Welcome back to the exploration of Tamil Nadu, where every corner is filled with history and beauty just waiting to be discovered. If you're just joining me, be sure to catch up on our previous adventures in Kanchipuram – you won't want to miss it! And here's a link to Google maps we followed.
What’s next? We've said goodbye to Kanchipuram and now have a few extra days before heading home. And you know what they say about idle minds – they're perfect for planning our next destination! We came across this place through a youtube video and let me tell you, the reality is even more amazing. With two more days to fill with exploration and excitement, we set off for Mahabalipuram, excited to uncover its hidden gems and make unforgettable memories. As we continue our journey, leaving no stone unturned in this enchanting coastal town. Prepare to be enchanted by Mahabalipuram – a place where ancient stories meet modern wonders, and every corner holds a new adventure. Let's dive in!
Let's Begin Day 1
There are direct buses which arrive on certain timings and other connecting buses. We decided to save up waiting time and board the Chengalpattu bus from Kanchipuram Central Bus Stand. Enjoyed looking at the silky shiny rice fields as we exited the city and entered the suburbs while on the bus. After about two hours we finally reached Chengalpattu Bus Stand. We enquired about a bus taking us to our main destination - Mahabalipuram. We boarded our bus and finally halted at the bus stand and headed our way to Mahabalipuram. We ended up reaching the destination later in the afternoon than expected and right after a long journey we started the hunt for hotel rooms as soon as we reached the place. So, there are affordable accommodation available in abundance at Mahabalipuram. You may decide to visit the hotel before booking. There may be a hike in the pricing during weekends or festivals but the options are plenty to choose from. After a good hunt for stay and negotiation we got a comfortable place to finally rest.
Sea shore temple was on our way during the hotel hunting so we decided to visit it as we explored. Sea Shore Temple is a UNESCO world heritage site, one of the group of monuments with paid entries and you may choose to book your tickets online avoiding the long queues over weekends or offline at the ticket counter closer by the temple. This marvelous stone temple built by the Pallava kings by the shore with a scenic view that was once a busy port definitely takes you back in time. We spent plenty of time there mesmerized by the elegance of the temple, the texture of the temple stones, the breeze and the sea view. Also, happend to find out about the annual cultural festival that takes place for a week at the end of December around the temple premises which you can not afford to miss.
Later in the evening with empty tummies we went on a snacking stroll and discovered a local restaurant serving authentic Tibetan cuisine with eastern serenity. We ordered chicken momos which were juicy and thukpa packed with flavors. They even had a small german bakery stall outside the restaurant, the cookies and pastries were just average. Finally, we directed ourselves to the festival. The evening was truly a feast for the senses! Vibrant Bharatanatyam dances swaying gracefully on stage, captivating the audience with every intricate move. But it wasn't just about the dance; it was a celebration of culture in its purest form. From the colorful costumes that seemed to come alive under the stage lights to the sheer talent on display, there was something magical about witnessing performers of all ages and backgrounds come together to share their passion. And the best part? It was all open to everyone, no price tags attached. Then we headed to the beach to enjoy the breeze and a walk along the shore. Would highly recommend visiting the private beach which is comparatively much clean and well maintained. We even had fried Gobi Manchurian and some fried fish at the public beach and wrapped up our first day.
I was sick the next day, had food poisoning so really couldn't enjoy the rest of the journey as much as I would've loved to experience and conditions just got worse as the time passed.
Let's Continue Day 2
We started our last day at Mahabalipuram a little late in the morning, refreshed and headed to eat our simple South Indian breakfast along with some filter coffee at a nearby cafe. Please try to start your day early as there is a lot to explore and to make the most out of it which indeed is time consuming. Our plan was to visit the rest of the Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram - including the Light House. You can cover all the spots with a single ticket i.e. including the Sea Shore Temple. We started by visiting Arjuna’s Penance which depicts how Arjuna, one of the Pandavas, performed penance to get Shiva’s weapon as a boon. Descent of Ganges’ is a well carved narration of Maa Ganga relieving the seven cursed Vasu brothers by drowning them in the holy river. It made me wonder how our ancestors tried their best to preserve our history, culture and traditions in the best way possible with available resources and never restricted themselves from passing on the legacy, the storytelling with just mere texts. It is amazing that just looking at these monuments you can get an idea of what’s going on with just little knowledge. Followed by the caves of Govardhanadhari as the name suggest it is Shree Krishna’s story of lifting up the Govardhan Mountain by just using his pinky finger and Mahishasuramardini where Maa Durga slays off the buffalo demon - Mahishasura, the sleeping Mahavishnu at the rear part of the Shore, Atiranachanda cave, Tiger-cave, Lighthouse and Draupadi’s bathtub and other monuments to discover.
The magnificent Krishna’s butterball is a huge rock boulder which looks like a gallop of butter. What fascinated us was that it strangely defies gravity by standing on the slippery slope of a hill with minimum space at the base. As we wandered around, we saw multiple sculpture shops making black stone handcrafted sculptures of various designs, sizes, shapes and customization. At a 15 minute walking distance to the opposite way you will find the famous five monolithic chariots - Pancha Rathas, for the Pandava brothers and their wife - Draupadi. There were also other three monolithic structures for animals, the Nandi facing Arjuna’s rath, the elephant by Nakul-Sahadev’s Chariot and the lion at the entrance. There are other places like the sculpture museum and sea shell museum you may wish to visit as a part of your trip.
We had coconut water to rejuvenate ourselves on our way back to the hotel and checked out in the evening. Went back to enjoy the last day of the festival and ours as well. Took a last stroll at the beach, had chicken biryani along with chicken 65 and bought a cute shin chan keychain and refrigerator magnets too before finally leaving Mahabalipuram as we had our train to board from Chennai Egmore early in the morning. So, we enquired about the bus timings to the locals and found out that there are no buses available after 8pm from Mahabalipuram so we had to walk almost 1 km-1.5 km to the bus stop late at midnight. After a short wait, we got our bus to Koyambedu which took approximately 2-3 hours to reach. After reaching Koyambedu bus stop we switched to our connecting local bus to Chennai Egmore which took another 30-40 minutes. The railway station is at a walking distance from the bus stop.
Here's a Cost Breakdown for Mahabalipuram Trip
