We set out to Mahabalipuram with a lot of skepticism about touts and pesky beggars and vendors. But Kart and I were determined to visit another 'World Heritage Site' and squeezed in this quick trip. The drive was excellent with the beach on one side and back­wa­ters on the other. If lucky one can even spot Porsches and Ferraris on this road.

The toll road was probably one of the best roads in the south and the many shades of blue of the sea water were very inviting. We reached there in good time and headed straight for the Shore temple. The entry fee for all the protected monuments is a paltry Rs 10. We were surprised to find land­scaped lawns, clean sur­round­ings and organized shops inside the premises.

The name Mahabalipuram evolved from Mamallapuram, named after the great Pallava ruler Mamalla (c.630-68). It lies 58 kilometers from Chennai, and the monuments here dating back to the 7th and 8th centuries are protected under Unesco's World Heritage Sites. The Shore temple, our first stop, speaks of the grandeur of the Pallavas and has weathered the forces of nature for cen­tur­ies. Having Balaram Periappa as our guide was a big plus. Then we headed to the Five rathas which were carved out of a single rock. Each ratha has its own ar­chi­tec­tur­al style and exudes grandeur and splendor. Our next halt was the old light house where one can still see a chamber where logs were burnt to signal to the ships. The view from the top is breathtaking and offers a 360 degree view of the coastline and monu­ment­s. Around the light house one can see the numerous caves each depicting a myth­o­lo­gic­al story. Prominent among these are Krishna Mandapam, The Varaha Cave, Dhar­ma­raja Cave and the Mahisasmardini Cave.

Set out early to beat the heat and the touts. Carry water and sun pro­tec­tion. Even in February it can get op­press­ive. As the sun rose above, we had to don our coolers and caps. One can spend from a few hours to a few days learning about the architecture and stories behind the sculptures and whicever it is you decide to do, do not miss Mahabalipuram.