Mahabalipuram

A major crowd puller any coastal town offers is its beaches. In Mahabalipuram, a stretch of 20 km coastline provides two fabulous attractions, Mahabalipuram Beach and Pallava Beach that help revitalize your body, mind and soul completely. The beaches comprise golden sandy shore where you can bask in the warm sun, relishing coconut water. You can stroll at the beach admiring the beauty of the place and in case you are visiting here for a family vacation, you can partake in several beach activities that are made available for both kids and elders.

Being a major tourist attraction in Mahabalipuram, Arjuna’s Penance is one of the greatest ancient artworks inscribed in two monolithic rock boulders. This work of art brilliantly highlights Arjuna doing his penance in order to gratify Lord Shiva to get his celestial weapon. The rock carving displays scenes of Hindu mythology with animals and human figures as well as images of Gods carved in the form of sculptures.

Renowned for being the largest seashell museum in India, India Seashell Museum and Aquarium provides a splendid ambience offering a great way to educate yourself about the rich marine life worldwide. The complex treasures about 40,000 different kinds of rare and unique shells and a wide collection of fossils, whale fins and shark teeth. Spanning over an area of almost two acres, this attraction also has a boutique, Maya Bazaar, from where you can take home various items made of seashells and even pearls, a must buy souvenir is the conch.

One of the finest cultural fiestasin this coastal town is Mamallapuram Dance Festival. This annual celebration takes place every in December or January (dates may vary) and it displays the art of elegance and poise through various classical dances. Amongst all prominent dance festival in India, this event focuses mainly towards the southern regions. The festival displays art forms through classical dances like Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi, Kathak, Odissi, Kathakali and Mohiniyattam.

A marvelous structure erected by the Pallava Kings around 6-8th century BCE, Thirukadalmallai or Sthalasayana Perumal Temple is one of the 108 popular temples dedicated to Lord Vishnu. This shrine is designed in Dravidian Pallava style architecture and it still holds festive offerings and religious activities.

Renowned for being the largest seashell museum in India, India Seashell Museum and Aquarium provides a splendid ambience offering a great way to educate yourself about the rich marine life worldwide. The complex treasures about 40,000 different kinds of rare and unique shells and a wide collection of fossils, whale fins and shark teeth. Spanning over an area of almost two acres, this attraction also has a boutique, Maya Bazaar, from where you can take home various items made of seashells and even pearls, a must buy souvenir is the conch.

This place sets a different ambience from all the beach activities and historical sightseeing places. An interesting thing about this Crocodile bank is that, the farm has variety of species of Indian and African alligators and crocodiles as well as Indian Gharial. This place is widely popular among families as you get to see and learn about the species inhabited here.

This magnificent masterpiece, Shore Temple, located along the coast of Bay of Bengal captivates every traveller. This granite built pagoda provides a picturesque contrast with usually a clear blue sky and its azure sea making it a must visit attraction. The real name of the temple is still unknown but it got its name due to its close proximity to the shore.

Pancha Rathas is another intriguing complex that is full of architectural beauty. It lies near the southern end of the Mahabalipuram town and houses five chariots or pancha rathas that are skillfully carved out of a granite in Dravidian architectural style. These five chariots are named after the Pandavas from the Mahabharata era. Inside the complex, one such temple shaped as a hut, is dedicated to Draupadi and you can see a sculpture of Goddess Durga as you enter.

You may have come across many hair-raising attractions in the past but this attraction in Mahabalipuram deserves a visit. Krishna’s Butterball is a gigantic granite boulder and is one of the best places to see in the town. For the fact that, efforts were put to bring down the rock by using seven elephants, this 16 feet tall rock stood on a short slope without a hitch. The question remains, how this historical monument could stand on a slope for more than 1200 years? I guess one needs to delve into the history to figure out.