MAHA BALI PURAM
MAHABALIPURAM
UNLISTED WONDER OF THE WORLD:
Mamallapuram, or Mahabalipuram, is a town on a strip of land between the Bay of Bengal and the Great Salt Lake, in the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It’s known for its temples and monuments built by the Pallava dynasty in the 7th and 8th centuries.
Mahabalipuram was one of two major port cities in the Pallava kingdom. The town was named after Pallava king Narasimhavarman I, who was also known as Mahabali. Along with economic prosperity, it became the site of a group of royal monuments, many carved out of the living rock. These are dated to the 7th and 8th centuries: rathas (temples in the form of chariots), mandapas (cave sanctuaries), the giant open-air rock relief the Descent of the Ganges, and the Shore Temple dedicated to Shiva.
The term 'Mahabalipuram' means city of 'great power'. Another name by which Mahabalipuram has been known to mariners, at least since Marco Polo's time is "Seven Pagodas" alluding to the Seven Pagodas of Mahabalipuram that stood on the shore, of which one, the Shore Temple, survives.
Attractions In Mahabalipuram:
Arjuna's Penance, Thirukadalmallai or Sthalasayana Perumal Temple, Shore Temple, Crocodile Farm, Krishna's Butterball, Cave Temples, Mahabalipuram (Mammallapuram) Dance Festival, India Seashell Museum are the attractions in mahabalipuram
