist and
a devotee. No wonder that the sunny beach, silvery sand, splendours
of sculpture are visited by tourists from all over the world.
Festivals
Pongal Tourist Festival is celebrated in Mamallapuram on a grand
scale during the iddle of January every year. Sthalasayanaperumal
Temple Festival, Masimagam and rahmmotsavam attract a large number
of devotees.
Dance
Festival
December-January is the time for convergence at Mamallapuram to
celebrate the Mamallapuram Dance Festival every year. To the accompanying
music of the wind and with Arjuna's penance serving as a fitting
backdrop, artistes of Indian Classical Dance and Folk Dance from
all over the country come together to perform these various forms
of Indian Dance. The Dance festival ensemble attracts a large number
of tourists.
How to get there
Road
A good motorable road connects Mamallapuram with Chennai and other
places. The State Transport Corporation operates buses to Chennai,
Kalpakkarn, Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram, Pondicherry and Cuddalore.
There are also express buses to Thiruthani, Thirupathi, Chidambaram,
Nagapattinam and Bangalore.
Local Transport
Taxis, Autorickshaws, Bicycles and Mopeds are available on hire.
Railhead
The nearest railway station is Chengalpattu, 30 kms from Mamallapuram.
Trains to Chidambaram, Thanjavur, Thiruchirappalli, Madurai, Ramesvaram,
Tirunelveli and Kanniyakumari, coming from Chennai can be boarded
here.
Airport
The nearest airport is Chennai which is 55 kms from Mamallapuram.
General Information
Area - 8 sq.km Population - 12, 049 (2001 census) Altitude - Sea Level Climate - Max. Min. Summer - 36.6c 21.1c Winter - 30.5c 19.8c Clothing - Tropical Season - Throughout the year Languages Spoken - Tamil and English STD Code No. - 04114
Other Information
Places of Worship Temple : Sthalasayana
Perumal Temple Church : Holy Family
Church (RC) Mosque : Majid Noor
Jumma
East
Coast Road, wide and smooth, where littoral palms, backwaters, brooks
and green fields line the edges. At a distance of 55 kms from Chennai
lies Mamallapuram on the seashores of the Bay of Bengal. Here you
can see Pagodas, rock-cut Caves, single-stone crafted Rathas and
bas-reliefs. All belonging to the times of the Pal lavas, who ruled
from 600 to 750 AD with Kanchi as their capital.
Dance
Festival
