Looking back in February 2016, me and a buddy visited Chennai and Mumbai, India.  I always loved visiting different countries in Asia because of the culture shock and the delicious food.  I never realized how much I enjoyed Indian food until I visited the country.  I was so impressed with the food, that I even wrote a blog post here.

During our Chennai visit, we stayed at La Woods Hotel.  On our third day here, we asked the hotel staff about some tours that they would recommend or offer.  He told us that he knew of a guy that would take us to Mahabalipuram (also called Mamallapurum ) for the day to visit some temples and whatever we wanted to do for a set price.  I can’t remember the exact price we agreed upon but do remember that it was cheap enough and worth it for us to do. (UPDATE: 4000 rupees = $55 USD)

Getting There

When our tour guide (driver) came, he had a bigger car which was what we requested.  It didn’t have a wheelchair ramp, but the driver told us he would help my buddy with transferring me anytime he needed.  The drive from our hotel to Mahabalipuram should be just over an hour, and that he would take us on a nice scenic route and show us some cool sites as we drive by.

The driver drove by a beach that had a lot of poor people live nearby and some of the slums.  It was a little sad to see how polluted that area was and how some of the homes were so small, dirty and crowded with people.  It just seemed like something from a movie.  We could even smell the rotting fish and garbage as we drove by.

Mahabalipuram

Mahabalipuram is a small resort town located in the Southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu.  It is about 60 km (37 miles) from Chennai and this town has some important structures and temples also known as The Group Of Monuments at Mahabalipuram.  The main ones are Krishna’s Butter Ball, Five Rathas, Cave Temples, Rock Reliefs and the Shore Temple.  Since they were all grouped close to each other, we had the chance to visit them all.  The whole area was pretty wheelchair accessible too.

Krishna’s Butter Ball and Butter Well

Krishna’s Butter Ball is a giant granite boulder resting on a short incline.  This rock looks like it should roll away or move if touched but it is so secure in the ground that lots of people pose beside it or under parts of it.  We definitely had some fun photos here.  The Butter Well is located about 40 meters (130 feet) north of the Butter Ball.

Five Rathas

The Ratha temples are carved in the shape of chariots.  The main five are: Dharmaraja, Bhima, Arjuna, Draupadi, and Nakula Sahadeva Ratha.  I really enjoyed looking at all these temples.  All of them seem to be in real good shape and loved the Nakula Sahaveda Rath with the elephant.  Getting around to see all five Rathas was easy enough on the sandy ground.

Cave Temples

There are over 10 cave temples located at The Group Of Monuments at Mahabalipuram.  Again, they were all made from cut rock and features many exceptional designs.  We casually examined all of them and was just fascinated by the whole experience.

Rock Reliefs

Reliefs are carved into rocks or boulders.  It is where sculpted elements remain attached to a solid background of the same material.  The Descent Of Ganges is one of the largest open-air rock relief.  Based on Hindu mythology, the relief is carved on two 27 meter (90 feet) long and 9 meter (30 feet) high boulders.  This was definitely one of my favorite things to see at this attraction.

Shore Temple

The Shore Temple complex is near the Mahabalipuram shore.  It consists of one large temple, two smaller temples and many minor shrines.  The Shore Temple was used as a landmark for navigation hundreds of years ago and features some really fascinating architecture.

Lunch

After a few hours checking out The Group Of Monuments at Mahabalipuram in the hot sun, we were ready for a cold drink and some food.  Our driver walked us to Blue Elephant Restaurant, which was only about 5 minutes away.  It was wheelchair accessible and looked inviting.  We wanted seafood and were shown a plate of fresh seafood to choose from.  We chose the fish and giant prawns with a side of fried rice.  The fried fish was so amazing and the giant prawns tasted like lobster.  It was more pricey compared to other restaurants in India but cheaper than Canadian standards. (UPDATE: 2260 rupees = $30 USD)

The Madras Crocodile Bank

After lunch, our driver asked if we wanted to see some crocodiles and other reptiles at a mini zoo.  The Madras Crocodile Bank Trust and Center for Herpetology was only about a 15 minute drive from the restaurant.  Our driver waited outside and told us to visit as long as we wanted.  The zoo didn’t have any paved pathways as it was mostly dirt, rocks and sand.

We did get to see a bunch of different types of crocodiles and some lizards, frogs and turtles.  There was even a show featuring an Indian guy with a bunch of different snakes including a cobra snake.  It was really neat to experience this and see a lower budget type of zoo.  We managed to stay over an hour here and saw everything here.

Spending the day in Mahabalipuram was such a rewarding time.  It was not too far from the city of Chennai and was worth paying a local to drive us out here and spend the day with us.  We really learned lots and enjoyed The Group Of Monuments at Mahabalipuram, had one of the best seafood lunches ever and got to see a crocodile zoo.  Everything was mostly wheelchair accessible at this resort town and the most challenging part is getting here.  Lucky I bring buddies who can help transfer me to regular vehicles.  If you can manage getting to Mahabalipuram, visiting for the whole day is highly recommended.