So, it all started when I was staying in Chennai and was on call with Kumar. He is my college mate and that time he was in Mumbai. We planned to travel somewhere and he was keen to visit some place in east coast. Finally, we agreed on Mahabalipuram!!!
He arrived Chennai central at around 4.30 AM and took a local to reach my flat in Perungalathur. Denying my suggestion of taking rest, he said, "I slept all the way, now can't wait!"
"He seems more travelholic than me", I thought. So, we started at 6 AM and took local to reach Tambaram, crossed railway station to reach east Tambaram, took 95 number bus and reached Sholinganalur at around 7.15 AM ( thanks to less traffic). Sholinganalur is situated at OMR road, but our target was ECR road. We took a local auto to cover 2-3 km distance and reached to bus stop. After waiting for few minutes we boarded a bus to Mahabalipuram at around 7.35 AM. ECR road is one of the most beautiful roads of India, with sea shore at one side and covers a distance of around 800 km joining Chennai to Kanyakumari. This road gives way to few of Chennai's most popular places, Mayajaal, MGM dizzee world, Muttukadu boat house, Kovalam beach, Madras Crocodile bank trust and lets us to Mahabalipuram, Puducherry etc. A lot of resorts and one off road sports arena is also situated on this road. We were crossing Muttukadu boat house and saw Bay of Bengal touching Muttukadu lake. We have boating facility available here and it is one of the best places to enjoy evening. At around 10, bus left highway to Puducherry and entered into Mahabalipuram.
Mahabalipuram, historically being a sea port during 1st century and a port city during reign of Pallavas, is surrounded with ancient monuments, light house and temples etc. Our first target was obvious and after getting down from bus, we walked to the famous Shore Temple.
Shore Temple
Shore Temple : side view
Shore temple got a name of Seven Pagoda's by sailors of 7th century and is dedicated to Lord Shiva. It has granite Shiva ling facing Bay of Bengal. It is said, when sun rises, its rays light the Shivaling from a small door. We took a crowded road from bus stand to reach the entrance. After taking ticket and giving a usual smile to ticket checker, we entered into the garden covering Shore temple. On left side, across the metal railing, we saw wide rocky sea beach with colorful boats. Temple is surrounded with garden on 3 sides and noisy sea beach on one side. A lot of foreigners were there, which explained the popularity of this place across the world. Garden is very well maintained and after crossing curved path, we reached the temple campus. I have photos of Harappa and it looked similar. Old stoned structure, a dry pool lacking water, temple situated on a platform and various shrines covering temple. We entered though side stairs and after crossing a corridor we ended up at Shivaling facing Bay of Bengal.
Shiva ling, Shore temple
I thought, we missed some part, so, after praying we crossed another corridor to see idol of sleeping lord Vishnu. We came out of temple and then saw main entrance with stairs. We entered and bowed in front of Lord Shiva-Parvati.
Shiva Parvati Shrine
Also, there is a small stoned idol of goddess Durga on her lion.
Goddess Durga
We came out of temple and started struggling to reach sea beach, full of noisy waves. After our little struggle temple guard helped us and told there is a muddy way on right side of temple's entrance to go to sea beach.
We took the way told by guard and walked through crowded sandy path having various shops of sea food, caps, toys etc. Being a vegetarian ,smell of fishes was really unbearable for me so I walked swiftly to reach open space. Kumar was checking everything like a police guy. Various vendors were selling entertainment there, balloon shooting, horse riding etc. Beach was fully crowded and though I have visited many beaches on eastern coast, but, this was most noisy with waves hitting rocks. We went towards left to sit on black rocks.Though it was sunny but it always feels good when you are near some shore. After siting for few minutes, we decided for a long walk across the shore. We purchased raw mangoes from a vendor and after our walk, we turned back to eat some thing before visiting Pancha Rathas.
Rathas
Pancha Rathas is around 1.5 km far from shore temple. Though it was warm but since we had some juices and eatables so we walked to cover the distance. We crossed Arjuna penance, light house, shops selling stone and wooden artifacts and a big park on our right side to reach there. This place contains 5 major rathas on the name of 5 pandavas of Mahabharata along with a small monument of ratha for their common wife Draupadi. There is one independent sculpture of Nandi near Arjuna ratha. Here I also saw the elephant sculpture which was very commonly shown in CBSE social science books when I was in school.
Elephant at Panch Rathas
After visiting this, we came out and rushed to a vendor selling lemon soda with ice cubes. After having two glasses each we turned back to our next targets : Arjuna Penance, light house and Varaha Cave temple.
While we were walking towards Arjuna Penance, we stopped at one cap seller and Kumar purchased a Devanand style cap. Since Mahabalipuram is famous for its stone work, so I purchased a small fish locket made up of black stone. We walked and reached to a rocky park surrounded with trees and railings. We entered through a small gate , followed a rocky path to reach a open space which was little crowded. Few lady vendors were selling water, sour fruits and water melon. We purchased and finished in few minutes. There were stairs to reach on the top of the hill. We crossed them to see whole place. Panch Rathas were visible from there. We got down and went into the light house after purchasing tickets.
Light house
Scenic beauty was hypnotizing! Shore temple was looking very small with roaring see covering whole portion. We could see well defined scenery of rocks, water bodies, trees from 360 degree view of light house.
Bay of Bengal and Shore temple from light house
After spending some time, we got down to see Varaha cave temples : a temple of Lord Vishnu, which contains a sculpture of Varaha ( one of the incarnations of Lord Vishnu ) lifting Earth. We saw it and walked through rocky paths to reach to Raya Gopuram : an incomplete temple gate structure. After crossing it, we reached to a big ground containing Krishna's butterball. It is large rock resting on some inclination. Stories are famous that ancient kings and governor tried to move this rock, even with seven elephants, but they failed. Everyone was sliding down from base for rock to the ground. I also gave a try and then we sat under a tree. whole place looks like some big park. Kumar saw a vendor selling samosas. He called him and after having samosas we rested under the tree for some time. When we came out of the park and turned right, we saw Descent of the Ganges!
Descent of the Ganges
This rocky monument shows the story of descent of the river Ganges to the earth from the heavens by Bhagiratha. Our trip was about to end and we walked towards bus stand to see Sthalasayana Perumal Temple.
Before visiting temple we had food at a local restaurant. This temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu and her wife goddess Laxmi. It is said various popular dynasties of south India have contributed in construction of this building!
Sun was about to set and soon our wait was over : one bus was ready to depart for Chennai!
Photo credit : Me, Kumar
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