Stories Immortalized in Stones - Mahabalipuram

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 may be a pyramidal structure rising to the heights of 60 feet.
The Shore Temple has three shrines, dedicated to Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu. The main temple is a five-storeyed structure sculpted out of granite dedicated to Lord Shiva. The pyramidal structure is 60 feet (18 m) high and sits on a 50 feet (15 m) square platform.
Shore Temple is no more a temple worshipped. The structure of the temple is awe-inspiring, it had been erected basically as a piece of art. In the present day, Shore Temple makes the background of Mahabalipuram Dance Festival held annually in January/ February. The festival was organized to market the normal dance also as tourism in Mahabalipuram.

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.

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.