Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram
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Seaside Pallava rock-cut temples, monolithic rathas and giant reliefs, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
MonumentMamallapuram, Chengalpattu districtBest time to visit: November to FebruaryUNESCO heritage 1984
Highlights
- The Shore Temple on the Bay of Bengal
- The Pancha Rathas, five chariot-shaped shrines each cut from a single rock
- The great open-air relief known as Arjuna's Penance or the Descent of the Ganga
- Cave temples (mandapas) with carved panels
Significance
Created mainly in the 7th and 8th centuries under the Pallava kings, the monuments show the early growth of Dravidian architecture. They were inscribed as a World Heritage Site in 1984.