Mahishasuramardini Cave Temple

Getting there

• By air

  Chennai International Airport at Meenambakkam is about 55 km away and is the nearest airport.

• By train

  Chengalpet Railway Station is about 23 km away and is the nearest station.

• By road

  Frequent buses run to Mahabalipuram from Chennai, Pondicherry, Madurai and Coimbatore every day.

Why devotees come here

Mahishasuramardini Cave Temple is a rock-cut shrine in Mamallapuram, Chengalpattu district, Tamil Nadu. It is dedicated to Devi Mahishasuramardini, seen as an incarnation of Durga. It is part of the UNESCO group of monuments at Mahabalipuram, inscribed in 1984.

Legend says Durga, in the form Mahishasuramardini, defeated the buffalo-headed demon Mahishasura. The story is told in the Devi Mahatmya, part of the Markandeya Purana, one of the major texts of the Shakta tradition. The shrine is dedicated to her.

The cave is dated to the reign of the Pallava king Narasimhavarman Mahamalla, from 630 to 668 AD. Historical research indicates the town was established around 650 AD, by the Pallava emperor Narasimhavarman I. The town is named after this king, and is also called Mahabalipuram.

The cave is carved into the granite rock of a hill and faces east. It has three chambers. The north wall shows Durga fighting Mahishasura in battle, which is considered one of the best creations of the Pallava period. The hill stands near a lighthouse, with other caves nearby. The cave is one of several rock-cut monuments in Mamallapuram, which are part of the UNESCO group.

Tips for your visit

• Other caves in Mamallapuram are nearby, so you can see more than one on the same trip.
• The town is also called Mahabalipuram, so use either name when you ask a driver or search for buses.

Questions people ask