Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram - History

History

Records attest that the site was a seaport during the time of Periplus (1st century AD) and Ptolemy (AD 140). It was established as a town in the 7th century by the Pallava kings who ruled south of Madras (now known as Chennai). It became a famous harbour town used for trading with many kingdoms of Southeast Asian countries like Kambuja (present-day Cambodia) and Shrivijaya (present-day islands of Malaysia, Sumatra and Java), and also with the Champa Empire (known as Annam). In subsequent periods it became famous more for its rock-cut temples and caves and also structural temples built between 630 and 728 AD.

Mahabalipuram is named after the King Mamalla (meaning the great warrior) also known as Narasimhavarman I (c. 630 – 670), who ruled during the 7th century at the head of the Pallava Dynasty. However, Mahendravarman I (AD 600-30), father of Mamalla I, is also given credit to some of the architectural edifices here during his reign. During the 7th century the temple-building activity marked the beginning of rock-cut architecture in South India as part of Dravidian architectural monuments. Some of the monuments built during this period are: Rock-cut rathas (Five Rathas) or chariots, the open air bas-reliefs known as the Descent of the Ganges, the rock-cut decorated caves like the Govardhanadhari, Mahishasuramardini, and the Jala-Sayana Perumal Temple, all attributed to Mamalla.

In the 8th century, as building of the rock-cut monolithic temples became less important, structural temples became popular during the reign of another Pallava king, Rajasimha (AD 700-28). His contribution to the structural architecture was monumental, as he built one of the grandest temples known at the time, the Shore Temple. This temple complex comprises three temples: the Rajasimhesvara, a west-facing structure which has a small tritala vimana; the Kshatriyasimhesvara, an east-facing structure which has the largest vimana; and Nripatisimha Pallava Vishnugriha, another east-facing structure which is a flat-roofed mandapa in oblong shape, and which enshrines the reclining Vishnu. The two prakara walls surrounding the temples in this complex are dated to a later period. The Pallava dynasty reigned from 4th to 9th century until it was defeated by the Chola dynasty in 897 AD. Mahabalipuram's historical importance diminished after that. For some time it was known only as a port, but eventually was deserted.

Archaeologists of antiquarian art rediscovered the monuments in the 19th century. In the 20th century it became a major tourist attraction and was made a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1984, under four categories under criteria of i, ii, iii and iv. Immediately before the tsunami of 2004 struck the Indian Ocean, including the Bay of Bengal, the ocean water off Mahabalipuram’s coast pulled back approximately 500 metres (1,600 ft). Tourists and residents who witnessed this event from the beach recalled seeing a long, straight row of large rocks emerge from the water. As the tsunami rushed to shore, these stones were covered again by water. However, centuries worth of sediment that had covered them was gone. The tsunami also made some immediate, lasting changes to the coastline, which left a few previously covered statues and small structures uncovered on the shore.