Mamallapuram

Mamallapuram, also known as Mahabalipuram, is a small coastal town south of Chennai that contains one of the most concentrated groups of early medieval rock-cut and structural monuments in India. The site, a UNESCO World Heritage area, includes the Shore Temple rising above the Bay of Bengal, the sculptural tableau of Arjuna's Penance, and multiple rathas carved from single granite outcrops. Morning light from the east illuminates the Shore Temple's two towers directly from the sea.