The Mahabalipuram shore temple was the only one of the seven left to glean While the rest of the six pagodas drowned and remained unseen. Until the tsunami caused the sea to swell And when it ebbed, it uncovered a small part of that lost architectural shell. Discover the mystery of the shore temple and the seven pagodas of Mahabalipuram. Learn what makes this Mamallapuram shore temple unique and get all the tips required to plan a visit to it. A complete guide to the Shore temple, Mahabalipuram.
When it comes to the UNESCO World Heritage sites in Mahabalipuram, there is no missing out on the Mamallapuram shore temple. The reasons are its proximity to Chennai (58 km), the Shore temple architecture, its history of being the oldest temple in South India and the legendary story of the seven pagodas of Mahabalipuram. The shore temple is shrouded with mysteries that keep getting uncovered over time. In fact, it is this recurring theme of excavations and new discoveries that have made me visit the Mahabalipuram shore temple – not once but thrice.
I recall visiting this Mahabalipuram Shiva temple for the first time in the 1990s. Between that visit and the one with the Golden Chariot tour, I found a lot had changed at this UNESCO World Heritage site. There were a lot of new perspectives and excavations that revealed certain treasures. The most significant of them all was the appearance of hidden underwater temples in Mahabalipuram. What seemed like a straightforward temple in the 1990s, over the last three visits, has become a site full of mysteries.
In this tour of the Mahabalipuram shore temple, you will discover what makes this monument so special. From the scintillating shore temple history and architecture to being a part of the so-called seven pagodas of Mahabalipuram, you are going to enjoy this ride. As always, you will get all the basic information like the Shore temple timings, where to stay, how to get there etc. With that, you will be all set to visit this place by yourself.
Remember to walk gingerly with eyes wide open. You never know – you might make a discovery yourself – possibly a hidden coin or a sculpture. 😉
Contents
- 1 The Mahabalipuram shore temple history
- 2 Interesting facts about the Mamallapuram shore temple
- 3 The shore temple architecture
- 4 The Mahabalipuram Shore Temple Plan
- 5 The east-facing Mahabalipuram Shiva temple
- 6 The west-facing Shiva Shore temple
- 7 The Vishnu temple
- 8 Miniature temple at the Shore Temple of Mahabalipuram
- 9 The Durga Shrine at the Shore Temple (Mahishasurmardini)
- 10 The Annual Indian Dance Festival of Mahabalipuram
- 11 Common FAQs about Mamallapuram shore temple
- 11.1 What is the best way to reach the Shore temple in Mahabalipuram?
- 11.2 What is the best time to visit the Mahabalipuram Shore temple?
- 11.3 What are the Shore temple timings?
- 11.4 What are the Shore temple entrance fees?
- 11.5 Where can you stay in Mahabalipuram?
- 11.6 Which God is in Shore Temple, Mahabalipuram?
- 11.7 Who built the Shore temple of Mahabalipuram?
- 12 Travel and Photography tips
- 13 Booking Resources
The Mahabalipuram shore temple history
Evidence from Ptolemy’s texts and an old Greek record of an obscure explorer mentions Mahabalipuram (or Malange as Ptolemy called it) as a thriving port of trade. This puts the city on the historical map of the 1st and 2nd centuries CE. At that time, Mahabalipuram was ruled by the Pallava dynasty. In 642 CE, the place earned the tag of Mamallapuram during the reign of King Narsimhavarman I. The new name literally translates to the city of Mamalla (wrestler) – a tag given to King Narsimhavarman after he avenged the defeat of his father by the Chalukyas. The town also finds a mention in several 6th and 7th-century texts like the Tamil Thirumangai Alvar and the travel diary of the famed Chinese traveler Hieun Tsang.
It was in 725 CE, during the reign of King Narsimhavarman II (Rajasimha) that the current Mahabalipuram Shiva temple came into existence. The construction is credited to King Rajasimha but the actual name of this 8th-century temple is not very clear. However, there are three inscriptions in the Shore temple that names the three shrines that are found in the complex (more on that later). The current name – Shore temple, comes from the fact that this is located right on the shore of the Bay of Bengal.
Though parts of the temple got covered with the sands of time, the main structure had long survived and was maintained by the Archaeological Society of India (ASI), In 1984, it finally earned the tag of a UNESCO World Heritage site as the Group of monuments in Mahabalipuram.
It is primarily believed that this is just a small part of the actual temple that existed. There were in fact, six more of these temples that got lost along the ever-changing shoreline of India. These seven temples were recorded as the seven pagodas of Mahabalipuram by several European explorers including Marco Polo himself. However, they seem to have been lost with time – until the Tsunami of 2004 uncovered bits of it.
The mystery of the seven pagodas of Mahabalipuram
This section of my blog is possibly the most mysterious and fascinating part of the Shore Temple of Mahabalipuram. As mentioned, the European accounts of sailors who came to India clearly mention the presence of seven pagodas that acted as a beacon to guide their ships to the shore. While Marco Polo is one of them, there is another account dating back to 1375 by Catalan Atlas Abraham. In his records, he mentions these as Setemelti (meaning 7 Pagodas in Italian).
This remained a curious fact as there was only one Pagoda in sight until the Tsunami of 2004 hit the Bay of Bengal. The Tsunami swept the waters away to reveal hidden temples 500 m from the shore. Following this up, the archaeological team and the Navy have found remains of the legendary pagodas including large stones from what is assumed to be a 230 feet long and 6 feet high wall. Several rock ornaments that might have belonged to the temple like lions, peacocks and an elephant found their way to the shore.
While the sonar and diving expeditions to discover more about these underwater temples near Mahabalipuram continue, you can just walk along the wall of the current Mahabalipuram shore temple. This is where you can sight several ancient artifacts and pieces from these undersea temples that were returned back to the shore by the Tsunami.
Interesting facts about the Mamallapuram shore temple
Now, with that amazing shore temple history, you might be confused about the facts and the fiction. Here is a quick section that will help you separate the two.
- The 8th-century Mahabalipuram shore temple is the oldest structural temple found in South India. When I say structural, it has been built against the rock-cut or carved ones in India.
- There are records of the Shore temple in the diaries of European travelers like Marco Polo. They describe it as a part of the seven pagodas of Mahabalipuram.
- The Mahabalipuram shore temple has three shrines of which two are dedicated to Lord Shiva and one is to Lord Vishnu.
- There are several inscriptions found in the current shore temple. This includes two that mention the names given to the three shrines or mini temples. These are Kshatriyasimha Pallavesvara-griham, Pllikondaruliya-devar and Rajasimha Pallavesvara-griham.
- A miniature temple with a Bhuvaraha carving was excavated in the 1990s.
- The entire shore temple is called termed Jalashayana meaning lying in the water. This is attributed to its proximity to the shore and the sea.
- The Tsunami of 2004 did hit the Shore temple of Mahabalipuram. However, the structure did not get any major damage – mostly owing to the solid granite foundation.
Download an audio guide for the key Mahabalipuram monuments through Viator. It covers 8 landmarks including the Mahabalipuram shore temple.
The shore temple architecture
The Mahabalipuram Shore temple is a classic example of the Dravidian style of architecture. The temple is largely structural in its construction and is made from granite that was taken from a nearby quarry. The base of the pyramidal structure is around 50 feet while the total height of the five-storey structure including that of its vimana (spire) is around 60 feet. The entire facade seems to have been carved, though now most of the finer details are eroded owing to the salty air around the Shore temple, Mahabalipuram.
Interestingly, the Pallava style of architecture continued with the Cholas. It is believed that they did add some parts to the shore temple. If you have been to the Brihadeeswarar Temple in Thanjavur or the Airavateshwar temple, you will be able to spot the little resemblance. Some historians believe that this temple marked a transition in the Pallava style of architecture. They initially used to construct rock-cut monuments like the Pancharathas while this one is more of a free-standing structure. While there are a few rock-cut features found here like a monolithic lion, they are not a major aspect of the shore temple complex in Mahabalipuram.
The Mahabalipuram Shore Temple Plan
The Mamallapuram shore temple has three shrines – two dedicated to Lord Shiva and one with a reclining image of Vishnu. The two Shiva shrines face away from each other – one to the east and the other towards the west. The Vishnu temple connects these two shrines. The entire shore temple plan indicates that the complex is designed like a chariot. And not just any chariot but that of Dharamaraja Yudhishtra that you can see at the Pancharatha monument of Mahabalipuram. Seems to me that the theory of the Pancha Rathas being a model for temples elsewhere might just be true!
Recent excavations have unearthed a miniature shrine right next to the three major shrines. This one is slightly below ground level. The entire shore temple complex is bounded by a wall that is lined with sculptures of Nandi. There were around 101 Nandis but today, only 80 of them survive on the walls. Amidst them, look out for the tiger-faced yalis and the boars called varahas. If you have read my earlier article on the Tiger Caves of Mahabalipuram, you can connect the two monuments owing to these Yalis.
The east-facing Mahabalipuram Shiva temple
As per one of the inscriptions on the Shore Temple Mahabalipuram, this shrine is called the Kshatriyasimha Pallavesvara-griham. It has two chambers – the mandapa and the inner sanctum or the Garba Griha. A large black basalt linga occupies the Garba Griha. The wall behind it has a carving of Lord Shiva with Goddess Parvati and their son Kartikeya (also, called Skanda). This particular wall panel is called Somaskanda (Soma referring to Shiva).
In the small mandapa, you will be able to spot a carving of Lord Brahma and Lord Vishnu – completing the presence of the mighty Trimurti in this shore temple. On the outer wall, towards the north, you will be able to see a bas-relief of Lord Shiva and Goddess Durga.
The shrine is made in such a way that the first rays of the sun fall directly on the Black basalt lingam in the temple. I could not help but recall reading the same about the Modhera Sun Temple – which was built a little later in the 11th century.
The west-facing Shiva Shore temple
A smaller shrine compared to the east-facing Shiva Temple, this one has been identified as the Rajasimha Pallavesvara-griham. This too had a linga but the same is missing now. It is also, devoid of the Soma Skanda panel.
The Vishnu temple
The third shrine is a go between the two Shiva Shrines and has a figure of a reclining Vishnu. He is seen sleeping on his Sheshnag and this particular form of Vishnu is called Anantashayana. This chamber has narrow steps leading to it and has several bas reliefs of the Dashavataras of Vishnu on its outer walls. Try spotting Lord Krishna and the Varaha form of Lord Vishnu in these. Or even him riding his Garuda.
Identified as Pllikondaruliya-devar as per the earlier Shore temple inscription, this one has etchings of its own. The Pallava Grantha text here indicates that this particular shrine was the first one to be built.
Miniature temple at the Shore Temple of Mahabalipuram
A newly excavated Miniature temple, right beside the main Shore temple structure. This temple was accidentally discovered in the 1990s. This temple has a huge sculpture of the boar – the Bhu Varaha behind its miniature shrine. The temple is below the ground level and as per our guide, the circular depression was actually a well.
Walk around and you will be able to spot a few lions carved on the pilasters. In a small circular depression, I even found an etching of a Nagaraja. They have also, found one more inscription that equates King Narasimhavarman II to Arjuna of the Mahabharata fame. Along with this discovery, several smaller artifacts and coins were excavated from this Shore temple complex.
The Durga Shrine at the Shore Temple (Mahishasurmardini)
This according to me, was one of the most well-preserved parts of the Shore temple of Mahabalipuram. The stone sculpture of a tiger with Goddess Durga mounting stood just beside the main Shore temple shrines. What made this a riveting find for me was the presence of a small chamber with an even smaller engraving within. This is a carving of a form of Durga called Mahishasuramardinini.
This lion sculpture is a monolith – that is basically carved out of a single rock. It is one of the few rock-cut shrines in the otherwise structurally constructed Mahabalipuram shore temple.
With that, we complete this tour of the Shore temple, Mahabalipuram. I am sure you noted how the mystery surrounding this temple is not restricted to the submerged relics of the seven pagodas of Mahabalipuram. Even in the lone surviving surface temple, you will find those rare inscriptions and hidden messages. Who knows what you might find when you walk the path around this shore temple complex?
Check out the rest of this post to plan your visit here.
The Annual Indian Dance Festival of Mahabalipuram
This is possibly one of the best times to visit the Mahabalipuram shore temple. The unique festival is a month-long festival, usually held during December and January. Organized by the Tamil Nadu Tourism board, this festival showcases the heritage classical dances of India. You will be treated to some of the best performing artists of Kuchipudi, Kathak, Bharatnatyam and the other four dance forms. Usually, the Shore temple is the venue for this festival.
Common FAQs about Mamallapuram shore temple
What is the best way to reach the Shore temple in Mahabalipuram?
Mahabalipuram is located 58 km from one of India’s biggest cities – Chennai. This is the closest airport to the town with multiple international and domestic flights. Chennai is also, the closest railway station to Mahabalipuram. From Chennai, you will have to travel to Mahabalipuram by road. You can either hire a cab or self-drive a car to Mahabalipuram. The ECR road is a very scenic route and is well-worth the short drive.
The other alternative is to hop into one of the many tourist or public buses that go to Mahabalipuram from Chennai. These are available throughout the day.
Once in Mahabalipuram, you can easily find the Shore temple as it is in the center of the town. Any of the auto-rickshaws can get you there
What is the best time to visit the Mahabalipuram Shore temple?
In terms of the weather, it is best to avoid the scorching heat of May and the monsoons that start from June to September. I would recommend visiting Mahabalipuram and the Shore temple between October to March. Keep in mind the Dance festival that takes place between December to January every year. That is also, a good time to visit the shore temple and enjoy the deep cultural insights that the festival will offer you.
When in Mahabalipuram, try to get to the temple for the Sunset or even the Sunrise, when the temple really glows orange. It is the best time for photographers too.
What are the Shore temple timings?
The Shore temple is open from 6 am to 6 pm on all days. Avoid public holidays as the temple gets crowded
What are the Shore temple entrance fees?
The entrance tickets to the Shore temple cost INR 30 for Indians and INR 500 for Non-Indians. This is a composite ticket that allows you entry across the Mahabalipuram Group of Monuments.
Where can you stay in Mahabalipuram?
There are quite a few luxury hotels by the beach available in Mahabalipuram. This includes the Radisson Blu and the Welcomegroup hotels by ITC. You can also find a few mid-priced ones like Bodhiwood hotel that are just a walk away from the beach. For budget-conscious travelers, you can find homestays and hotels within INR 1500 per night like the Living Edge homestay.
Which God is in Shore Temple, Mahabalipuram?
The Shore temple of Mahabalipuram is dedicated to Lord Shiva.
Who built the Shore temple of Mahabalipuram?
The credit for the construction of the Shore temple in Mahabalipuram has been given to King Rajasimha (also known as Narsimhavarman II) of the Pallava dynasty. The construction was said to have started in 725 CE.
Travel and Photography tips
- Most of the general advice on Mahabalipuram can be found in the Travel Tips section of this article on Mahabalipuram
- The steps of the temple are fairly uneven and high too. A good pair of travel flats is highly recommended.
- There are plenty of shops and restaurants around the Shore temple. You can buy some local memorabilia from here. However, remember to bargain well
- Remember to engage an authorized guide in enjoying the mysteries of the temple. You will find them near the entrance of the temple.
Before you go, pin this
Booking Resources
- Booking.com has several good Mahabalipuram hotels listed on its site. You can choose from luxury hotels to mid-priced and budget ones.
- Viator.com offers several tours in and around Mahabalipuram. They have a self-guided audio tour of Mahabalipuram that can be downloaded here. You will also, find highly-rated tours from Chennai to Mahabalipuram with guides.
- GetYourGuide.com has a tour of Mahabalipuram and Kanchipuram available on their site that can be booked here.
- For any of your travel needs or general shopping, consider using Amazon through this link.
Disclaimer: This article includes affiliate links. This means that at no cost to you, I will receive a small commission if you purchase through my link. Thank you for supporting me with this.
Popularly referred to as a Restless Ball of Energy. My Mom refuses to entertain my complaints about my equally restless daughter & assures my husband that I was born with a travel bug.
I am a Post-Graduate in Marketing by qualification and a travel blogger by passion. Besides travel, I enjoy photography and if you don’t find me at my desk, I would be out playing badminton or swimming or just running. I believe in planning for every long weekend through the year. And when I cannot travel physically, I travel virtually through this travel blog. My travel stories have also, got published on various websites and magazines including BBC Travel, Lonely Planet India and Jetwings. I have recently published my first book – When Places Come Alive – a collection of stories that are based on legends, landscapes, art and culture of a place which is available in both ebook and paperback format.
Great pictures Ami, I must say that I’ve heard about the temple of Mahabalipuram, but I didn’t know that they have such rich details & architecture.
Oh yes, they do and they have such mysteries surrounding them. Thanks for stopping by Jatin.
I went here for the first time in 2010. Unfortunately I was late and it was closed. I finally saw it on my second trip in 2017. Needless to say I was amazed with the architecture and its setting. Wonderful blog
Thanks Abhinav. This place always gets me curious.
Amazing post! thanks for sharing.
Thank you
Visited these places very very long time ago. Thanks to your article, got reminded of that visit.
A beautiful write up with mesmerizing photos.
Thank you so much. Glad to take you down Memory lane
Lovely post! Never knew about this aspect of Mahabalipuram temple!
Thank you. Glad to share the same.
Ahh I love exploring temples!! And would love to visit during the December festival- can you imagine how beautiful that would be?!
It sure will be amazing. Hope you get there right in time for it.
Oh wow! Beautiful photos of a place that has such incredible history. What secrets it may hold?? Would love to visit this stunning place next time I’m in the area.
Yep and should you uncover any of those secrets, please share them with me. 🙂
This seems to be an amazing place. I love these old temples and somehow especially the Indian ones like this one are really fascinating. And you have seen them even a couple of times! Thank you for sharing your experiences.
They are so ancient and yet so beautiful Hendrick. You too might find one visit may not be enough.
Aww this place looks wonderful ! I would love to visit it one day! I am glad I just read it as I never heard about it! Your photos are fabulous!
Thank you. You are bound to love the treasures in this place. I do hope you plan a trip soon.
I really do love exploring old temples, shrines, and pagodas. Although I haven’t seen a wide variety of them, they still hold a very real place in my heart. I do hope to make it to India someday, and Mahabalipuram seems like it should be on my must-do list. Thanks for teaching me about a new place and giving some great background information 🙂
Glad you liked it enough to add to your list. I am pretty sure you will not be disappointed Lindsay.
Reading this post immediately after visiting the temple last week, gives me a sense of deja vu. I too visited the temple after a gap of more than 10 years and see a lot has changed. We had planned to see the underwater temple from a catamaran, but alas the sea played spoilsport and we had to abandon our plan. Hope to head back again for this. Apparently one can get a clear view of the sunken temples.
Count me in on this one. I want to see the sunken temples too. I do hope I get to see it some day.
During school and college I was absolutely bored of this place as this was the only place we used to be taken for excursions and picnics 🙂 There was an amazing article in Deepta Roy Chakraverty about paranormal experiences in Mahabalipuram that prompted me to explore it again but sadly did not feel anything though loved the new additions. I must say your fantastic article captures every aspect of mystery and art of this architectural marvel.
Thank you Rita. I must hunt up that article on paranormal activities. First that I have heard of.
Although we are not really much into architecture (and religion), it is difficult not to admire these temples. Those temples look very mysterious, and they are testaments to man’s creativity and ingenuity.
P.S. You know, I think if Sheila and I would visit them, we would feel like Indiana Jones and Lara Croft, respectively. 😀
Oh, I felt the same too….Lara Croft types. This place does bring out those attributes. Hope you plan to visit them soon.
Great to read about the temple. Wonderful.
Awesome pics.
Thank you Rupam
Having just visited the Angkor temples of Cambodia, I am fascinated how knowledge about such massive structures can just get lost over time. Of course, shorelines change over time and what was once on land is now in the sea (and vice versa). It is nice to read that there was some positive element to the terrible 2004 tsunami in revealing the pagodas.
Happy continued travels!
Carola
You bet, the lost information and finding them through a natural disaster does create so much intrigue. Am yet to do the Angkor wat temples and hope to manage it sooner.
I’ve seen quite a few temples from around the world. But I have to admit this one is quite breathtaking and what an interesting history!
It sure is and this is quite an ancient one. Thanks for stopping by .
When I read “Shore Temple” I was wondering why does it not have a name of some God/Goddess or dynasty; why shore? So you have the same question too! Your post raised my interest in this temple manifolds. Now I want to go there and see for myself what secrets can I discover!
Yep and share them when you discover something which I missed. Thanks for stopping by Tania.
I will. You have my word!
Hi, what a wonderful temple. You know what’s nuts is that i lived in Auroville (outside of Pondicherry) in 1990 and I never went to this temple!
Time to head there soon. It sure will pique your curiosity
Lovely architecture. The sculptures and artifacts are so elaborate. So many secrets. We would love to visit this mysterious temple and try and figure out the mystery.
Thanks guys and if you find something, do share it along, will plan another visit to see it 🙂
Definitely looks like a ‘must see’ sort of place. Not that I’ve been there either, but it kind of reminds me of Angkor Wat a little with the structure of its main temple complex, although I can tell it’s a wonderful, evocative place to visit in its own right. Fully deserving of its UNESCO Heritage status, I’m sure, and further proof that India has an embarassment of riches when it comes to sumptuous temples 🙂
Have not been to Angkor WAt but I can understand the similarity having seen some other blogs on it. This place sure dazzles you with its mysteries and history. hope you visit it.
This guide was so complete and awesome! I ve always been fascinated by temples and this one looks so mysterious so it’s even better! Thanks for writing this post
Glad you found this useful and handy. I do hope you visit the shore temple soon. Cheers
Thank you so much for the compliments. At the moment, I don’t really work on guest posting. However, when I do, will be in touch. Till then, stay tuned.
Thank you so much. I am proud to say that I have done the same on my own without any help. Your compliments are a perfect reward for me.
Temple means India and India means temple…superb collections
True to a large extent. Thanks
love this post never know the fact about this temple
Thank you. So happy that you liked it.
loved your detailed description and keen observation. will check all your articles. thanks for the info.
Thank you. Glad you liked the article.
Why it’s shivling is broken? I am searching this but i failed to get information. Hope you help me out.
Am not sure if you are referring to this temple or something else. Do let me know
Hi, did you you notice the difference in the erosion levels in the sculptures. I doubt if the entire temple complex belong to one epoch. I think that sharper sculptures are modifications to the original constructions. What you think.
Arasu.
Interestingly, there are quite a few theories on that. So would not be surprised if you are right.
Who destroyed this temple at that time
There is no concrete evidence of how it was destroyed. Some say that the Tsunami took a toll on it.
Mahabalipuram is one of my favourite places. Living in Chennai, I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve visited here. The whole story about the Shore Temples and whether or not that they had 7 pagodas is quite an arguments among historians. I remember esp. about the Miniature Temple which opened to the public sometime after Tsunami and we all rushed to see it.
Every now and then something new comes up here. The Shore temple never becomes old.
I had no idea a Tsunami hit in 2004, and you couldn’t tell from the site since it looks so perfectly intact! There’s a big price difference for the Shore Temples between Indians and Non-Indians, is that a normal thing when visiting historical/UNESCO sites? I had the same when I went to Petra in Jordan. It’s crazy that Marco Polo wrote about the temples in his journal, and here we are so many years later still in awe of them!
Yes, the price difference is pretty common across the heritage sites. But it is well worth the money spend. The history as you can see is just amazing.
I can understand why new excavations would send you to see the Mahabalipuram Shore Temple. So fascinating to have parts of the hidden underwater pagodas discovered and to know that they were visited by Marco Polo. We would have liked to explore them scuba diving. I would like to see the plan for the shore temple and see that it is designed like a chariot. And wander in the three shrines. Good tip to plan to visit at sunrise or sunset.
Sadly scuba diving is not allowed here, else I would have been the first to sign up. One reason is that the water is turbulent here and the 2nd is that there is research still going on to find these temples in the depth. Sigh! Some day!
I never knew Marco Polo visited India, forgive my ignorance! The temple is truly a work of art and I’m happy that the tsunami didn’t destroy it in 2004. The carvings are truly impressive and the amount of detail and craftmanship here is on another scale. The lion monolith really left me speechless, especially as there’s another carving inside. I’d like to see it one day, maybe from October to march as I don’t like the extreme weather. We already are suffering in Italy!
Hey Lisa, I hope you can visit soon. The season has just begun and it is getting pleasant by the day!
I find it fascinating that the Mahabalipuram shore temple was mentioned in diaries of European explorers. It must have been such an impressive site to have been mentioned so many times. It’s impressive that the temples has been carved straight into stone, that makes the over time erosion look even more impressive. It’s also amazing that excavations keep revealing new parts of this structure, such as the mini temple with the statue of a boar inside. It it common for a temple to have several shrines dedicated to different gods?
There are always multiple shrines in a temple, though the biggest one is featured deity. In this case it is Lord Shiva primarily. Thanks for stopping by and reading through. Cheers
I am blown away by your pictures of the Mahabalipuram Shore temple! So many intricate details – I feel like I would need at least a full day to take it all in. I have been to South India and remember the rock-carved temples – the more impressive it is, that the Mahabalipuram shore temple is actually build with stoned from a nearby quary. It is always intersting to revisit sites with more knowledge about them. Usually I can relate better, after a visit. Then I start to read more – and then I want to visit another time.
Ha ha , that sounds so much like me. I read then visit and then read and then want to visit again!
What an interesting and historic place to visit, and the fact that it is the oldest temple in South India makes it even more special. I love to revisit places as you did here and discover that new architectural gems have been found; it cloaks an already amazing place in even more mystery.
Myths and lores come to life as new things are found. That is what happened with me and the Shore temple. And the result, I am now even more curious as to what else is lying hidden!
The stunning architecture of the Mahabalipuram shore temple is a true tribute to the craftsmanship and ingenuity of the artisans of that era. The intricate carvings, delicate workmanship, and seamless integration with the natural surroundings demonstrate the ancient builders’ skill. I’m excited to discover the temple’s hidden corners, learn about its history, and be taken back in time to a time of grandeur and cultural richness.
Glad you enjoyed the read Maria. Cheers
Wow! This is really fascinating. The stunning architecture and its intricate details are a must-see. Also, I am glad that they declared it a UNESCO World Heritage site.
I think it would be nice to attend and visit during the festival. I think the fees are very reasonable plus it’s great that there are good accommodations readily available. Thank you for sharing a bit more of its history. Helps us appreciate it more.
Thanks Clarice. yes, the dance festival would be a great time to visit. Hope you can get to it soon,