About Mamallapuram
Mamallapuram is a beautiful abode of sun-kissed beaches, ancient temples and great architecture. Every year, scores of holiday seekers visit this pristine destination and gather some of the best memories of their lives. The city is also known as ‘Mahabalipuram’ and it is regarded as the homeland of temples based on the Hindu religious architecture. It was the port city of South Indian dynasty of the Pallavas in the 7th century and later it was converted into modern city in 1827 by the British Government.Mamallapuram grabs the attention of worldwide visitors via its cluster of magnificent beaches, stone temples, monolithic shrines, sculpted and rock temples. One can also find here the architectural beauty of Dravidian temples in which the craftsmen used mandapams, vimanas and gopurams for building the rock temples. So as a travel vacationer, you have every reason to spend your holidays at the Mahabalipuram town of Kancheepuram district.
Important Facts of Mamallapuram
District: KancheepuramElevation: 12 m (39 feet)
Official Language: Tamil
Total Population: 15,172 (as per 2011 census)
Pin Code: 603104
History of Mamallapuram
Mamallapuram is one of the ancient cities in the southern region of the country. It was previously known as Mahabalipuram but the name was changed by the king of Pallava Narasimha Varman. The history of the city goes back to the era of Pallavas, who were the great emperors and pioneers of the Dravidian Empire. Their period came at its peak after the decline of the Gupta Dynasty and then the Pallavas ruled from 3rd century to 9th century A.D. It was the period when great saints, artists, scholars, dramatists, poets and artisans appeared. Therefore, Mamallapuram is certainly the perfect place to experience the splendid art and architecture of Pallava dynasty.
Climate and Weather in Mamallapuram
The city Mamallapuram enjoys its proximity to the sea and thus, it attracts lots of visitors through its beautiful beaches. The climate here is tropical where winter has less rainfall compares to the summer. The average temperature of Mamallapuram is 28.4 °C and the average rainfall here is 1219 mm. The month of March see the least amount of rainfall with 4 mm while the November witnesses the maximum rainfall of 313 mm. Furthermore, the highest temperature of the city reaches at 32.6 °C in May and the lowest is in January month with 24.3°C. As a tourist, you can come to this city at any time of the year.Tourist Places in Mamallapuram
Mamallapuram city witnesses a large number of tourists largely because of its natural, historical and architectural creations. During your vacations at this marvelous city, you will come across its ancient temples in which the most popular are the Shore Temple that was constructed way back in the 7th century; and the ‘Five Rathas’ i.e. Dharamraja Ratha, Arjuna’s Penance, Nukul-Sahadeva Ratha, Bhima Rath and Draupadi’s Rath. Apart from these tourist spots, you can also embark on to Adivaraha Temple, Mahishamardani Temple, Krishna Mandapam and Varaha Mandapam. The Mamallapuram Beach inserts more grandeur into the beauty of this place. Click here to learn more from Tourism in Mamallapuram
Festivals in Mamallapuram
The local people of Mamallapuram certainly enjoy their life by celebrating different kinds of festivals that reflect their culture and traditions. Probably, the most famous of them is Mamallapuram Dance Festival, which is celebrated in the month of January and continuous for four weeks. During this festival, the well-renowned Kathakali, Odissi, Kuchipudi and Bharatnatyam dancers perform their dancing skills. Apart from that, the harvest festival of Pongal (celebrated in January) and Masi Magam (celebrated in February or March) is also solemnized at this part of Tamil Nadu. Click here to learn more on Festivals
Eating at Mamallapuram
One more fascinating thing about this beautiful city is the availability of eating places for the travelers. It has possessed wonderful restaurants where scrumptious food items are being served for the people of different tastes. At these dining places, you can savor traditional South Indian dishes like Masala Dosa, Puri and Idli as well as veg and non-veg dishes. Delectable sea-food is also served for the people besides some of the delicious cuisines can also be taste.Shopping at Mamallapuram
While spending crucial days of vacations at Mamallapuram, you can also enjoy some shopping activities. There are many small shops spreading around the main travel destinations of the city. These shops are offering local clothing options, granite idols of deities, handicrafts items and sculptures of Mamallapuram. Jewelry items are also very popular and for the interest of the north Indian travelers, there are also some Kashmiri shops in Mamallapuram. Probably must buy from Mamallapuram are curios and handicrafts.Southern Arts and Crafts
Address: 72 East Raja St
Phone: +91 44 27443675
Website: https://www.southernarts.in/
Shirji Art Gallery
Address: 14/21 Othavadai St
Transport in Mamallapuram
Reaching Mamallapuram is not a problem for any visitor. In fact, the city enjoys all the transport ways, which makes easy for you to travel around the major tourist attractions of the city. The nearest airport to Mamallapuram is Chennai with a distance around 58 km. One can take cab or bus to reach at the city from the airport. Besides that, the local travelers can also reach here via rail route by arriving at Chengalpattu Railway Station, which is well linked to Chennai and some other parts of Tamil Nadu. By road option is also there for the travelers as the buses are available to Mamallapuram from the cities like Chengalpattu, Pondicherry and Chennai.
Mamallapuram By Road
Reaching Mamallapuram by road is very convenient for the travelers. State transport buses, deluxe buses, air-conditioned buses and private buses from and to the city are available. They have routes with several main cities of Tamil Nadu state such as Chennai, Chengalpattu, Tambaram, Adyar, Koyambedu, Velachery, Kanchipuram and Pondicherry. Mamallapuram bus terminal is located at the center of the city. The roads are generally good here. Apart from that, you can also hire a car or taxi from Chennai to reach at Mamallapuram. The taxi services are largely private, so you have to be very careful while settling reasonable fare.Mamallapuram By Air
As a travel vacationer, you can also reach at Mamallapuram via air route. The nearest airport to the city is Chennai’s domestic as well as International Airport, which is 58 km away from the city. After de-boarding the flight from the airport, you can take cab or taxi to get into the town of Mahabalipuram. Chennai Airport is well connected with all the major cities of the country via various domestic flights. If you are a global visitor, then you can take international flight from and towards Chennai with the purpose of reaching at this awesome city and to explore its main tourist attractions.Mamallapuram By Train
Several railway routes are also linked to Mamallapuram that makes easy for the local travelers. However, the city does not have any of its own railway station but the visitors can board a train from their destination and reach at Chengalpattu Railway Station (29 km away) or Chennai Railway Station (58 km away). As a metropolitan city, Chennai is well linked to the metropolitan cities and other parts of the country. You can reserve your seats at express trains and superfast trains that take you towards Chennai and from that you can reach Mamallapuram via road.The city of Mahabalipuram is ideally located in the proximity to Bay of Bengal and consequently, it has been among the most preferred tourist spots in Tamil Nadu. By using any of these aforementioned ways of transport, you can conveniently reach at the city and spend your holidays here with your near and dear ones.