Beaches of Mahabalipuram & Covelong

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These beaches near Madras, known for their tranquility, have many ancient monuments around them which serve as living reminders of the old Dravidian culture.
Mahabalipuram boasts of an open air museum of sculpture in living rock which has few parallels in the world. The masterpiece of this monumental art exhibition is undoubtedly Arjuna's Penance or the Descent of the Ganga - the world's largest bas-relief, 764ft by 288ft (27m by 9m) & an invaluable piece of Indian art.

The best known landmark of Mahabalipuram, however, is the Shore Temple. Standing by the sea, now protected by a wall that hides it's facade but saves it from the elements that are fast eroding it, this twin-spire is pure poetry in granite in it's perfect proportions & wealth of sculpture. It is also unique in that it includes shrines for both Shiva & Vishnu in repose. Covelong offers a safe beach (except during monsoons) as well as a variety of water sports, including wind surfing.