Our trip 
was organized around a plan
to visit US consulate for passport renewal. Accommodation was at YWCA of Madras
International Guest House at Poonamallee High Road. YWCA is a very good choice when visiting Chennai. They have a vast area in the middle of the town. Complementary
BF is pretty good as well and the rooms are well-maintained, although the
building itself shows age. Lunch/Dinner buffet is also available although you
have to mention in advance (not a restaurant). The reception staff can be slow
although you will eventually get what you need - we arranged a taxi for the
day-trip with them - the rates were competitive but the guy showed up about 45-minutes
late - the overall service was OK.
Related Posts:
Last Updated: 07/2013.
was organized around a plan
to visit US consulate for passport renewal. Accommodation was at YWCA of Madras
International Guest House at Poonamallee High Road. YWCA is a very good choice when visiting Chennai. They have a vast area in the middle of the town. Complementary
BF is pretty good as well and the rooms are well-maintained, although the
building itself shows age. Lunch/Dinner buffet is also available although you
have to mention in advance (not a restaurant). The reception staff can be slow
although you will eventually get what you need - we arranged a taxi for the
day-trip with them - the rates were competitive but the guy showed up about 45-minutes
late - the overall service was OK.
Mahabalipuram is around 60KM south
of Chennai and you pretty much travel south on East Coast Road (ECR aka State
Highway 49) to get there. Dakshin Chitra, Crocodile Park, MGM Dizee World,
Mudalipatti/Muttukadu boathouse, etc. are on the way - the area is very popular
and many new residential developments dot the landscape en-route. The entrance
to the main temple complex (Sri Sthala Sayana Perumal Temple, Mamallapuram) in
Mahabalipuram can be pretty chaotic. 
When we arrived, multiple guides showed up
offering their service - all of them had badges identifying them as government
approved guides, but their overall behavior and haggling made us wary.
Eventually, we accepted the services of one of them - he was OK - gave
descriptions of the stone carvings of the area. 
The main point he had was that
the rock carvings are generally on granite rock compared to limestone (much
easier to work with) in many heritage areas including Angkor Wat in Cambodia -
the site supposedly has the 2nd largest rock art after Angkor Wat.
Also, base relief,
monolithic art, and rock carvings are the main art forms found in the area.
Varaha Cave, Rayar Gopuram, and Ramanuja Mantapam (originally a rock-cut triple
celled Siva Temple with pillared mantapa in front, later converted into a Vaishnava
Mantapa - the cells, one row of pillars and sculptures obliterated. Mamalla
Style AD 640-674) are other rock structures within the complex.
When we arrived, multiple guides showed up
offering their service - all of them had badges identifying them as government
approved guides, but their overall behavior and haggling made us wary.
Eventually, we accepted the services of one of them - he was OK - gave
descriptions of the stone carvings of the area. 
The main point he had was that
the rock carvings are generally on granite rock compared to limestone (much
easier to work with) in many heritage areas including Angkor Wat in Cambodia -
the site supposedly has the 2nd largest rock art after Angkor Wat.
Also, base relief,
monolithic art, and rock carvings are the main art forms found in the area.
Varaha Cave, Rayar Gopuram, and Ramanuja Mantapam (originally a rock-cut triple
celled Siva Temple with pillared mantapa in front, later converted into a Vaishnava
Mantapa - the cells, one row of pillars and sculptures obliterated. Mamalla
Style AD 640-674) are other rock structures within the complex.
The guide was with us
for around 45
minutes and left us in the area near the lighthouses. There are two lighthouses
but there is no entry to the modern light house. The old lighthouse has a
viewing platform with excellent panoramic views of the surroundings. The most
popular attraction in the main temple complex is overwhelmingly reserved for
the the giant granite rock - a huge boulder naturally positioned precariously on
the side of a hillock - the smooth granite rock is good entertainment as it is
used as a slide by locals and visitors alike!
for around 45
minutes and left us in the area near the lighthouses. There are two lighthouses
but there is no entry to the modern light house. The old lighthouse has a
viewing platform with excellent panoramic views of the surroundings. The most
popular attraction in the main temple complex is overwhelmingly reserved for
the the giant granite rock - a huge boulder naturally positioned precariously on
the side of a hillock - the smooth granite rock is good entertainment as it is
used as a slide by locals and visitors alike!
Pancha Rathas (Five Chariots) 
and
the adjacent Shore Temple (built 700-728AD - classified as a UNESCO world
heritage monument since 1984) are the other primary attractions in
Mahabalipuram. Pancha Rathas is by the side of the ocean but there is no direct
access from the site to the beach. 
Rock art at this site is as impressive as
the ones at the main temple complex. Entrance ticket pricing is nominal and the
same tickets may be used for the 
Shore Temple entrance next door as well. Legend
has it that Shore Temple had six other structures that were consumed by the
ocean. There is beach access from the site but it is a popular and crowded
place. Exit from the beach is through a long narrow pathway flagged by shops.
During the 2004 Tsunami, an outline of its sister temples appeared off the
coast, renewing the view that this temple complex was the last in a series of
temples that existed in the submerged coastline - definite scope for some
under-water tourist attractions in the future.
and
the adjacent Shore Temple (built 700-728AD - classified as a UNESCO world
heritage monument since 1984) are the other primary attractions in
Mahabalipuram. Pancha Rathas is by the side of the ocean but there is no direct
access from the site to the beach. 
Rock art at this site is as impressive as
the ones at the main temple complex. Entrance ticket pricing is nominal and the
same tickets may be used for the 
Shore Temple entrance next door as well. Legend
has it that Shore Temple had six other structures that were consumed by the
ocean. There is beach access from the site but it is a popular and crowded
place. Exit from the beach is through a long narrow pathway flagged by shops.
During the 2004 Tsunami, an outline of its sister temples appeared off the
coast, renewing the view that this temple complex was the last in a series of
temples that existed in the submerged coastline - definite scope for some
under-water tourist attractions in the future.
Overall, we left with the feeling
that the place has huge potential for tourism but is definitely under-utilized
at the moment.
Related Posts:
Last Updated: 07/2013.
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