Mahabalipuram is a beautiful beach city located on the Coromandel Coast of mainland India. It falls within the state of Tamil Nadu and is a popular tourist destination. Visit the city for a relaxing vacation and pick from the best Mahabalipuram hotels.
Mahabalipuram, also called as Mamallapuram, is a beautiful city in Tamil Nadu set on the scenic Coromandel Coast. It is one of the most popular tourist destinations around Chennai popularly known for the several monumental places that have high archaeological significance. It is a very old city, dating back to the era of Pallavas between the 7th and 9th century and has been continually inhabited. Over the years, the city fell under different medium and large empires of the indigenous as well as foreign rulers. The old structures here date amongst the oldest monuments and exhibit the best of Dravidian architecture.
Today, the place is regarded as a purely tourist place with an infinite list of stunning tourist attractions and allures. It is one of the most visited tourist destinations in India and experiences a growth in the number of tourists visiting it every consecutive year. The Mahabalipuram hotels effectively cater to every guest’s stay needs, making one’s stay a memorable experience. Since the city generally remains flocked by tourists, so there exist a large number of hotels and other lodging options.
Being a coastal city overlooking the Bay of Bengal, the city experiences a pleasant weather almost year long. The maximum recorded temperature during summer is around 35 degree C and the lowest is around 20 degree C. Cotton clothes in summer and light woolen clothes in winter are worn here. The best time to go for a tour of the place is in December to March.
The city is a place for the spiritual and there is a popular religious belief on how the city derived its name. According to legends, the place was once ruled by a cruel king Mahabali who later attained moksha at the hands of Lord Vishnu. It is after his name that place came to be known as Mahabalipuram. Religion always had high significance here and the past rulers were ardent devotees of the gods. There are number of temples and shrines that were built by the past rulers, which still carry the same reverence as they did centuries back.
The Shore Temple that ages more than 1400 years and is the oldest structure in the region is perhaps the most revered temple here. Unlike other old temples like Mahishamardini Cave and other rock carved temples, this temple is a building. However, many of its carving are lost today because of the erosion caused by wind and sea. Still, it is one of the most beautiful temples in the region. Also, a majority of the temple structure is a reconstruction as it was once hugely damaged as it got hit by a cyclone. Visiting the temple is must if you are in the city.
The other major tourist places are: Sculpture Museum, Five Rathas, Varaha Cave, Lighthouses around the beaches, Krishna’s Butterball, Thirukadalmallai, Mamallapuram Beach, Trimurthi Cave, Koneri Cave, and Adivaraha Temple.
A tour of the city is simply incomplete if one doesn’t try the exotic sea food of the place. Fresh grilled fish, rice idlis, Murukku, Chettinadu Chicken, and Pal Payasam are the most in-demand items in Mamallapuram food menu. Most of the popular restaurants are located near the beaches. Plus, there are some good budget hotels in Mahabalipuram that also feature excellent in-house restaurants.
Author Bio: Sandeep is an experienced travel writer and enthusiast blogger. He has explored many known and less-known places in India in the last 10 years. His experience adds to his expert knowledge on the best hotels, different travel routes through trains, flights, and road. He also specializes in off-beat places to eat and stay at. He also advises amateur tourists on travel tips.