Growing up in the state of Kerala, the neighboring state of Tamil Nadu held an enviable place in my heart. This was of course the state with an ancient Dravidian civilization that had managed to stay true to its religious, cultural, and literary roots while embracing the desirable parts of modernism. Tamilians have reigned (and continue to) hallowed hallways of Government bureaucracy to corporate board rooms, while providing Indian and global audiences with first rate artists, sports prodigies, and writers alike. Therefore when a family trip to South India was in the works, it had to start with Tamil Nadu.
Stop 1 about an hour out of Chennai was Dakshina Chitra, an interesting open-air museum showcasing rural and traditional life in 4 southern states of India. It is worth about an hour of wandering about, reading the detailed information on the life and history of ordinary people. The website advertises that there is a craft bazaar but it was more like 2-3 artisans/shopkeepers with generic looking souvenirs. If staying at Chennai, I would recommend a dekko.
A UNESCO World heritage site, Mahabalipuram is an astounding showcase of art in stone, dating back to the Pallava dynasty, believed to have been constructed in the 7th and 8th centuries CE. Although some of these monuments are temples, they are also rock reliefs, cave sanctuaries, halls, ‘chariots’, and much more. The monuments are spread over almost 4 kms and the plan was to start at the star of them all – The Shore temple and make our way through the rest. But best laid plans, yada yada yada, we ended up first at the southernmost of the monuments and therefore the plan was reversed.
Tip: Buy a ticket from the ASI (Archeological Survey of India) booth at the Light house and hold on to it. You will need it at the Five Rathas and the Group of Monuments.
Another Tip : Curb the enthusiasm to walk to the Five Rathas and drive instead. There is ample parking and you won't be dodging motorbikes and high speed vehicles on a relatively narrow road with no pavement.
One more Tip: It is hot in Tamil Nadu for most of the year unless you are visiting in December or you are in the hills. So, a hat or an umbrella is a must. So is lots of water, sunscreen and roomy cotton clothes. Dress like the natives..they do know stuff that you may not!
You climb a few (ok many) well-maintained steps up the hill to reach the Olakannesvara Temple, overlooking the Coromandel coast of the Bay of Bengal. This temple attributed to Lord Shiva is a built of grey-granite in the traditional Dravidian architecture and was used as a lighthouse during the Pallava dynasty around 640 CE. A modern version was built in 1887 and was functional since 1904. It ceased its operations in 2011. Since there is no idol here anymore this is a structural temple and is a fine example of the Pallava style of architecture. The cool breeze that dries up all the sweat you collected climbing those steps is a bonus to a majestic uninterrupted view of the Bay of Bengal.
Drive about 1 km to the group of monuments known as Panch Rathas or Five Chariots. This group of structures was carved out of a single granite outcrop and is a sight to behold as you walkup past the entrance gate. It might feel overwhelming to handle these on your own but a little bit of planning before the trip can help you avoid paying anyone to tell you all the things that you could have found out yourself. The Archeological Survey of India (ASI) website and the website of the Dept of Tourism of Tamil Nadu do a really good job of giving you background info.
These five chariots are dedicated to each of the Pandava brothers and their wife Draupadi. There are statues of a lion, bull and elephant to keep them company as well. Each of the chariots are created in a different architectural style – traditional Dravidian archictecture, Pallava architecture, Buddhist architecture and Bengali architecture. The roofs and some of the statuettes remind you of carvings in Buddhist temples in Seoul or the extensive temples of Bali. These structures are a testament to how far the influence and rule of the Pallava dynasty had spread throughout South east Asia.
Yes, it is compelling to want to know about the statues and the rathas - who made these, why, what do each of the structures mean, why is one roof oblong but the other a pyramid and many many more. But if you can stop taking pictures (which is really hard) and just walk slowly into and around each structure, observe the statues that were carved into hard granite almost 1500 years ago, you will be filled with such a sense of wonder and majesty that you will forget your intellectual curiosity to hours to come.
From here on, it is all on foot. The monuments are well maintained and the entire complex is clean albeit crowded with tourists. But, considering the import of this UNESCO heritage site, I hope more and more people get to experience this wonder.
The next monument as you make your way to the ultimate destination of Shore temple is a pavilion that houses a wondrous bas-relief - the Krishna Mandapam. It depicts a story of Krishna saving his village folk by lifting up Mount Govardhana. Every aspect of a cowherder’s life is depicted here, carved into stone and has thanffully survived for so many centuries.
I bet you that the sight that awaits you as you walk out of this mandapa (pavilion) is something you wont forget ever! Measuring almost 40 feet across, a huge relief cut into two large boulders awaits you. You notice pouncing lions, men in hunting poses, women dancing, deer, mice, more lions, a group of different sized elephants sheltering baby elephants, an old bearded man deep in penance, celestial beings with halos, men either reclining on large nagas(cobras) or men who themselves have a giant snakes on their head…Phew!! All this carved into one of the toughest stones – granite – more than 1500 years ago. You are looking at Arjuna’s penance of the Descent of the Ganga, one of world’s largest rock reliefs.
You will soon see a large throng of people around an oddly shaped boulder and you have now reached Krishna’s butterball.
Not a man-made scultpture but a wonder of nature itself, this is a giant boulder that seems frozen on the edge of a steep rock slope, defying gravity. The original name of the story is Vaan Irai Kal which translates to Sky God's Stone but the playful name of Krishna’s butterball has stuck for many years, referencing the love of young Krishna for all things milk and butter. It is a wonder to behold a good place to catch your breath and take a few obligatory tourist pictures, pretending to hold up the giant boulder.
Then you turn eastwards, trying in vain to listen to the waves of the Bay of Bengal or feel its salty air as you make your way to the final destination of the Shore Temple.
A beautiful example of traditional Dravidian architecture, the Shore temple is a complex of three shrines – two dedicated to Lord Shiva and one to Lord Vishnu, with an outer wall with bull figures as an ode to Nandi, Shiva’s vehicle. The pyramidal towers soar high into the blue sky and loudly proclaim the might to the Pallava rulers who used Mahabalipuram as an important port during their reign. Once again, the geometric precision and details in this granite structure have to be seen to be believed.
And no, you do not get tired to saying “Wow!” “This is so awesome” “How did they do that” “I cant believe this is 1500 years old” as you bid farewell to this wondrous town and ask your driver to embark on the next leg of your trip.
