Wednesday, Feb 5th, Mahabalipuram, India

Greetings!

Since we only left the room to walk the thirty yards to our restaurant for meals yesterday, and swimming in the pool, posting our adventures seemed too boring.  We've been adjusting slowly to a sleep cycle that is approaching more normal, but still has big holes in it.

Today, an early and light breakfast (that's looking more like Indian) led us to meet up with Balu and Mani (our driver and guide), and we headed off to the Group of Monuments of Mahabalipurum.

These 6th and 7th century coastal carvings in diorite, granite and sandstone are a fusion of religion, culture, and legend relating to the Hindu religious pantheon.  There are ten major rathas (monolithic processional chariot-shaped temples), ten mandapas (cave temples with inscriptions in a number of languages), two rock bas-reliefs (one the largest in the world), and three structural temples.  Their development is attributed to a powerful dynasty (Pallava) which dominated southern India from 300 to 900 AD.

The structures are dedicated to Hindu figures, and the reliefs contain epic Hindu and cultural stories.  Lions hold up columns.  Deer, boars, monkeys, elephants, and creatures that are half-human, half-animal find their place in stone.

Mahabalipuram is also known as Mamallapuram, or "Wrestler's City", named for the skills of its 7th century Pallava dynasty king (Narasimha Varman I).  The port city is famous for its silk exports, and visitors (including Marco Polo) wrote of its 'seven pagoda" stone structures.

To see all of the photos taken today, click on Wednesday, Feb 5th, Mahabalipuram, India.