Mahishasuramardini Mandapa
Chengalpattu district, Tamil Nadu
Mahishasuramardhini Mandapa is an example of Indian rock-cut architecture dating from the late 7th century, of the Pallava dynasty. It is a rock-cut cave temple located on a hill, near a lighthouse, along with other caves in Mamallapuram. Mamallapuram, also popularly known as Mahabalipuram, is a small village to the south of Chennai, in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. The temple is part of the Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram, a UNESCO World Heritage Site inscribed in 1984. This Cave Temple has many interesting architectural features of which three exquisitely carved reliefs on the cave walls of three sanctums are prominent. One is of Vishnu reclining on the seven hooded serpent, Adishesha, another of Durga, the main deity of the cave temple Durga slaying the buffalo headed demon Mahishasura, and the third sanctum has a sculpture of Shiva.
From the Wikipedia article Mahishasuramardini Mandapa, 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