A visual tour around Mamallapuram, South India

Half way between the cities of Chennai and Pondicherry, in Tamil Nadu, sits Mammallapuram (also known as Mahabalipuram).

Famous for its grand stone carvings and structures, this town dates back to the 7th/9th century and it’s one of the oldest examples of South Indian architecture within the Dravidian style.

This is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, but truth be told, the crowds, lack of maintenance of the surrounding areas and usual businesses that concentrate around such touristic spots, do take out from the sense of care and preservation a place like this should be immersed in. I guess all of that confusion is part of the Indian experience and, as such, should be embraced with an adventurous spirit.

Still very much worth a visit, this is what Mammallapuram and the areas around it look like:

(Click i for captions!)

Shore Temple

Cow figures outside the Shore Temple

It's been 1400 years

Ashray developing his spiritual side

And then Ashray…

Ladies coming out of the Shore Temple

Meanwhile, by a nearby touristic bus

Wherever there are tourists

At the Five Rathas site

Merchandise sellers on site

By the Five Rathas

Ashray by the Five Rathas

Fresh fruits and water

A group of beggars with leprosy

Stop for some ice-cream…

Arjuna's Penance bas-relief

Carvings of elephants and monkeys

Good-bye Mamallapuram