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Stories Immortalized in Stones - Mahabalipuram

Cities : Mahabalipuram (2N)
Sightseeing
- Shore Temple
- Pancha Rathas
- Mahabalipuram Beach
Meals
- 2 Breakfast
- 2 Dinner
Day wise travel itinerary
- Day 1 :Chennai - Mahabalipuram (56 Kms, 1 Hr 15 Minutes)Arrival at Chennai Airport/Railway station. You’ll meet our representative/Driver & transferred to Mahabalipuram.EnrouteVisit Kanchipuram: It’s a fascinating town, best known for its magnificent temples and beautiful Silk Saris. Visit below five biggest temples:Sri Kanchi Kamakshi Temple – The reigning goddess of Kanchipuram & the temples around her complex. The Goddess Kamakshi prevails in the form of Shakti, there are 51 Shakti Peeths across India. Kamakshi translates to the goddess at Kanchipuram referred to as the God with Goddess Saraswati and Goddess Lakshmi as both her eyes. Sri Ekambareshwarar Temple – The biggest Shiva temple in the town.Sri Kailasanathar Temple - The oldest Shiva temple in this townSri Varadharaja Perumal Temple – The biggest of Vishnu temples and the epicenter of Vishnu Kanchi.Sri Vaikuntha Perumal Temple – the loveliest of Vishnu temple located in Shiva Kanchi.Mahabalipuram or Mamallapuram is a small town in Kanchipuram district in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, India. It is a town along the Bay of Bengal coastline. It was called the land of seven Pagodas. Everything from the origin of its name to the cause of its ruin, the history of Mahabalipuram remains shrouded in a charming mystery.On arrival at Mahabalipuram check into the hotel. Rest of the day at leisure. Dinner and Overnight stay at the hotel in Mahabalipuram.
- Dinner
- Day 2 :MahabalipuramToday Morning After breakfast, set out to visit the sightseeing places of Mahabalipuram. Shore temple: It is the most famous monument of the town. As the name suggests, the temple is located right on the sea shore. In fact it has one of the most beautiful architecture among the ancient temples of India and the carvings on the walls. This temple is a UNESCO world heritage and also counted as the finest example of Pallava architecture. The temple is located such that the first rays of the Sun fall on the presiding deity Shiva.Pancha Rathas: If you have ever read about Mahabalipuram, then you must have seen the striking picture of the 5 stone chariots. Unlike the spectacular stone chariot of Hampi, these chariots are monoliths and don’t have visible wheels. The Pancha Rathas is a tribute to the five Pandava brothers in the ancient epic Mahabharata. Apart from the ornate chariots, the monolithic Airavat (elephant) and Nandi (bull) also shine bright. Arjuna’s Penance or Descent of Ganges: It is one of the largest open-air bas-relief architecture in the world. The elaborate sculptures on the pink granite are said to depict an episode of Mahabharata. There is an equally popular alternate theory of the story being related to another mythical story about the descent of Ganga. The legend depicted on the twin-stone boulders here are that of the descend of the river Ganga to earth, under the guidance of Bhagiratha.Krishna’s butterball: It is a big stone uniquely balanced on an incline, another favorite to take snaps. The single boulder that is called Krishna’s butterball weighs 250 tons. There are interesting stories associated with Krishna’s butterball. It is said that an attempt was made by one of the Pallava king to move the stone, however it couldn’t be moved. Centuries later, a governor of the region reattempted a transfer of this boulder with 7 elephants employed for the cause. Still it couldn’t be moved!!! The name of the boulder is driven from its resemblance to a butterball, a favorite snack of Krishna.You can also visit Cave Temple Complex, The Krishna Mandapam, Varaha cave and Ramanuja mandapam are some of the other ancient shrines here.The Madras Crocodile Bank: It was intended to be a genetic repository of Indian crocodiles, for breeding and safekeeping, and eventually releasing the crocodiles to the wild. Mahabalipuram has a stunning shoreline so you can visit beach with spectacular shore.Later on return back to hotel. Dinner and Overnight stay at the hotel in Mahablipuram.
- Breakfast
- Dinner
- Day 3 :Mahabalipuram - Chennai (56 Kms, 1 Hr 15 Minutes)This day after Breakfast, transfer to Chennai Airport for your flight to your home town. You return back with wonderful memories of Mahabalipuram.(The itinerary changes as per your time, schedule and the hotel area which you stay in)(Entry fees & activity cost to be paid directly wherever applicable)
- Breakfast
Sightseeing

Shore Temple
The Shore Temple is the icon of the
ancient monuments of Mahabalipuram. The temple gets its name from its location
on the Coromandel shore overseeing the Bay of Bengal. The sculptural excellence
symbolizes the heights of Pallava architecture. The Dravidian sort of architecture dates back to the 7-8th century. It was built
under the rule of King Narsimha Varma. The structural designs are often only called ‘poetry in stone’. It has been an UNESCO World
Heritage Site since 1984.
Erected on a 50 feet square platform, the temple
The Shore Temple has three shrines,
Shore Temple is no more a temple worshipped. The
structure of the temple is awe-inspiring,

Pancha Rathas
The Pancha Rathas are a gaggle of majestic structures present within the locality of Mahabalipuram within the state of Tamil Nadu . Constructed during the seventh century, by Raja
Narasimhavarman of the Pallava dynasty, the work was left unfinished after the
death of this king. The specialty of the structures is that they have each been
carved from a single rock of granite into a ratha (chariot). Named after the
five Pandava brothers and their wife, Draupadi, of the epic of Mahabharata, the
structures are in no way related to the story and the name was born out of
local usage. This beautiful work of art is a definite must visit and has been
named a UNESCO Heritage Site for its architecture and design. These structures
have stood strong throughout the ages and are a perfect representation of the
dedicated work carried out at during the olden ages.

Mahabalipuram Beach
Situated 60 km from Chennai,
Mahabalipuram is an ancient port town known for its stone carvings and stone
temples. Built largely between the 7th and the 9th centuries, the port city of
Pallavas has been classified as UNESCO World Heritage Site. Mahabalipuram beach is a pristine beach on the East Coast of Chennai. This golden sandy beach with rock cut sculptures
attracts many tourists per annum . The place is an ideal place for a holiday. You can enjoy
several water sports like motor boating, wind surfing and diving. You can also
visit other attraction here in Mahabalipuram including a faculty of art and sculpture, a crocodile bank and a venom extracting center.
Gallery
- Pancha Rathas
- Kanchipuram Visit
- Pancha Rathas
- Pancha Rathas
- Kanchipuram Visit