Overview

  • Features: 7th century Hindu temple situated near the coast
  • Opening Times: 6:30 am to 6:00 pm, daily
  • Best Time to Visit: Early weekday mornings
  • Duration: 1 hour
  • Travelled By: Foot
  • Cost: Indian/foreigner Rs 100/250
  • Address: Shore Temple Road, Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu, India
  • Type: Historic site

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What We Liked

Location of temple near the beach.

What We Disliked

Gradual damage to the exterior due to the salty air.

Summary

The spectacular Shore Temple symbolises the heights of Pallava architecture and the maritime ambitions of the Pallava kings. Perched on the edge of a sandy beach on the Bay of Bengal, where it has been subjected to centuries of battering by salt water and oceanic winds, this early-8th-century stone temple is considered to be one of the oldest temples in South India.

Shore Temple Mahabalipuram

 

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The spectacular Shore Temple in Mahabalipuram symbolises the heights of Pallava architecture and the maritime ambitions of the Pallava kings. Perched on the edge of a sandy beach on the Bay of Bengal, where it has been subjected to centuries of battering by salt water and oceanic winds, this early-8th-century stone temple is considered to be one of the oldest temples in South India, and a forerunner of the Dravidian style. This beautiful sandstone World Heritage Site was built in the 7th century by King Rajasimha, also known as Mamalla, for Vishnu, while the two Shiva shrines were added by Mamalla’s successor, Narasimha Varman II.

 

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Its small size belies its excellent proportion and the supreme quality of the carvings, many of which have been eroded into vaguely Impressionist embellishments. Its base is granite and it has a basalt kalasha at its top. Its position on the water’s edge, with an east-facing altar designed to catch the rising sun and a stone pillar to hold the beacon for sailors at night, meant that there was no space for a forecourt or entrance gateway, but two additional shrines were built to the west. The second smaller spire adds to the temple’s unusual structure.

 

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The layout is meant to resemble the perfect cosmic body, with the head and heart located over the spire that dominates the structure. Facing east and west, the original linga (phallic images of Shiva) captured the sunrise and sunset. Placed inside the temple are a reclining Vishnu, a 16-faceted polished linga and reliefs of Somaskanda – a composite form of Shiva with his consort, Parvati and sons, Skanda and Ganesha.

 

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Its gardens have been laid out to ape their ancient antecedents. A low boundary wall topped by rock-cut Nandi bulls (Siva’s sacred bulls) surrounds the temple, and a veritable pride of lions rear their heads from the base of the pillars.

The Shore Temple is believed to be the last in a series of buildings that extended along a since submerged coastline; this theory gained credence during the 2004 tsunami, when receding waters revealed the outlines of what may have been sister temples.

 

Getting to & from Shore Temple

The Shore Temple is located northeast of the Panch Pandava Rathas (Five Rathas), near the Mahabalipuram Beach. There are several ways to get here but most people travel here on foot or bicycle.

Tickets are available from the ASI booth at the entrance. A single ticket for the same day entrance to both the Five Rathas and the Shore Temple costs Rs 100/250 for Indians/foreigners. Approved guides can be hired at the entrance.

 

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