Mamallapuram Tour
The virtuous Mamallapuram (or Mahabalipuram ) is situated on the coast of Bay of Bengal in Tamil Nadu. The "City of Temples" is named after king Narasimha Varman, who was fondly called Mamall, meaning the great wrestler. It is most famous for its 7th century Shore Temple. The erstwhile capital of Pallava kingdom is now well connected with Chennai airport, which is just 60 km away. Nearest railway station to Mamallapuram is at Chengalpattu, which is 29 km away. It is also well connected via bus service with neighboring cities like Chennai, Kanchipuram, Thirukkalikundram and Pondicherry.
Our 03 days long itinerary for the Mamallapuram Tour is as follows :
Day 01 : Arrival in Chennai :
You will be received by our representatives on arrival to Chennai airport and will be driven to your hotel room in Mamallapuram in air conditioned cars. Since you might be feeling tired, we will let you use your remaining time of the day as per your choice.
Day 02 : Mamallapuram Tourist Places :
After breakfast, we will straightaway proceed to see the famed Shore Temple. The 8th century temple is counted among the oldest temples of South India. It is an excellent example of early Dravidian style of architecture in which most of the contemporary temples of the region were constructed and designed. All the monuments of Shore Temple are lit by flood lights at night, which provide an awesome view of this historically significant temple to the visitors. After lunch, we will proceed to see the Five Rathas, which are actually a group of five monolithic temples, each one of whom is created in a different architectural style. Four Rathas out of the group of five are believed to have been cut out from a single rock formation. We will return back to hotel at night for dinner.
Day 03 : Tourist Places (continued) :
We will start the tour with a visit to Arjuna's Penance. The skillfully carved rock drives its name from the figure of an ascetic that is chiseled on it, which is believed to be that of Arjuna, the chief archer of Mahabharatha struggle. The ascetic is said to be doing penance and bowing before Lord Shiva to get a boon. The rock is the largest bas-relief structure in the world. After lunch, we will proceed to see Tiger's Caves, which are just 4 km north of Shore Temple. Tiger's Cave is actually an open air theater, and cultural events are held here regularly. Nearby sea provides a perfect ambience to audience on such occasions.
