| Mahabalipuram | |
| State - District(s) | Tamil Nadu - Kancheepuram |
| Coordinates | |
| Area - Elevation | - 12 m |
| Time zone | IST (UTC+5:30) |
| Population (2001) - Density | 12,049 - |
Mahabalipuram(Tamil:மகாபலிபுரம்) (also known as Mamallapuram) is a town in Kancheepuram district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is 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.
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.
Most of the sculptures are not very intricate in details but rather tend to be rough sculptures. One point of view is 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:
Mahabalipuram is a favourite shopping haunt for South Indian artifacts, both wooden and granite based.
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 seventh and eighth centuries. 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 J. Goldingham who was told of the "Seven Pagodas" when he visited in 1798. These structures could be part of the legendary pagodas. The Archaeological Survey of India sent divers to begin underwater excavations of the area on February 17, 2005.
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Mamallapuram is located at <ref>Falling Rain Genomics, Inc - Mamallapuram</ref>. It has an average elevation of 12 metres (39 feet).
As of 2001 India censusGRIndia, Mamallapuram had a population of 12,049. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. Mamallapuram 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 Mamallapuram, 12% of the population is under 6 years of age.
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Agra Fort | Ajanta Caves | Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park | Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus | Churches and Convents of Goa | Elephanta Caves | Ellora Caves | Fatehpur Sikri | Great Living Chola Temples | Hampi | Humayun's Tomb | Kaziranga | Keoladeo | Khajuraho | Mahabalipuram | Mahabodhi Temple | Manas Wildlife Sanctuary | Darjeeling and Nilgiri Mountain Railways | Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers | Pattadakal | Qutub Minar | Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka | Sanchi | Sun Temple, Konarak | Sundarbans | Taj Mahal
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de:Mamallapuram fr:Mahâballipuram nl:Mahabalipuram nn:Mamallapuram pl:Mahabalipuram ta:மாமல்லபுரம்
