Olakkannesvara Temple
Chengalpattu district, Tamil Nadu
The Olakkannesvara Temple is in Mahabalipuram town, overlooking the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal in Kancheepuram District in Tamil Nadu, India. Like the Shore Temple, the Olakkannesvara Temple is a structural temple. Built in the 8th century, it is situated directly above the Mahishasuramardini mandapa on a hillock which provides scenic views of the town. As the area is within a high security zone because of a nuclear power station a few kilometres to its south, photography is prohibited. The Olakkannesvara Temple is sometimes mistakenly referred to as a Mahishasura temple. It is dedicated to an incarnation of Shiva. It is one of the Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram that were designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1984.
From the Wikipedia article Olakkannesvara Temple, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where it is
Chengalpattu district, Tamil Nadu. Open in Google Maps
How to reach
- By train: nearest station Chengalpattu Junction railway station (CGL), about 30 km by road.
- By air: Chennai International Airport (MAA), about 51 km by road.
In-depth temple guides nearby
- Arulmigu Kapaleeswarar Temple – North Mada Street, Mylapore, Chennai (about 59 km)
- Arulmigu Devarajaswamy (Varadharaja Perumal) Temple – Chinna (Little) Kanchipuram, Kanchipuram district (about 69 km)
- Sri Kamakshi Ambal Devasthanam – Kanchipuram, Kanchipuram district (about 73 km)
- Arulmigu Ekambareswarar Temple (Ekambaranathar Temple) – Periya Kanchipuram, Kanchipuram district (about 74 km)
- Arulmigu Manakula Vinayagar Temple, Puducherry – White Town, Puducherry (Pondicherry) (about 106 km)
Timings and rituals for this temple aren't in our guide yet – check locally before you travel. More temples in Tamil Nadu