ꜱʜᴏʀᴇ ᴛᴇᴍᴘʟᴇ @ ᴍᴀʜᴀʙᴀʟɪᴘᴜʀᴀᴍ

Shore Temple, a complex of elegant shrines dating from around 700 CE, is one of several Hindu monuments in Mamallapuram (Mahabalipuram), on the Coromandel Coast of Tamil Nadu state, India. It is regarded as the finest example of medieval southern Indian temple architecture. At the time of its creation, the site was a busy port during the reign of Narasimhavarman II of the Pallava dynasty.

Unlike most of its neighbours at the site, it is built of cut stones rather than carved out of caves. It has two shrines, one for Shiva & the other for Vishnu. Its style is distinguished by a pyramidal kutina-style tower with stepped stories topped by a cupola & finial. In 1984, the Mamallapuram monuments & temples, including the Shore Temple complex, were designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Viewed from one end, the Shore Temple appear to be a replica of the Dharmaraja Ratha (Chariot) & this pic captures a beautiful moment of the temple overlooking a galaxy.

Photography by @ujvalpasupuleti