Seven Pagodas of Mahabalipuram, Archaeological site in Mahabalipuram, India.
The Seven Pagodas of Mahabalipuram form an archaeological site on the coast of Tamil Nadu with freestanding temples and rock-hewn structures. The complex spreads along the beach and includes separate structures built over several decades.
The temple group emerged in the 7th and 8th centuries as part of a larger port complex under the Pallava dynasty. Later rulers expanded the site before it was abandoned following the decline of the region.
The site takes its name from a legend that speaks of seven original temples, six of which are said to have disappeared beneath the sea. Visitors today can still see stonemasons crafting modern sculptures in surrounding workshops using techniques passed down through centuries.
The site sits directly by the sea and can be explored on foot, with some paths crossing sand and uneven surfaces. A visit in the early morning offers cooler temperatures and fewer crowds at most monuments.
Some of the large relief panels show over 100 figures of humans, gods, and animals arranged in a single continuous composition. The carvings were worked directly out of solid granite without assembling separate blocks.
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