Photo: mckaysavage · CC BY 2.0
Tamil Nadu · Temple listing
Mahishasuramardini Mandapa
01 · Discover
History & tradition
The Mahishasuramardini Mandapa is a rock-cut cave temple on a hill near the lighthouse at Mamallapuram (Mahabalipuram), south of Chennai. It dates from the late 7th century, in the time of the Pallava king Narasimhavarman Mahamalla, after whom the town is named. The cave has three sanctums, and its walls carry three celebrated reliefs: Vishnu reclining on the serpent Adishesha, Durga slaying the buffalo-headed demon Mahishasura, and a sculpture of Shiva. It belongs to the Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram, inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984.
Good to know
Deity & dedicationNot yet confirmed
Heritage statusMonument of National Importance
Opening hoursCurrent opening hours are not confirmed in this guide. Check with the temple before travelling.
Before you set outConfirm opening hours and entry requirements before choosing your travel time. Allow time for queues, breaks and your return journey.
02 · Before you go
Plan your visit
Choose a date, save your starting point, and tick off a simple checklist.
Your visitMahishasuramardini MandapaChoose your preferred date above
- Step 1
Confirm the opening schedule and entry requirements.
- Step 2
Follow the temple’s posted visitor instructions and queue.
- Step 3
Allow time for a quiet visit and your return journey.
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03 · Getting there
Map & route
Locate the temple and open travel directions.
Mahishasuramardini Mandapa
Chengalpattu district, Tamil Nadu
Confirm opening hours and entry requirements before choosing your travel time. Allow time for queues, breaks and your return journey.
The pin marks the temple area. Follow local signs for the visitor entrance.
04 · At the temple
Darshan & customs
Darshan
Opening & entry
Current opening hours are not confirmed in this guide. Check with the temple before travelling.
View sourcesWith intention
Offerings
Ask the temple office which offerings are accepted before buying them. An offering is a personal choice.
Local traditions
Dress & etiquette
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Explore a little further
Temples nearby
Approximate straight-line distances; open directions for the travel route.
Chengalpattu district · Tamil Nadu
Tiger Cave
An 8th-century Pallava rock-cut shrine at Saluvankuppam near Mahabalipuram, named for the tiger heads carved around it.
Photo: Sichu7 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Tamil Nadu · Tamil Nadu
Thiruporur Kandaswamy temple
A Murugan temple at Thiruporur on the coast road south of Chennai, enlarged in the 18th century.
Photo: Ravindraboopathi · CC BY-SA 3.0
For your family
Bring the blessings home
Explore poojas from the Healers World catalogue.
Know your sources
Information you can trace
Check current timings and visitor rules with the temple before travelling.
- Wikidata — structured place recordRetrieved 2026-11-12
- Wikipedia — further readingChecked 2026-11-12