Explore UNESCO listed Mahabalipuram
Mahabalipuram is a gallery of Rock cut Temples and a testimony to the creativity of Pallava dynasty. Rocks and Sculptures have stories.
Highlights:
Mesmerising narration, unheard stories, unseen places.
Visiting 7th Century Built monuments & temples – Rock-cut architecture, Shore temple, Lighthouse, Tiger caves, Arjuna Penance, All the Chariots (Rathas), Lighthouse, Mahishasura Mardini cave, Varaha cave, adhi Varaha cave temple, Ramanuja mandap, Varaha mandap, Thirumathi cave and so on.
Walking around 2004 incident unearthed 2000 years old Subramaniya temple excavated site
Looking at wonders of nature – Krishna Butter Ball, Sea Shell Museum
Shopping seashells, stone sculptures and handicrafts
And much more..
Do you feel like visiting Mahabalipuram?
Why should you join this trip from KeyTerns?
To know more about Pallava dynasty
To get 4 dimensional Historical, Archaeological, Architectural & Mythological views from the Heritage Storyteller with Archaeology background who is well appreciated - Refer to KeyTerns TripAdvisor page
Expert Curator profile: Trip is curated by Vijay, the Heritage Storyteller with an Archaeology background, Historian, Excavation Specialist, Researcher and a Wildlife Short film maker. He is passionate in Heritage and Culture, is dedicated and has received several recognition, appreciations, certifications for his work.
PRICE
Expert Curation INCLUDES Curation, and GST
Rs.12000 up to 4 persons and
Rs.3000 per every extra person
Expert Curation with AC Sedan Car from Chennai, Entry Fees, Veg Meals in an AC restaurant, and GST
Total Cost for 1 Person - Rs. 16800
Total Cost for 2 Persons - Rs.17400
Check with us for the rates above 3 persons
Normal Guide Service - please check with us.
How to Book
Please contact our Reservation Specialist, Sandhya on +917305363999./ WhatsApp for queries / booking.
You can also submit this simple form to get quote.
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#Mahabalipuram, #Mamallapuram, #Heritage, #Archaeologist, #KeyTerns, #Historian, #Sculpture, #Archaeology, #storytelling
Note:
Refer to our earlier trips Photo album
Venue, Curator details, etc. will be shared once the registration is complete.
Schedule and sequence are subject to availability and change.
Payment Terms - 100% advance is required.
Cancellation Policy - 95% will be refunded if the guest cancels 48 hours before the scheduled departure time. 100% will be refunded if KeyTerns cancels the trip. Refund is given within a week's time from the date of travel.
Places to be covered in general
Tiger Cave: Our trip starts with the visit to Tiger Cave, a fine rock-cut monument complex. It gets its name from the carvings of the tiger heads on the mouth of a cave which forms a part of the complex. Curator may pose a question and answer. Is it a sculpture of Tigers or something else? Why was ‘so called’ ‘tiger cave’ built? Is it incomplete? Do you see two elephant heads and what could they have been? Do you see one Lingam with three different designs and what do they mean? Do you see a nice storyboard sculpture where ‘Asura’ is indicating to stop the attack while the Goddess is chasing him and what’s the story?
Saluvankuppam
We now take you to another interesting excavated site. Do you know that a 2000 years old temple complex was discovered by a team of archaeologists left exposed by the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami? Was it just a Pallava-era shrine? How did they conclude that it could have been 2000 years old? What materials were used? Interact with the curator during the trip to get more. What deity was worshipped in this temple 2000 years back and what was the evidence?
Shore temple
Do you know that the Shore Temple complex was named as ‘Seven Pagodas’? What does it mean and where are the rest of the temples? Who built the Shore temple? What’s the significance of the architecture? Is it unique?
Arjuna’s Penance
Arjuna’s Penance is one of the magnificent monuments of Mahabalipuram. This wonderful base air relief dates back to the mid-seventh century. Standing tall at a height of 43 feet, the monolith was carved on the face of two huge adjoining boulders, making its length around 96 feet. The majestic structure cannot be made out in photographs, it deserves to be praised by one’s own eyes. Now, you see a stunning sculpture of a depiction of an instance in the Indian epic ‘Mahabharata’. Do you know the Arjuna Penance story? Curator will narrate. Do you know that there is another story around sage Bhagiratha and what’s that?
Along the wonderfully carved sculpture, you will see the sculptor’s touch of humour amid the holy – a cat mimicking Arjuna’s penance to a crowd of mice. Are you serious & curious to see that now?
Pancha Rathas (Five Stone Chariots). Pancha Rathas is a monument complex at Mahabalipuram. Pancha Rathas is an example of monolithic Indian rock-cut architecture.The ‘Ratha’ temples are cave temples made of rocks. The rathas are regarded as the five rathas of Pandavas, the eminent characters of the Mahabharata.
Krishna Butter Ball – natural or god’s creation or human made or alien made: We will visit this amazing wonder. This monolithic granite rock found in Mahabalipuram India, is over 20 feet in height. With its width almost equal to its height, it looks spherical in some angles but not a perfect sphere. It weighs over 250 tons and miraculously stands on an extremely small, slippery area of a hill. What’s the other name for this rock ball?Do you know that this rock was the inspiration to create the famous dolls and what they are?
Lighthouse Next in the plan is to climb up new and old Lighthouses. They are stunning for photography and marvellous to see around from the top of them. The new lighthouse with a circular masonry tower made of natural stone was constructed in the 19th Century. Do you know that Mamallapuram was one of the oldest trading ports with foreigners and a 7th Century built old lighthouse is evidence?
Sea Shell Museum Next stop is at the optional Sea Shell Museum, which is the largest seashell museum in India. It houses over 40,000 specimens of rare and unique seashells, fossils, shark teeth and whale fins which offers visitors an amazing visual treat and a unique perspective.
