| Mahaballipuram | |
 | |
| Information | |
| Country |  India |
|---|---|
| Population | 15 172 hab. () |
| Postal code | 603104 |
| Location | |
 12 ° 37 ′ 22 ″ N 80 ° 11 ′ 38 ″ E | |
Mahaballipuram (Mahabalipuram, Mavalipuram Where Mamallapuram) is an Indian village located 60 km south of Chennai (Madras) on the Coromandel coast. It is home to a major archaeological site of theIndia from South.
Understand
In the 7th century, during the reign of the Pallava dynasty, Mahaballipuram was probably an important port in communication with the Srivijaya in Indonesia and the Kingdom of Champâ in the current Vietnam. However, no port facility has been found to date.
To go
If you don't appreciate the big Indian metropolises which can be stressful, you can come directly from the airport of Chennai at Mahaballipuram. Some hotels provide the service to pick you up there by taxi.
As in the rest of India, services of the Uber, Ola or Fast-track type will for the most part go as far as this and will have the advantage of having fixed prices.
Do not hesitate to leave the airport grounds to take a taxi or a rickshaw. Those waiting outside or caught stealing on the road will be a little less inclined to offer exorbitant fares.
It is also possible to come by bus, many of them serve the village. In particular, buses connecting Chennai-Pondicherry via ECR (East Coast Road) will stop at Mammallapuram (although sometimes it will be necessary to insist that the driver stop). From the airport, the fastest is to rent a Rickshaw to Thiruvanmiyur (approx. 15-20 min.) Bus-Stand then take the ECR Express towards Pondicherry (approx. 45 min.). Sometimes the bus will drop you off outside the city to continue directly to Pondicherry, in which case it will take about 10 minutes to walk to the village center. Do not believe all the Tuk-Tuk drivers who will announce you greatly exaggerated distances for exorbitant prices (50 Rupees the race being already well paid).
Circulate
Mahaballipuram is a village, all trips can be done on foot. You can also take a rickshaw. In this case, agree on the amount of the fare before getting into the vehicle.
It is also possible to rent a bike for the day (very cheap), moped, scooter or motorbike. Do not hesitate to ask the many travel agencies which, not always having a vehicle to rent, will help you find what you are looking for.
To see
The site has a large number of Hindu monuments dedicated to Shiva, Vishnu, but also Krishna and the heroes of the Mahabaratha.
The three main monuments are:
- The Descent of the Ganges
- the Shore Temple
- The Five Southern Ratha
A large number of temples, often excavated, are scattered over the territory of the village.
There is also in the village a huge vaguely spherical rock called Krishna's butter ball (Krishna Butter Ball). The latter is one of the city's curiosities because it seems to be in precarious balance.
Do
Mahaballipuram is often seen by locals as the destination getaway from Chennai and, to a lesser extent, from Bangalore who regularly come to spend a weekend there.
People usually come here to enjoy a well-deserved calm after the tumult of the big city, to taste grilled fish, caught the same day from the top of a rooftop to the rhythm of the sound of the waves.
The place is also famous for surfing, and there are some easily spotted board rental companies who can also offer you lessons.
To buy
The city is known for the quality of its stone sculptors. We can therefore buy sculpted objects there. For bronze statues, if we travel in the Tamil Nadu, we will rather buy in a big city, Madurai Where Trichy.
Eat
- the vegetarian restaurant of Mamalla Bhavan Annex
- Moonraker, Ottavadai St., quite uneven but very frequented by Indian tourists.
- the Nautilus, Ottavadai Cross. Street. Very good place, run by a French for 20 years.
- the Luna Magica, directly on the beach, going north. Ideal for those who want to eat a good fish with their feet in the sand. Do not hesitate to negotiate the prices a bit.
- Elli n Joe's Kitchen. Ask how to get to Sylvermoon, an establishment run by the same people. Superb rooftop, family and friendly.
Have a drink / Go out
In low season, most restaurants and cafes will tend to close quite early, but during weekends and tourist periods it is possible to find some places that will close ... when the last customer has left the premises. Far from European nightclubs, we can still make some nice and improbable encounters.
Although in decline lately, the benchmark in the field remains the Masala cafe(Last street along the beach, perpendicular to Othavadai Street). Directly opposite is also the Bob coffee, which has the advantage of the sea view.
Housing
Cheap
- Sylvermoon guest house, one of the best value for money in town, but often full.
- Luna Magica. Other than the sea view, the rooms are not amazing. We still appreciate the restaurant.
Middle class
- Mamalla Bhavan Annex, very well run hotel on the main street, comfortable rooms, reasonable prices, good vegetarian restaurant.
Luxury
- Fisherman's cove
- Ashok Temple Bay Resort
- Radisson Blu
Around
More and more travelers are using Mahabalipuram as a base for exploring the surrounding area. By renting a driver or a motorbike, it is possible during the day to visit:
- The Eagle-Temple, in Thirukalukundram (approx. 20 min. Drive) as well as the surrounding rice fields and bucolic landscapes.
- Kovalam, famous for its surf spot (approx. 20 min. Drive)
- Vandalur Zoo (approx. 45 min. By car)
- Kancheepuram, for its temple and its Sarees (approx. 1 h 20 road)
- Nagolapuram, a small hiking spot in the hills quite popular with locals (approx. 2 h road)
- Pondicherry (approx. 1 h 30 road)
- Senji, ancient fortress (approx. 2 h 30 road)
- Thiruvannamalai, its temples and the surrounding landscapes (approx. 3 h road)
