Mamallapuram is variously called Neerper Mallai, Kadal Mallai, Mamallai, Mamallapuram, Mallapattinam, Mamalla Nagaram, Mavelipuram and Jananathapuram. Nowhere are there inscriptions referring to it as Mahabalipuram.

But today people mostly refer to it as Mahabalipuram.

My students asked me the reason for this.

Mahabali conducted a yagna to fulfil his greed to be the emperor of the entire world. Lord Vishnu as Vamana showed him his place and humbled him.

Vamana assumes the Trivikrama form, which is depicted beautifully in the Varaha cave.

Mahabali means – a Big Sacrifice (bali).

Only because of that he won the Lord’s grace and became the King of the Netherworld.

At a time when kings often indulged in wars seeking to expand lands, their wealth and women, Pallava kings rose above such material desires, became spiritual and gave their people peace and progress.

Instead of indulging in pleasures, they encouraged spirituality through divine arts such as music, dance, sculpture, temple building, painting etc.

Especially Narasimha Pallava I was guided by Appar, Gnana Sambandar, Adi Sankara and Alwars, involved himself keenly in the building of the Mallai temple.

Not only he, but his descendants too encouraged the art of sculpting and treated it like a spiritual offering.

These are a high sacrifice.

Sacrifice of pleasure.

That is why it is called ‘Mahabalipuram’.