GROUP OF MONUMENTS AT MAHABALIPURAM

• GROUP OF MONUMENTS AT MAHABALIPURAM,TAMILNADU

THE GROUP OF MONUMENTS AT MAHABALIPURAM WERE MADE  PALLAVA KINGS IN THE SEVENTH AND EIGHT CENTURIES.THE TOWN BECAME POPULAR AND FAMOUS UNDER THE RULE OF KING MAMALLA .THESEMONUMENTS HAVE BEEN CARVED OUT OF ROCK ALONG THE COROMANDEL COAST.THE TEMPLE TOWN HAS FOURTY MONUMENTS .HE COROMONDEL COAST OF THE BAY OF BENGAL,SOUTH OF CHENNAI , TAMIL NADU.IT HAS ONE OF THE LARGEST OPEN-AIR ROCK RELIEFS IN THE WORLD.THE SITE INCLUDES SEVERAL CATEGORIES OF MONUMENTS:RATHA TEMPLES WITH AN ARCHITECTURE OF MONOLITH PROCESSIONAL CHARIOTS BUILT BETWEEN 630 AND 668 CE;THE MANDAPA VIHARAS ALSO CALLED CAVE TEMPLES WITH INSCRIPTIONS IN MULTIPLE INDIAN LANGUAGES AND SCRIPTS ; ROCK RELIEFS PARTICULARLY BAS-RELIEFS;STONE CUT STRUCTURAL TEMPLES BUILT BETWEEN 695 AND 722CE;AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXCAVATIONS SOME DATED TO 6 TH CENTURY AND EARLIER.