Shore Temple - Ancient World Heritage Temples Mahabalipuram.

 

Shore temple is a is a structural temple, built with blocks of granite dating from the 8th century AD. It is located near Chennai in Tamil Nadu, South India. This Shore Temple Complex has One Large and Two Small temples. It is one of the oldest structural excellence (rock-cut) stone temples of the South India.

 

 

The Shore Temple is so named because it overlooks the shore of the Bay of Bengal. At the time of its creation, the site was a busy port during the reign of Narasimhavarman II of the Pallava dynasty. It was built probably in the reign of Narasimhavarman II, also known as Rajasimha (Pallava ruler) who reigned from 700 to 728 CE. Shore Temple is one among a number of Hindu monuments at Mahabalipuram, on the Coromandel Coast of Tamil Nadu. It is considered the finest early example of medieval southern Indian temple architecture.

 

 

Shore Temple is built of cut stones rather than carved out of caves. This five-storeyed Hindu monument is a pyramidal structure 60 ft high and 50 ft square at the base. It has two shrines, one dedicated to Shiva and the other to Vishnu. It has been built in Dravidian style. Its style is characterized by a pyramidal kutina-type tower that consists of stepped stories topped by a cupola and finial, a form quite different from the northern Indian sikhara. The entire temple is divided into many sections and each section is having a shrine to different deities. The entire structure of this temple consists of several sculptures, carvings of lions and images, which clearly explains why this place is a popular work of art. A very important feature of this temple is that the entire structure is monolithic, and is similar to the design of the Panch Rathas.

 

The Mamallapuram monuments and temples, including the Shore Temple complex, were collectively designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1984.

 

The best time of the day to visit this temple is early morning and evenings, because you get to enjoy the cool breeze by the beach and escape the scorching heat during the day. Also, visiting this temple during monsoon time July to September is much preferred by travelers due to reasons better landscape, climate, and much more.

 

The temple is located at a distance of 27.2km from Otivakkam railway station, and at a distance of 59.2km from Chennai International Airport. This distance can be covered by taking a bus or cab services.