Shore Temple Mahabalipuram

Over looking the Bay of Bengal, the Shore Temples are the beautiful temples which were constructed at the sea shore in the 8th century . There were other temples which were also built at the same time at the sea shore but only the Shore temples could stand the test of time. They were carved in granite and their architectural beauty is simply praise worthy. Their architecture is of Dravadian style. Located in a small village in Tamil Nadu, Mahabalipuram, Rajasimha constructed them during their rein.

Shore Temples are one of the UNIESCO World Heritage Sites and are famous for their intricate carvings. There are three temples, one is dedicated to Lord Vishnu which was built by Narasimha Varman I and the other two are devoted to Lord Shiva that were constructed by Narasimha Varman II. The temples have domes which were built gracefully. The moment you enter the Shiva Temple you will be welcomed by the two carved twin Dwaraka Palaks(guards). The shrine enshrines Shivalinga figure that is a little damaged. The beautiful sculptures depicting the images of goddess Durga, Narshima, Lord Shiva, his consort goddess Parvati and their sons Skanda and Ganesha draw attention of the tourists.

The Vishnu temple enshrines the enchanting statue of Lord Vishnu. The lord elegantly lying down on the floor makes the statue different from the statues of other Gods. The huge temple is enveloped by mandaps and compound walls.