Places Visit In Mahabalipuram

Mahabalipuram Beach,Mahabalipuram

The old port town of Mahabalipuram also known as Mamallapuram on the shores of the Bay of Bengal, has a coastline spanning a distance of over 20 km with beautiful beaches. Located 58km from Chennai on the Mahabalipuram road, the golden sandy beach is a picturesque place bounded by the shimmering sea and rolling hills. Identified as the most pristine beaches of Tamil Nadu, the beach attracts thousands of tourists throughout the year. The beach is an idle place for sunbathing and lazing around. The sea is rough and swimming is not recommended.

Overview

Mahabalipuram beach also has some ancient historical monuments in its close proximity and this is the main reason of attraction of this beach. There is one of the oldest shore temples in South India built by the Pallava King Rajasimha in the early 8th century and the world's largest bas-relief, the 'Penance of Arjuna', which is 96ft long and 43 ft high, the five rathas and the tiger's cave along the beach. On the way to Mahabalipuram Beach is Dakshinachitra, 28 km from Chennai, a heritage space with exhibitions and workshops of the arts and crafts including traditional home architecture and performing artists of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka. Other places worth a visit while on a tour to the beach include the crocodile farm where about 5000 crocodiles of 6 different species, alligators and other reptiles are bred in captivity, kept in open, marshy enclosures, snake venom extracting centre and a school of art and sculpture.

Located at a distance of about 58 km from Chennai, the historical town of Mahabalipuram has made a distinctive place for itself amongst the most popular tourist destinations in the state of Tamil Nadu. One of the greatest draws for tourists in Tamil Nadu are definitely the Beaches in Mahabalipuram. The Beaches in Mahabalipuram are simply fabulous.

Wanna enjoy the pleasant atmosphere of beach but can't decide the perfect destination? Come to Mahabalipuram, an enchanting beach that is located on the east coast of India. Turned up at the distance of 58 km from Chennai, the golden sandy beach is a charming place encircled by the rolling hills and glittering sea. The beach is recognized as the pristine beaches of Tamil Nadu, which attracts thousands of tourists every year. It's an idyllic place for lazing around the vicinity and sunbathing.

The bewitching Mahabalipuram beach is shored up by the Bay of Bengal along with the dreamy rock cut sculptures staggering to the eyes. There are many breathtaking attractions and places offering an ideal spot for holidaying. Mahabalipuram is mostly known for its shore temples constructed by the Pallava king Rajasimha in the early periods. With its beautiful location on a rocky outcropping between the beach and a lagoon, this beach paradise is a pleasant combination of ideal beaches, history, and peaceful tourism. Despite the many travelers, attracted by the former Pallava dynasty town, Mahabalipuram is very friendly and secluded place, where the villagers are outstandingly unflustered by their throngs of visitors.

Mahabalipuram Beach is located at the distance of 58 km south of Chennai, lying at the shore of Bay Of Bengal. This 20 km long beach came into notice only after 20th century. The beach is popular among tourists for indulging in beach activities like sunbathing, diving, wind surfing and motor boating. It is now a government undertaking to promote beach activities in Mahabalipuram. The beach is thronged by tourists during the months of November and February. Beside the beautiful beach are various monuments, rock-cut temples and Monolithic Rathas.

The port city of Mahabalipuram or Mamallapuram, was once a port city of the Pallavas on the shores of the Bay of Bengal. It is home to exotic monuments belonging to the times of Pallavas including Sculptural Panels, Caves, Monolithic Rathas or Chariots and Temples. However, it is the beach that gives the city its true beauty. The stone marvels can be compared to the dressing of an already delicious preparation. The robust earthly beauty full of life, the monumental splendors and the sunny beach resorts along with a crocodile farm, snake venom extracting centre and art and sculpture schools make it one of the most interesting and desirable tourist destinations. Mamallapuram beach is more known for its bas-reliefs and shore and cave temples than its sands and sea waves. Wile on the way to the beach, one should certainly visit the Dakshinachitra, a heritage centre that shows traditional craftsmen and folk artists hard at work giving performances and recreating the scenes of 19th century Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.

Activity to Do on Beach

Mahabalipuram beach captivates a large number of tourists every year due to its water sports activities like diving, wind surfing, motor boating and sunbathing too. The beach offers a great chance to unwind from the hustle and bustle of the city life. This beach also charms the visitors with its snake venom extracting center, a crocodile bank, a school of art and sculpture as well.

Climate

The climate of the Mahabalipuram remains hot throughout the year. Summers are hot with the maximum temperature of 36°C and the minimum temperature of 21°C. Even in the winter, the temperature does not fall much. The maximum temperature in winters is 30°C and the minimum temperature is 19.8°C . Avoid visiting the beach during the monsoon period.

History

Although the Mahabalipuram is quite famous for the shore temple and the cave temples built during the period of the Pallava Kings. But the beaches in this area came in recognition mainly after the 20th century. From than the ancient land of Mahabalipuram started converting into the famous beach spot for the tourists. Government has been constantly promoting tourism in this region. The beaches in this area provide the excellent gateway from the hustle and bustle of the city life.

Five Rathas,Mahabalipuram

Five Rathas is a monument complex at Mahabalipuram, on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal, in the Kancheepuram district of the state of Tamil Nadu, India. Five Rathas is an example of monolithic Indian rock-cut architecture.

Overview

Five Rathas (also known as Punch Rathas or Pandava Rathas) is a monument complex at Mahabalipuram, on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal, in the Kancheepuram district of the state of Tamil Nadu, India. Five Rathas is an example of monolithic Indian rock-cut architecture. Dating from the late 7th century, it is attributed to the reign of King Mahendravarman I and his son Narasimhavarman I of the Pallava Kingdom. An innovation of Narasimhavarman, the structures are without any precedent in Indian architecture. The complex is under the auspices of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and is part of the UNESCO World Heritage site inscribed by UNESCO as Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram.

The five Rathas is a set of magnificent monolithic rock temples. Panch is a Hindi world which means ‘Five’. These fine rock temples are located in a sandy compound. These five Rathas are the perfect examples of the evolution of Dravidian style architecture. There are built in the shaper of pagodas and they look similar to that of the Buddhist shrines and monasteries. Rathas in English means carrots. There chariots are constructed with Towers, The cars of gods, multipillared halls, and sculptured walls which are chissled out minutely. The Rathas have an association to the great epic Mahabharata which describes the heroes of Mahabharata with their wife Draupadi which is termed as pancha pandava rathas. The five rathas are (i) Draupadi’s Ratha, (ii) Arjuna’s Rath, (iii) Nakul – Sahadev’s Rath, (iv) Bhima Rath and (v) Dharamraja Yudhistar’s Rath.

These temples are built in the same shape as pagodas, and greatly resemble Buddhist shrines and monasteries. The rathas are associated with the great epic Mahabharata. The first ratha that is located right by the entrance gate is Draupadi's Ratha. It is shaped like a hut and is dedicated to the goddess Durga. Next comes Arjuna's Rath. This one has a small portico and carved pillar stones and is dedicated to Lord Shiva. There are no carvings inside this temple, but many are on the outside. Directly in front of Arjuna's Rath is the Nakula Sahadev Rath. This ratha has some huge elephant sculptures included that are a huge draw for the Five Rathas. It is dedicated to the God of Rain, Lord Indra. The Bhima Rath is huge. It measures 42 ft in length, 24ft in width, and 25ft in height. The pillars there do contain lion carvings even though the ratha as a whole is incomplete.

History

The construction of the five rathas is traced back to the 7th century during the reign of King Mahendravarman I from 600–630 CE and his son Narasimhavarman I from 630–668 AD of the Pallava dynasty. An ASI inscribed tablet at the site mentions that the concept of carving the rocks in the shape of chariots or rathas was made by the Pallava dynasty keeping wooden rathas as prototypes. Construction work of the structures stopped after the demise of Narasimhavarman I in 668 AD. These structures illustrating the Dravidian architecture later became templates to temples of much higher dimensions constructed in the region subsequently. The reason for constructing the rathas, most of which have reflections of the Buddhist Viharas and Chaityas is not known till date. Although there is no connection between the structures and the Pandavas of the great Indian epic, the ‘Mahabharata’, and ASI proposed referring the structures as vimanas, but the names of Pandavas has incessantly remained linked with the structures. In 1984 UNESCO marked the place as World Heritage Site.

These 7th century shrines (or temples; either term is appropriate) were carved during the reign of King Mamalla (Narasimhavarman I, c. 630 - 670), after whom the site (Mamallapuram, also called Mahabalipuram) is named. Each temple is a monolith, carved whole from an outcropping of rock. (The number of separate formations is a matter of debate; the four north-south temples may have been carved from a single mass.) The temples are unfinished, and so were never consecrated or used for worship. The buildings are called rathas (pancha rathas means "five chariots"), and named individually after Draupadi and the Pandava brothers, although they have nothing to do with temple carts or the Mahabharata. It would be better to call them vimanas and just number them 1 through 5, but the popular names have stuck.

The view in this photo is from the northwest. In the foreground is a carved lion. Behind the lion, from left to right in the photo, are the Draupadi, Arjuna, and Bhima Rathas (Dharmaraja Ratha is hidden in this photo behind the other structures). To the right is the Nakula Sahadeva Ratha. The site gives the delightful impression of a city of life-size model buildings, whose variety of roofs, floor plans, and columniation defines a veritable source-book of South Indian temple forms. The architectural elements seen here will appear repeatedly, and with remarkably little variation, over the next 1,000 years of temple building in South India.

Once known as Kolongutt, this beach was renamed by the Portuguese and is now Calangute. The term 'Cal' refers to Goddess Kali who was revered by the local fishermen. Another possible origin of the name could be from the words 'Konvallo-Ghott' (pit of the coconut tree), since the village is surrounded by coconut trees.

The ultimate origin of these forms traces back to wood construction, but opinions differ about whether their direct antecedents were secular or sacred, wooden or stone, buildings. It is likely, due to the advanced design of the Mamallapuram shrines, that temple building had previously undergone a substantial process of development, and that the shrines mark a rapid transition from the earlier wooden temples to later structural monuments in stone.

Entry Timings : 6.00 am to 6.00 pm
Entry Fee: Rs. 10 for Indian citizens; Rs.250/- for others. Admission is free for all below the age of 15. No fee for still photography with handheld cameras.

Shore Temple,Mahabalipuram

The Shore Temple is so named because it overlooks the shore of the Bay of Bengal. It is a structural temple, built with blocks of granite, dating from the 8th century AD.

Overview

The Shore Temple is so named because it overlooks the shore of the Bay of Bengal. It is a structural temple, built with blocks of granite, dating from the 8th century AD. It was built on a promontory sticking out into the Bay of Bengal at Mahabalipuram, a village south of Chennai in the state of Tamil Nadu in India. At the time of its creation, the village was a busy port during the reign of Narasimhavarman II of the Pallava dynasty.As one of the Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram, it has been classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1984.It is one of the oldest structural stone temples of South India.

Shore temple is a complex of three temples, one large and two small, located right on the shores of the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal in Mahabalipuram, which was earlier known as Mamallapuram. During the Pallava Dynasty reign this was a port city of their kingdom which they ruled from Kanchipuram. It was built by the Pallava Dynasty when it was the trading port of the dynasty.

Shore Temple is a standing testimonial to the regal heritage of India. Located at Mahabalipuram, Shore Temples can easily be reached by taking regular buses or by hiring taxis from anywhere in Tamil Nadu. The nearest airport is located at Chennai that lies at a distance of 60 kms from Mahabalipuram. One of the most photographed monuments in India, Shore Temple is a structural monument on the shores of Bay of Bengal.

The exterior wall of the shrine to Lord Vishnu and the internal side of the boundary wall are elaborately carved and sculptured. The images on the sculpted panels depict scenes from everyday life. However, the sculptures are incredibly real and artistic. The exterior walls of the temple are segregated by plasters into bays, where the lower part has been impressed into a series of nurturing lions. The archeological department has excavated certain other figures from the site.

Shore Temple is no more a living temple. The structure of the temple makes one to contemplate and perhaps, it was erected basically as a work of art. The Pallavas were known to be the great patrons of art and were keen to create their own style of temple architecture. In the present day, Shore Temple makes the background of Mahabalipuram Dance Festival that is held in Jan /Feb every year. The festival was organized to promote the traditional dance as well as tourism in Mahabalipuram.

History

Sailors gave the name Seven Pagodas to the Shore Temple when they saw this tall structure on the seashore, as the temple probably acted as a landmark for navigation of their ships. As it appears like a Pagoda, the name became familiar to the seafarers.

This structural temple complex was the culmination of the architectural creations that were initiated by the King, in mid 7th century starting with the Cave temples and the monolithic Rathas.Even though the architectural creation of sculpturing cut-in and cut-out structures continued during subsequent periods, as seen in the Atiranachanda cave, the Pidari rathas and the Tiger cave, the main credit for the architectural elegance of the Shore Temple complex in the category of structural temples goes to the King Rajasimha, also known as Narasimhavarman II, of the Pallava Dynasty. It is now inferred that this temple complex was the last in a series of temples that seemed to exist in the submerged coastline; this is supported by the appearance of an outline of its sister temples off the coast during the Tsunami of 2004 which struck this coastline.The architecture of the Shore Temple was continued by the Cholas ruled Tamil Nadu after defeating the Pallavas.

The tsunami of December 2004 that struck the coastline of Coromandel exposed an old collapsed temple built entirely of granite blocks. This has renewed speculation that Mahablaipuram was a part of the Seven Pagodas described in the diaries of Europeans, of which six temples remain submerged in the sea. The tsunami also exposed some ancient rock sculptures of lions, elephants, and peacocks that used to decorate walls and temples during the Pallava period during the 7th and 8th centuries. Though the tsunami of 26 December 2004 that occurred in the Indian Ocean struck the temple and the surrounding garden, the Shore Temple was not badly damaged, as the water level returned to its normal level within a few minutes. The damage was to the foundation of the bali peetam in front of the temple, the steps leading to the boat jetty, and the small shrine with the Varaha (Boar) sculpture at the basement of the Shore temple. As the temple foundation is on hard granite rock, it could sustain the waves created by the tsunami; the groynes erected around the temple area on the coastline also aided its protection.

According to the two inscriptions found in the slab of smaller Shiva temple, the names of the three temples mentioned are as Kshatriyasimha Pallaveshvara-griham, Rajasimha Pallaveshvara-griham and Pllikondaruliya-devar. The entire temple complex is called as Jalashayana. This confirms that the Vishnu shrine was the first shrine to be excavated here. The inscription on the lintel of the Vishnu shrine also mentions this as Narapatisimha Pallava Vishnu Griha where Narapatisimha is a title of Rajasimha. An archaeologist has observed that: "In locating the temple on the very margin of the sea, exposing it to avoidable dangers, the builders, there can be little doubt, sought theatrical effect."

Arjuna's Penance,Mahabalipuram

Arjuna’s Penance is one of the magnificent monuments of Mahabalipuram. This wonderful bas air relief dates back to the mid-seventh century. Standing tall at a height of 43 feet, the monolith was carved on the face of two huge adjoining boulders, making its length around 96 feet. The majestic structure cannot be made out in photographs, it deserves to be praised by one’s own eyes. The subject of the massive structure is either Arjuna's Penance or the Descent of the Ganges, or possibly both. Historians and experts of archeology have never settled on one account as there are not sufficient sources or records.

Overview

Descent of the Ganges/ Arjuna’s Penance, is a popular monument from the Pallava age in Mahabalipuram. Measuring approximately 30m (100ft) long and 15m (45ft) high, it’s an open air rock carving which depicts the story of how the holy river Ganges came into earth from the heavens led by Arjuna. It’s a giant open-air relief carved out of two monolithic rock boulders. Archaeologists suggest the structure is arguably the best rock cut sculpture in India. It’s a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site since the year 1984.

‘Arjuna's Penance’ is an extract from the Mahabharata, of how Arjuna, one of the Pandavas, performed severe austerities in order to obtain Shiva's weapon. The concept of the story encompasses Hindu philosophy where it is believed that one could by penance, self-mortification, attain miraculous blessings from the Gods. The ‘Descent of Ganges’ story narrates the penance of Bhagirathi who performed austerities in order to bring Goddess Ganges down to earth. Lord Shiva consented to break the force of the descent of the river his hair, because otherwise the force would be too great for the earth to contain. The representation of the megalith relief supports either legend.

Anjuna is a village located on the coast of North Goa, India. It is a Census Town, one of the twelve Brahmin comunidades of Bardez. It is mostly a tourist destination. Its church, St. Michael's Church, Anjuna, founded in 1595, is dedicated to S. Miguel, and celebrates the feasts of S. Miguel and Nossa Senhora Advogada. There are three large chapels in the parish: the one to S. Antonio, to Nossa Senhora de Saude, and to Nossa Senhora de Piedade. The chapel at Vagator became the church of the new parish of Vagator, dedicated to S. Antonio, in the twentieth century.

The composition of the relief includes scenes of the natural and celestial worlds. A natural cleft populated by Nagas (snakes) separates the two halves of the relief. Water pours down this fissure imitating a waterfall or the Ganges' descent. Just above the shrine, Arjuna or Bhagiratha is carved standing on one leg, his arms upraised, in a yoga posture. Behind him appears Lord Shiva, holding a weapon and attended by celestial beings. In the natural world life-sized elephants are shown protect their young. There are also numerous other animals. The entire presentation is done with utmost skill.

Arjuna's Penance is a massive open-air bas-relief monolith, which dates back to the 7th century. It is situated in the town of Mahabalipuram, at a distance of 58 km from Chennai, the capital city of Tamil Nadu. Standing tall at a height of 43 feet, the Mamallapuram monolith was carved on the face of two huge adjoining boulders, somewhere around the mid-7th century. The length of Arjuna's Penance is around 96 feet and the monolith is also known by the name of 'The Descent of Ganga'.

History

This magnificent relief, carved in the mid-seventh century, measures approximately 30m (100ft) long by 15m (45ft) high. Its huge size and scale is difficult to imagine just from photographs; a person standing on the ground in front of it could barely touch the elephants' feet. The subject is either Arjuna's Penance or the Descent of the Ganges, or possibly both. In additive cultures like India's, logical alternatives are often conceptualized as "both-and" rather than "either-or." Arjuna's Penance is a story from the Mahabharata of how Arjuna, one of the Pandava brothers, performed severe austerities in order to obtain Shiva's weapon. The idea, which pervades Hindu philosophy, is that one could obtain, by self-mortification, enough power even to overcome the gods. In order to protect themselves, the gods would grant the petition of any ascetic who threatened their supremacy in this way - a kind of spiritual blackmail, or "give to get."

The Ganges story is of the same kind, in which the sage Bhagiratha performs austerities in order to bring the Ganges down to earth. Shiva had to consent to break her fall in his hair, because otherwise its force would be too great for the earth to contain. The symbolism of the relief supports both stories. Furthermore, both stories were interpreted in a manner flattering to the Pallavas; the heroic Arjuna as a symbol of the rulers, and the Ganges as a symbol of their purifying power.

The composition of the relief includes the main elements of the story (left) and scenes of the natural and celestial worlds (right). A natural cleft populated by nagas separates the two halves of the relief. Water was poured down this cleft in order to simulate a natural waterfall (the Ganges' descent). To the left, just above the shrine, Arjuna (or Bhagiratha) stands on one leg, his arms upraised, in a yoga posture. Behind him appears Shiva, holding a weapon and attended by ganas. To the right of the cleft, life-sized elephants protect their young below a scene of numerous other animals and flying celestials, all carved with the greatest vivacity, skill, naturalism, and joyousness.

Alamparai Fort,Mahabalipuram

The ruins of Alamparai Fort lie near Kadappakkam, a village 50 km from Mamallapuram on the land overlooking the sea.

Overview

The ruins of Alamparai Fort (also called Alampara) lie near Kadappakkam, a village 50 km from Mamallapuram on the land overlooking the sea. Constructed in the late 17th century during the Mughal era, the Alamparai Fort once had a 100-metre long dockyard stretching into the sea, from which zari cloth, salt, and ghee were exported. During 1735 AD it was ruled by Nawab Doste Ali Khan. In 1750, for the services rendered by the famous French commander Duplex to Subedar Muzarfarzang, the fort was given to the French. When French were defeated by the British, the fort was captured and destroyed in 1760 AD. More recently the structure was damaged in the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake.

Alamparai Fort lies in the village of Kadappakkam which is at a distance of 50 km from Mamallapuram on the land which overlooks the sea. It was constructed during the reign of the Mughals and had a 100-meter harbour which stretched into the sea. Salt, Ghee and zari cloth were exported from the harbour. The fort was ruled as well as taken down by both Mughals as well as French in the 17th century. The fort got destroyed due to the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake.

Alamparai served as a sea port in ancient times. It was also known as Alamparva and Alampuravi. The fort was constructed during the rule of the Mughals extending from 1736 CE to 1740 CE. It was first under the control of the Nawab of Arcot Doste Ali Khan. However, it was later given to the French.

After the Carnatic war had taken place, French lost to the British which is how the British began exercising direct control over the fort and then the fort got demolished in 1760. Before the war, the fort was ruled by Nawab Doste Ali Khan in 1750, and for the services provided by the French commander Duplex to Subedar Muzarfarzang, the fort was handed over to them.

Alamparai Fort is about 100 kms from Chennai along the East Coast Road near Puducherry. The ruins of Alamparai Fort now known as "Alampara" are located near Kadapakkam in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Kadapakkam is a village located almost 50 km from Mahabalipuram on the land near the sea. This is an old ruined fort that is situated right on the mouth of the sea where the backwaters starts from the ocean. Alamparai fort is one of the least known historic places found on the southern outskirts of Chennai. This place is very picturesque since it is on the shores of Bay of Bengal and has scenic backwaters. With a neat sandy beach and backwater the broken Fort is treat to our eyes and is a perfect place for a weekend outing.

History

Alamparai was a seaport in historical times. The place had other names like ‘Idaikazhinadu’, ‘Alamparva’ and ‘Alampuravi’. The Alamparai fort has been constructed in the 17th Century during the reign of the Mughal Dynasty. Earlier the Alamparai Fort had a long dockyard of almost 100 metre that stretched into the sea. It is from here that salt, ghee and zari cloth were exported. The fort was ruled by Nawab of Arcot, Doste Ali Khan in the year 1735 AD. Later in the year 1750 the fort was presented to the French for the services rendered by the well known French commander Dupleix to Subhedar Muzarfarzang, the fort was given to the French. The fort was destroyed in the year 1760 AD when the French were defeated by the British. Recently during the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake the building was further damaged.

Alamparai Fort had been a prime sector for trading for the Arcot Nawabs. They had a mint there. Much later after the request of the Dumas, the governor of Madras Presidency, The People who worked in the Mints of Alamparai moved to Puducherry. There they established a mint with the approval of the Nawabs of Arcot.

Alamparai is mentioned in several places in the diaries of Ananda Ranga Pillai, Dubash to Dupleix in French India. It was the primary port of trade for the Arcot nawabs. They had a mint there, and later, at the request of Dumas, the governor of Madras Presidency, The People who worked in the Mints of Alambarai (it is mentioned as 'Alampuravi') moved to Pondicherry and established a mint with the approval of the Nawab of Arcot. It was a regular port of call on the Coromandel Coast, having a 100 m (330 ft) dockyard. The other contemporary ports were Pulicat, Madras, Mylapore, Sadras (12 km from Mahabalipuram), Pondicherry, Cuddalore, Porto Nova, Tharangambadi (Tranquebar), Karaikal, and Nagapattinam. The fort experienced further damages during the Indian Ocean Tsunami in 2004 and portions of the dilapidated fort remains under the sea.A team of archaeologists found out coins minted during the rule of Nawabs. Some rare artifacts like the arms and ammunition used by the Nawabs and French were also found in fort.

Tiger's Caves,Mahabalipuram

The Tiger Cave is a rock-cut Hindu temple complex located in the hamlet of Saluvankuppam near Mahabalipuram in Tamil Nadu, India. It gets its name from the carvings of tiger heads on the mouth of a cave which forms a part of the complex.

Overview

The Tiger Cave is a rock-cut Hindu temple complex located in the hamlet of Saluvankuppam near Mahabalipuram in Tamil Nadu, India. It gets its name from the carvings of tiger heads on the mouth of a cave which forms a part of the complex. The Tiger Cave is considered to be one of the Mahabalipuram rock-cut temples constructed by the Pallavas in the 8th century AD. The site is located on the Bay of Bengal coast and is a popular picnic spot and tourist destination. The temple is maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

Tiger's Caves is near the coastal village of Salurankuppam that is only 5 kilometers to the north of Mahabalipuram. This spectacular mandap contains a shrine that is solely dedicated to the wondrous goddess Durga. There are massive yet impressive figures placed in front of the caves. As with most carvings in India, the carvings and figures tell a story. The stories here have to do with an event that occured with the goddess Durga. The Tiger's Caves are a fantastic picnic spot, so you may want to plan your day s that you are there at lunch time.

Another sight that catches the fantasy of tourists are the Tiger’s Caves located on the sea shore in the coastal village of Salurankuppam, 5 kilometres to the north of Mahabalipuram. It has a shrine that is dedicated to Mother Divine Durga. The front of the caves sport huge and impressive figures. The stone carvings depict a significant event related to Goddess Durga and her victory over evil demons. Due to the pleasant weather and affinity to the sea, this place is a favoured by picnickers and locals.

Tiger's Cave is located near Salurankuppam village at a distance of 5 km to the north of Mahabalipuram. The shrine in this rock-cut cave temple is dedicated to Goddess Durga. The carvings in this cave depict the story of an event occurred in life of Goddess Durga. With a view to host cultural programmes during the Pallava period, this cave was built as an open-air theatre. The Tiger's Cave today is a famous picnic spot and serves as a beautiful destination for nature lovers. Visitors can even travel to the beach, which is in the proximity of this cave.

History

The Tiger Cave is a rock-cut Hindu temple cave from East India’s Pallavan Empire. Tour this ancient religious site and study carvings of mythical creatures. The Tiger Cave complex was built sometime in the 7th or 8th century under the commission of King Narasimhavarman I. Historians believe the king gave speeches from the cave’s “mantapa," or platform.

The site was also a shrine dedicated to the goddess Durga, who is usually depicted seated on a tiger. As you approach the temple, observe the depictions of the Yali, a tiger-like creature of Hindu mythology. These depictions are set around the mouth of the building, while on another side there is a single sculpture of the creature. It is these carvings that give the cave its name. Continue through the grounds to the Athiranachanda Cave. This striking looking structure has wall inscriptions in ancient Pallava-Grantha and a Shiva Linga statue, a phallic tribute to Lord Shiva. In addition to the two cave temples, find relief sculptures depicting everyday life in the 7th century.

The Tiger Cave is located in a lush parkland maintained by the Archeological Survey of India and is a popular picnic spot. Enjoy a moment's peace on the green lawns under the shade of lanky palms and twisting casuarina trees. Let the kids run and play among the rock-covered landscape. There is more history to be uncovered within a short walking distance of the caves. A few meters away is the excavation site of an ancient brick temple that is estimated to be over two millennia old. If researchers are correct about its age, this would be one of the oldest temples in the state of Tamil Nadu. The Tiger Cave is located 3 miles (5 kilometers) north of Mahabalipuram. Get there by taxi or drive and use the parking lot. Although there is no entrance fee, there is a small charge for parking.

Sadras, Mahabalipuram

Sadras is a fortress town located on India's Coromandel Coast in Kanchipuram District, 70 km south of Chennai in Tamil Nadu state. Sadras is the anglicized form of the ancient town of Saduranga pattinam.

Overview

Sadras is an exquisite beach resort that has taken full advantage of the beautiful landscape. The beaches that surround Mahabalipuram are beset by beautiful, green casuarinas groves. The contrast of the vibrant green with the sparkling white beaches is breathtaking, and a sight that is a delight to everyone who has to will to enjoy it. This beach resort is located 13 kilometers outside of Mahabalipuram. There is an old ruined Dutch Fort and a Dutch cemetery with finely embossed headstones. It is intruging to explore some of the Dutch history in the region as well as that of India itself.

Remains of this Dutch fort ,earlier known as Sadras fort ( Sathurangapattinam in Tamil ) is about 4 kms from East cost road towards the beach . Those who are interested in visiting historical places , this is a good place for a short visit . Maintained by Archaeological survey of India , one can find ruins of an ancient fort destroyed by wars and nature .Storage rooms built by dutch and cemeteries are still intact. While travelling from chennai towards pondichery via mamallapuram take left turn from Vengambakkam junction on ECR to reach Sadras fort ( about 4.5 km) . After visiting sadras fort Journey can be continued by re entering East coast Road through Pudupakkam junction . No bathroom facilities or food facilities available close to the area . There are few shops in Pudupakkam and inside Kalpakkam township and a petrol filing station is also available inside the township.Best time to visit ill be during onset of rainy season .

You must visit the place to see the tombs and everything that's written on them. It’s very easy to lose a track of time when you are inside the Sadras fort. People might talk of seeing more elaborate forts but this is one place you need to embrace because once you do that, you will be hard-pressed to forget all that you felt. Only small portion of the fort is still present and it is conserved by Archaeological Survey of India. It not a very large fort and has couple of rooms inside it and surrounded by thick walls. There are couple of old cannons at the entrance of the fort. There is a Dutch cemetery and a gallows inside the fort. The main attraction of Sadras though, is its beaches. The beaches are shaded by coconut trees and lined by few fishing boats. Together with the exquisite beach resort and the aforementioned Sri Malaimandala Perumal temple, this place is a complete package consisting of natural endowment, ancient architectures and testimonies of modern Indian history. If you want it all in one, come take a look at Saduranga Pattinam. The town itself also has an interesting history for those who wish to do more than lie on the beach.

History

An inscription found in Sadras dated to 1359 mention this place as Rajanarayanan Pattinam after a Sambuvaraya chieftain. There is a temple to Vishnu here, and because of it later the city was known as Sadiravasagan Pattinam.This later changed into Sadurangapattinam, shortly known as Sadirai. Later the Dutch called it Sadras.

Modern Sadras was established as part of Dutch Coromandel in the seventeenth century, which was even before center for weaving superfine muslin cloth for export besides Pearl and edible oil. ... The first battle between British East India Company and the Dutch started here as Battle of Sadras.

Crocodile Bank,Mahabalipuram

The Mahabalipuram Crocodile Bank Trust and Centre for Herpetology is a reptile zoo and herpetology research station, located 40 kilometres south of the city of Chennai, in state of Tamil Nadu, India

Overview

The Mahabalipuram Crocodile Bank Trust and Centre for Herpetology (MCBT) is a reptile zoo and herpetology research station, located 40 kilometres (25 mi) south of the city of Chennai, in state of Tamil Nadu, India. The centre is both a registered trust and a recognized zoo under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and is India's leading institution for herpeto faunal conservation, research and education. The bank is the first crocodile breeding centre in Asia and comes under the purview of the Central Zoo Authority, Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India.It was established with the aim of saving three Indian endangered species of crocodile—the marsh or mugger crocodile, the saltwater crocodile, and the gharial,which at the time of founding of the trust were all nearing extinction.

The CrocBank grounds are covered by coastal dune forest providing a haven for native wildlife, including large breeding colonies of water birds and a secure nesting beach for olive ridley sea turtles.The high aquifer on the sandy coast provides sufficient water supply and the proximity to the major tourist destination of Mahabalipuram ensures annual visitation.The centre is the biggest crocodile sanctuary in India.It covers 8.5 acres (3.4 ha) and had over 450,000 visitors in 2007. The centre has one of the world's largest collections of crocodiles and alligators and has bred 5,000 crocodiles and alligators representing 14 of the 23 existing species, including the three crocodile species, all considered endangered, that are native to India.As of 2011, the CrocBank has a total of 2,483 animals, including 14 species of crocodiles, 10 species of turtles, 3 species of snakes, and 1 species of lizard.

The Crocodile Bank is located 14 kilometers from Mahabalipuram. It was established by herpetologist Romulus Whitaker in 1976. It holds a varied species of Indian and African alligators and crocodiles. They are kept in open pools that are made to resemble their natural habitat. This Crocodile Conservation Center is the most popular site to visit at Crocodile Bank. A snake farm is also located at this site. Anti-venom is produced here in laboratries. The process of extracting the snake venom is a popular tourist attraction, and it allows the Irulas, the snake catcher's tribe, to make a living.

Visit the fascinating Crocodile Bank, experience these gigantic reptiles close at hand, feed them and also witness poison extraction from venomous snakes! Also, within this 2-2.5 hours tour, plan a picnic to the Tiger Cave, a sacred rock-cut Hindu temple near Mahabalipuram. Explore the gardens surrounding the mandapa, as you take a break to spend some quality time with family, friends or other co-travellers.

Starting from Mahabalipuram, anywhere between 8am-3pm, drive down in an auto-rickshaw to the Crocodile Bank, one of the renowned crocodile breeding centres in the world. Spreading over an area of 3.2 hectares and established as a research location for the study of crocodiles, the bank is housing more than 2,400 crocodiles of 14 different species. Spend around 1-1.5 hours learning about the different stages of their breeding and also visit the snake breeding and poison extraction centre within the bank. The poison extracted here is sent worldwide for medicinal research and use. The Tigers Cave is situated at Salurankuppam,at around 5km from Mahabalipuram. It got its name from the numerous tiger head carvings at its entrance. On the way to the temple, enjoy a revitalizing tender coconut drink. Dedicated to Goddess Durga, this mandapa is surrounded by scenic gardens and serves as a popular picnic spot. Explore the vicinity for around 30 minutes and with the completion of your visit, depart the temple site and get dropped back at Mahabalipuram.

History

Large-scale commercial hunting of Indian crocodilians for their skin began towards the end of the 19th century, and by the 1970s, crocodile populations were severely depleted. The Madras Crocodile Bank was conceived in 1973 and started on 26 August 1976 by herpetologist Romulus Whitaker and his wife Zai Whitaker at the time when the Indian government protected all three species of Indian crocodilians under the Wild Life Protection Act of 1972. The real push for captive breeding of crocodiles came after the launch of the Indian Crocodile Conservation Project by the Indian government in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in 1975.The bank was started to protect India's dwindling crocodile population and to preserve the art of snake catching. Along with other like-minded people such as Rajamani, Whitaker founded the bank to conserve the three species of reptiles namely, the mugger (Crocodylus palustris), the gharial (Gavialis gangeticus), and the saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus).

The CrocBank developed a captive breeding program for freshwater turtles and tortoises in 1981 and it successfully bred gharials for the first time in 1989. In 1984, the bank collaborated with Dr. J.W. Lang from University of North Dakota, who initiated a major project on the reproductive biology of the mugger crocodile. The research infrastructure at the bank was augmented by the funds for this project, chiefly a well-equipped laboratory and the collaboration with the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology. This project was continued every year between 1984 and 1994 by Harry Andrews under the supervision of Dr. Lang, who made periodic visits to the bank. The project currently focuses on reptile reproduction, egg incubation, and temperature-dependent sex determination. A 3-year study of the biology and conservation of the mugger crocodile was conducted in the wild and a field station was established on the Moyar River near Bhavanisagar in Tamil Nadu.

Since 1987, studies on breeding biology and growth of lizards, particularly the larger monitor lizards, were conducted in collaboration with researchers in the United Kingdom and Germany. During the period 1989-1991, amphibians studies were carried out on the species Rana hexadactyla, which was featured in BBC Wildlife Magazine in 1996. In 1990, the MCBT newsletter was transformed into a scientific journal, with an international editorial board and a rigorous peer-review system for the acceptance of technical papers for publication. In 1992, a scientific committee consisting of scientists and trustees was instituted and is charged with directing and coordinating research. In 1993, the bank conducted surveys on wetlands and remote area sensing. This was followed by extensive studies on sea snakes, marine turtles, bats, and other small mammals and studies on herpetofauna, biogeography, resource use, land use, rain-water harvesting and coral reef socioeconomics, in addition to protected area management planning, ecologically suitable management planning.

The bank was started with only 30 mugger adults, which grew to 8,000 by the 1990s. Although the breeding program was a great success and many crocodiles were initially released back into the wild, this practice has essentially stopped now due to the loss of habitat. By 2010, there were 14 species of crocodilians at the bank. In 1989, as a division of the bank, the Andaman and Nicobar Environmental Team (ANET) base station was set up on 5 acres (2.0 ha) of land in Wandoor, on the southern tip of South Andaman Island to conduct research programs towards understanding of the diversity, distribution, and ecology of the islands' fauna and flora. In 2003, with the addition of turtles, lizards and snakes, the bank was renamed the Madras Crocodile Bank Trust and Center for Herpetology.The centre is one of the largest reptile zoos in the world. In 2005, Rom Whitaker was given a Whitley Award and used the money to set up the Agumbe Rainforest Research Station (ARRS) to help preserve the hyper-diverse animals and ecosystems that make up the rainforest of the Western Ghats.In 2006, Rom was presented with the Sanctuary-ABN AMRO Lifetime Service Award.