15 Interesting Things to Do in Mahabalipuram

When the prospect of visiting Mahabalipuram (Mamallapuram) in Tamil Nadu looked close to materialise after my children’s exams, it was a welcome relief and an indication that life might be getting back to some normality. The idea of a road trip from Bangalore to Mahabalipuram via Kanchipuram lightened our mood and heightened our enthusiasm. Things to do in Mahabalipuram were listed long before what to pack for the road trip was prepared.

Conspicuous in the list of places to see in Mahabalipuram were: Pancha Rathas, Mahabalipuram Temple also called the Shore Temple, Mahabalipuram Beach, Mahabalipuram Lighthouse, the largest open-air bas relief – Arjuna’s Penance and Descent of Ganges, Krishna’s Butterball and Tiger’s Cave.

Brief history of Mamallapuram

The guide we hired at Shore temple started with this line – “Mahabalipuram, (Maha – great, Bali – power, Puram – city) the word translates to city of ‘great power’. This city was a great one once”, he said with pride! “Marco Polo, the great explorer called our city, The Land of 7 Pagodas, because at that time, in late 13th century, there were seven temples. But now only one Shore Temple exists.”

The town derives its name from its 7th century ruler Narasimhavarman I. He was one of the greatest wrestlers and fighters in his kingdom hence came to be called as ‘Mamallan’ meaning Great Wrestler. Thus the town too came to be named after him – Mamallapuram.

Today that past glory is recognized and rewarded. The Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram has got the status of UNESCO World Heritage site since 1984.

15 Things to Do in Mahabalipuram

Mahabalipuram is at a distance of 56.3 km from Chennai. You can make a cool one day trip to this great UNESCO site of Tamil Nadu.  If you are not sure of what to see in Mahabalipuram don’t worry I have listed the tourist attractions in Mahabalipuram in this blog. The first five in this list are the most famous places in Mahabalipuram and they can easily be covered in one day.

Read on, plan a trip to Mahabalipuram and enjoy!

Shore Temple of Mahabalipuram

Shore Temple was built in the late 7th century during the reign of the Pallava King Rajasimha (Narasimhavarman II). The sea facing temple consists of two spires; one contains a shrine for Bhagwan Vishnu and one for Bhagwan Shiva. Shore Temple is so named because it overlooks the shore of the Bay of Bengal.

Pancha Ratha

The shrines shaped as temple chariots are hewn from the granite rock face. They are shaped like chariots hence called ratha and there are five of them, pancha ratha translates to 5 chariots in Tamil.

Ganesha Ratha

This chariot-like temple is dedicated to Bhagwan Ganesha. It is sculpted out of a single boulder and in spite of several centuries the temple is still in its complete state.The ratha was known by Arjuna Ratha because of it is located close to Arjuna’s Penance relief. This temple was earlier dedicated to Bhagwan Shiva, but sadly the British invaders removed the Shivalingam and took away the beautiful Nandi statue.

Descent of Ganges and Arjuna’s Penance

The “Descent of the Ganges” is a story etched in stone about the origins and religious significance of the sacred Ganges river. It is a fine specimen of religious architecture, they reflect the finesse and subtlety of the work of sculptors of that era.

The story depicts how Gods allowed the Ganges to descend from the heavens to reward a sage named Bhagiratha. I have an elaborate post with more pictures of this world’s largest bas relief.

Please see more here: Descend of Ganges

World’s largest open-air bas relief in Mamallapuram

Cave Temples of Mamallapuram

Group of eleven caves together form the famous cave temples of Mahabalipuram. These fine caves were made by chiseling with iron mallets from rock surfaces and best examples of ancient Vishwakarma Sthapathi or Indian rock-cut cave architecture.

If you have time to see just a few of them try and include the Mahishasuramardhini Mandapa, Krishna Cave Temple, Pancha Pandava Cave Temple and Varaha Cave Temple. Here is a photo essay on one the cave temples: Krishna Cave Temple.

Tiger Cave

This cave is situated 5.5 km north of Shore Temple, in the hamlet of Saluvankuppam near Mahabalipuram. The Rock cut cave has a coat of sculpted figures of Tiger, hence the name. There is ample parking space. It has an entry and parking fee.

Murugan Temple near Tiger Cave 

Nearby you can walk to an ancient Murugan Temple which was found post 2005 Tsunami.

Mamallapuram Lighthouse

Mahabalipuram lighthouse is a huge masonry tower made of natural stone. The first light was commissioned in 1887. The lighthouse became fully functional in 1904. Just close to this lighthouse is India’s oldest lighthouse which dates back to around 640 AD. This was built by Pallava king Mahendravarman I stands close to this modern structure.

Krishna’s Butterball on a Hillock

A gigantic granite boulder resting precariously on a slope of hillock is a major tourist attraction of Mahabalipuram. It seems as if it would roll down any moment. I saw a similar one in Thirumayam Fort in Pudukottai in Tamil Nadu. The 250-ton rock stand on a less than four feet base

The rock wasn’t always called so. In 1969, a tour-guide while explaining the various attractions of Mamallapuram to Indira Gandhi, who was on a tour of the city, called it by the name Krishna’s Butterball. Its original name was Vaan Irai Kal, that translates from Tamil as Stone of Sky God.

Shopping for Souvenirs

Things to buy in Mahabalipuram – Mamallapuram is flooded with souvenirs made of sea shells. Jewellery, buttons, inlays, home decor and decorative items, you name it, you will find them made of Seashells for sale in the little shops that dotted the dusty roads. There were vendors selling beaded jewellery too.

Beaches in Mahabalipuram

Mahabalipuram beaches, along Bay of Bengal, are among the romantic places to visit in Mahabalipuram. They are ideal for photographers to capture ideal sunrise views, for long romantic walks or just see the ruffled waves flattening out.

There are four beaches in Mamallapuram that are popular with tourists and locals. Some are lined with huge boulders, some lined with boats and nets of fishermen. We visited the one close to the Shore Temple.

Exciting Activities in Mahabalipuram

Turtle Walk – I found the turtle walk among the activities in Mahabalipuram beach very interesting. But this is a very seasonal thing. You have to plan out the best time to visit to take part in early morning Turtle walk conducted by the local experts.
Beach Sports – Besides there are beach watersports in Mahabalipuram which you can indulge in through out the year.

Best Season to visit Mahabalipuram

Ideally the best time to visit Mahabalipuram would be October, November, December, January and February which is the peak season when the weather conditions are delightful. June, July, August and September is the moderate season.

Unique Things to Do in Mahabalipuram

If you have the time and inclination to extend your experiences in Mahabalipuram you must include these unique things to do in Mahabalipuram.

Visit to Seashell Museum – This unique museum houses over 40,000 specimens of rare seashells collected by a single person, Mr.K. Raja Mohamed, for more than 40 years. Open from 8 AM to 8 PM. Besides seashells there are four more museums here dedicated to different collections like pearls, aquarium, dinosaur fossils. You can avail a special combo ticket (Rs 300) for access to all the museums.
Maritime Heritage Museum – Submarine ex-Vagli, harboured in Mamallapuram beach, is converted into Maritime Heritage museum by Tamil Nadu Tourism board. It is a small informative museum for the benefit of tourists and to inspire youth to take up career in Indian Navy. It is located at a walking distance of 100 m , north of Mahabalipuram Lighthouse.

How many days for Mahabalipuram Holiday?

Mahabalipuram tour can be done in one day, so it is a good weekend destination from Bangalore. But it will be difficult to include all the above interesting activities mentioned above. An itinerary of 2 days in Mahabalipuram will enable to see all the tourist attractions of Mahabalipuram.

How to Reach Mahabalipuram? – Distance from Bangalore to Mahabalipuram is 363 km. Distance from nearest airport in Chennai is 57.4 km.

Where to stay in Mahabalipuram? – Mahabalipuram has good high end luxury hotels and also mid-range budget hotels to suit every pocket.

Read more – 15 Unique Tourist Destinations in India

Pin this for later

Would you like to see these interesting things in Mamallapuram? Save this post by pinning it to plan your own trip to Mamallapuram.