Located
approximately 60 kms south of the city of
Chennai,
Mamallapuram (Mahabalipuram) is host
to cave temples and open
air
stone reliefs that date back to the seventh century.
All along the coast from Chennai to Mahabalipuram are several
beaches.
Choose Resort
More about
Mamallapuram (Mahabalipuram)
Climate
Close to Chennai city
which lies on the thermal equator and also
being the coast, Mamallapuram (Mahabalipuram) does
not
have extreme variation in temperature.
Hot and humid most of the year,
summer temperatures average 36-40 deg. celsius and
winter (mainly Dec-Feb) average 15-29 deg.
celsius. The important point to remember about Tamilnadu is
the northeast monsoon
bringing rain in spurts between Oct-Dec.
Language
Tamil is the main
language, but in tourist places, one can manage with
English.
Connectivity
The
lovely beaches along the coast have led to
the sprouting of resorts, which provide chilled-out
holidays, with long lazy
days at the beach and comfortable
stay and very tasty cuisine, with
special emphasis on fresh sea food dishes.
Lazing in the tropical sun at the beaches
of Covelong and boating in the
Muttukadu lake watching migratory
birds waiting
for their catch are wonderful pastimes. Sea kayaking,
boating with the fishermen, catamaran
rides to see submerged
temple tops, and sightseeing visits
to the historical and
architectural marvels
of
the area are also possibilities.
The art and architecture
seen here can be categorised into four - open air
reliefs, man-made caves, structured temples and
rathas . The open air reliefs are are gigantic and
carved out of huge blocks of granite, while the
Ratha , very typical of
Mamallapuram (Mahabalipuram), is a chariot carved out of a single
huge boulder.
Excavations have also discovered
huge sculptures of a Nandi (bull), elephant and
a lion. With waves beating the Shore Temple
and traces of the Vijayanagara
Gopurams, Mamallapuram
(Mahabalipuram) is an excellent spot for architecture
lovers.
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