Mamallapuram is on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal, south of Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. The Group of monuments here comprise a collection of 7th and 8th century religious monuments and Hindu temples in the coastal beach area that is a designated UNESCO World Heritage site.
Key features include The Shore Temple built with blocks of granite & The Pancha Rathas (Five Rathas) monument complex which is monolithic Indian rock-cut architecture - carved from stone & shaped like chariots.
Descent of the Ganges which is is a giant open-air rock relief carved on two monolithic rock boulders depicting the descent of the river Ganges to earth from the heavens.
Ganesha Ratha, a "chariot" temple carved out of pink granite.
The Olakkannesvara Temple (ancient lighthouse) and the Mahishasuramardhini Mandapa (Cave Temple) directly below it - also carved out o the monolithic rock.