Mamallapuram Dance Festival
மாமல்லபுரம் நாட்டிய விழா
21 Dec 2026 – 20 Jan 2027
மார்கழி 6 21 DecShore Temple, Mamallapuram
Month-long open-air festival of classical and folk dance against the Pallava monuments of Mamallapuram, from late December to January.
Expected: recent editions ran Dec 22–Jan 20 (2024–25) and Dec 21–Jan 19 (2025–26). Tamil Nadu Tourism announces dates in December.
The Indian Dance Festival, widely known as the Mamallapuram Dance Festival, is organised every year by Tamil Nadu Tourism from late December to mid or late January. It began in 1992 and is held in the open air in front of the seventh- and eighth-century Pallava monuments of Mamallapuram, a UNESCO World Heritage Site about 55 km south of Chennai.
Each evening, dance troupes from across India perform: Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi, Odissi, Kathak, Mohiniyattam, Kathakali and Manipuri, as well as folk forms such as Karagam, Mayilattam, Oyilattam and Poikkal Kuthirai from Tamil Nadu. Recent editions have used the Shore Temple as the backdrop; earlier ones were held near Arjuna's Penance.
The festival is a good reason to spend a full day in Mamallapuram: visit the Shore Temple, the Pancha Rathas, Krishna's Butterball and the cave temples in the morning and late afternoon, and stay on for the performances, which begin around sunset.
Good to know
- Performances run in the evenings (recently about 5.30 pm to 8.30 pm) and entry has generally been free; arrive early for a seat.
- The monuments themselves need separate ASI tickets and close at sunset; plan your daytime visit accordingly.
- Carry mosquito repellent and a light jacket; it can be breezy near the sea.
- East Coast Road traffic from Chennai is heavy on weekend evenings; allow extra time or stay overnight in Mamallapuram.
