Mahabalipuram or Mamallapuram,the city of Mamalla,is named after the title of great Pallava ruler Narasimhavarman-I (AD 630-668).It was a sea port during the time of peripulus and ptolemy and many indian colonists sailed to south east Asia through this port town.While there is some evidence of Architectural activity going back tothe period of Mahendravarman-I (AD 600-630),the father of mamalla,most of the monuments like Rock-cut rathas sculptured scenes on open rocks like Arjuna penance,the caves of Govardhanadhari and Mahishashuramarthini,the jala-sayana perumal are attributed to the period of Narasimhavarman-I Mamalla.

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There are nine cave temples which are cut in the rocks in Mamallapuram. These caves are famous for their real life depiction of incidents from the Hindu Mythology. There are Bas-reliefs in the various caves. In particular the carvings in the Krishna cave appears very real. Vishnu is seen in the cosmic sleep in Mahishasuramardhini cave. In contrast to peace here, the other portrayals of Goddess Durga is fighting with Mahishan (buffalo headed Demon).

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Pancha Ratha (five chariots) is an architectural structure to Mahabharata’s five Pandava brothers Yudhistir, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula, Sahadeva, and their wife Draupadi. Thematically and structurally, each ratha is significantly different from the other ones, but all of them were carved out of a long stone or monolith. Spread over one to three storys, their forms vary from square to apsidal. The walls of these ancient edifices are decorated with bas-reliefs and murals. A beautifully carved monolithic airavata the Indra's vaahana (elephant) and nandi (bull) decorate the premises. Though originally meant to be places of worships, these were never consecrated and used actively for any sacred sites.