On the way
Myself, wife, daughter and father started at 6 am from our house in Selaiyur, Chennai. The automatic I10 was a pleasure to derive and at 6 am there was no traffic. We took the Madampakam to Mambakkam road, took a left turn at Mambakkam towards Sholinganallur. And at Sholinganallur another left in the Sholinganallur towards Kovalam.
On the ECR link road from Sholinganallur to Kovalam,we stopped near the over bridge, it has some beautiful birds especially in the winter. After the toll gate we took a right turn moved towards Mahabalipuram. After half hour drive we reached Mahabalipuram at 7 am.
The Adayar Ananda Bhavan is at the entrance of the town it offers sumptuous vegetarian meal. Had the typical Idli, Vada, Dosa breakfast. And traveled towards the five rathas
The entrance to the five rathas has few shops selling the small sculptures, good ones and not so expensive. The ticket counter is open from 6 am to 6 pm.
Five Rathas.
Once you enter the fenced campus the sculptors strike you with their magnificence, they are sculpted from single stones.
Along the road.
On the way out one can see lot of shops selling beautiful sculptors, pretty big and expensive but beautiful.
The Light house area
Shore Temple
The shore temple is a temple unlike the five rathas. There is statues of god, Shiva & others.