Mahabalipuram made significant development under the rule of the Pallavas in the 7th century. The city is said to have derived its name after the Pallava king Mamalla and in the ancient times it was famous as Mamallapuram. It was after the downfall of the Guptas that Pallavas came to prominence and exercised full control over this town. They were very powerful and very astute in their perspective.
The Golden Age of the rule of the Pallavas was from 650 AD to 750 AD. Many great poets, dramatists, artists, artisans, scholars and saints emerged during this period. Mahabalipurm is also referred to as the “open air museum” due to the presence of so many architectural marvels. During the rules of Narsimha Varman I (AD 630-668) and Narsimha Varman II (AD 700-728), most of the temples and rock carvings of this place were built. Although the first kings of Pallava dynasty followed Jainism, the conversion of Mahendra Varman (AD 600-630) to Shaivism resulted in majority of the monuments to be related with Shiva or Vishnu.
Marina Beach (Tamil: மெரினா கடற்கரை) is a beach in the city of Chennai (Madras), India, along the Bay of Bengal, part of the Indian Ocean. The beach runs from near Fort St. George in the north to Besant Nagar in the south, a distance of 13 km,[1] making it the longest urban beach in the country. The Marina is primarily sandy, unlike the short, rocky formations that make up the Juhu Beach in Mumbai
Kovalam is a beach resort in Chennai district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu
Kovalam is a small village,about 25 km from the main city of Chennai on the East coast road. Once you reach there, you have the famous Kovalam beach to venture into. There are fishermen who will take you on boats into Bay of Benagal. The boat will go about 4-5 kilometers into the ocean. The boat men would then throw the ropes into the water. You can jump into the ocean and swim to your hearts content.BESANT NAGAR:
Besant Nagar (Tamil: பெசன்ட் நகர்) is one of Chennai's well known neighbourhoods, named after the famous lady theosophist Annie Besant, and adjoins the Theosophical Society. It is a part of Chennai which is inhabitated by many famous personalities and rich big shots. The Theosophical Society HeadQuarters located here,It was founded in 1875, and is a worldwide body whose primary objective is Universal Brotherhood and is famed for its Banyan trees and serene settings. Kalakshetra Academy, the world famous dance school started by Rukmini Devi Arundale is also present in this locality.
