Licensed from Columbia University Press
Mahabalipuram was a 7th century port city of the South Indian dynasty of the Pallavas around 60 km south from the city of Chennai in Tamil Nadu. It is believed to have been named after the Pallava king Mamalla. It has various historic monuments built largely between the 7th and the 9th century, and has been classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Landmarks
The monuments are mostly rock-cut and monolithic, and constitute the early stages of Dravidian architecture wherein Buddhist elements of design are prominently visible. They are constituted by cave temples, monolithic rathas (chariots), sculpted reliefs and structural temples. The pillars are of the Dravidian order. The sculptures are excellent examples of Pallava art.
It is believed by some that this area served as a school for young sculptors. The different sculptures, some half finished, may have been examples of different styles of architecture, probably demonstrated by instructors and practiced on by young students. This can be seen in the Pancha Rathas where each Ratha is sculpted in a different style.
Some important structures include:
- Thirukadalmallai, the temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu. It was also built by Pallava King in order to safeguard the sculptures from the ocean. It is told that after building this temple, the remaining architecture was preserved and was not corroded by sea.
- Descent of the Ganges - a giant open-air bas relief
- Arjuna's Penance - relief sculpture on a massive scale extolling an episode from the Hindu epic, The Mahabharata.
- Varaha Cave Temple - a small rock-cut temple dating back to the 7th century.
- The Shore Temple - a structural temple along the Bay of Bengal with the entrance from the western side away from the sea. Recent excavations have revealed new structures here. The temple was reconstructed stone by stone from the sea after being washed away in a cyclone.
- Pancha Rathas (Five Chariots) - five monolithic pyramidal structures named after the Pandavas (Arjuna, Bhima, Yudhishtra, Nakula and Sahadeva) and Draupadi. An interesting aspect of the rathas is that, despite their sizes they are not assembled — each of these is carved from one single large piece of stone.
Underwater city
According to descriptions by early travel writers from Britain, the area near Mahabalipuram had seven pagodas by the sea. Accounts of Mahabalipuram were first written down by British traveller John Goldingham who was told of the "Seven Pagodas" when he visited in 1798.
An ancient port city and parts of a temple built in the 7th century may have been uncovered by the tsunami that resulted from the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake. As the waves gradually receded, the force of the water removed sand deposits that had covered various rocky structures and revealed carvings of animals, which included an elaborately carved head of an elephant and a horse in flight. A small square-shaped niche with a carved statue of a deity could be seen above the head of the elephant. In another structure, there was a sculpture of a reclining lion. The use of these animal sculptures as decorations is consistent with other decorated walls and temples from the Pallava period in the 7th and 8th centuries.
The Archaeological Survey of India sent divers to begin underwater excavations of the area on February 17, 2005.
Demography
As of 2001 India census, Mahabalipuram had a population of 12,049. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. Mahabalipuram has an average literacy rate of 74%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 82%, and female literacy is 66%. In Mahabalipuram, 12% of the population is under 6 years of age.
Orphanages
Mahabalipuram is known for its many orphanages 
which often invite tourists to visit them (and donate).
Gallery
Bus Routes
Apart from private bus operators, TNSTC and MTC Chennai operate buses to and from Mahabalipuram
| Route Number | Start | End | Via |
|---|---|---|---|
| 115 | Mahabalipuram | Tambaram | Thiruporur,Kelambakkam |
| 108 B | Mahabalipuram | Chennai | Thirukazhukundram,Chengalpattu |
| 117 | Mahabalipuram | Kovalam (Tamil Nadu) | East Coast Road |
| 118 | Chennai | Kalpakkam | Mahabalipuram,East Coast Road |
| 119 | Chennai | Kalpakkam | Mahabalipuram,Old Mahabalipuram Road |
| 188 (ECR) | Chennai | Puducherry | Mahabalipuram |
| 188 C | Chennai | Cheyyur | Mahabalipuram,Kalpakkam |
| 188 D | Chennai | Anaicut | Mahabalipuram,Kalpakkam |
| 188 K | Chennai | Kadapakkam | Mahabalipuram,Kalpakkam |
| 212 A | Mahabalipuram | Kanchipuram | Thirukazhukundram,Chengalpattu |
| 515 | Mahabalipuram | Tambaram | Thiruporur,Kelambakkam |
| 568 | Mahabalipuram | Adyar,Chennai | Old Mahabalipuram Road |
| 588 | Mahabalipuram | Adyar,Chennai | East Coast Road |
See also
References
External links
- Mahabalipuram
- Mahabalipuram in UNESCO List
- National Institute of Oceanography: Mahabalipuram and Poompuhar
- ASI site on Mahabalipuram
- Inscriptions of India -- Complete listing of historical inscriptions from Indian temples and monuments
- `I show you Mahabalipuram'
- Pillars with inscriptions of Pallava, Chola kings found
- The Shore Temple stands its ground T.S. Subramanian in The Hindu, 30 December 2004
- Newly-discovered Mahabalipuramtemple fascinates archaeologists T.S. Subramanian in The Hindu, 10 April 2005
- BBC News: India finds more 'tsunami gifts'
- Mahabalipuram Temple Architecture
- Tsunami's might opens way for science (The Globe and Mail; February 18, 2005)
- Photographs of Mahabalipuram and other sites in Tamil Nadu
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.
Last updated on Monday June 30, 2008 at 17:28:26 PDT (GMT -0700)
View this article at Wikipedia.org - Edit this article at Wikipedia.org - Donate to the Wikimedia Foundation
Copyright © 2008, Dictionary.com, LLC. All rights reserved.