Ganesh Ratha

Mamallapuram (Mahabalipuram)


Decorated with lion-shaped pillar bases, the Ganesh Ratha is carved from a single rock and was originally a Shiva shrine.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Mamallapuram (Mahabalipuram) attractions

1. Varaha Mandapa

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Home to some of Mamallapuram's most brilliant carvings, the Varaha Mandapa depicts Vishnu's boar avatar, Varaha, lifting the earth out of the oceans (left…

2. Krishna's Butterball

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You can't miss this enormous boulder (and favourite photo spot), balancing precariously on Mamallapuram Hill, right opposite the compound's northernmost…

3. Arjuna’s Penance

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The crowning masterpiece of Mamallapuram’s stonework, this giant relief carving is one of India's greatest ancient artworks. Inscribed on two huge,…

4. Raya Gopura

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Generally thought to be an unfinished gopuram dating from the 16th century.

6. Trimurti Cave Temple

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At the northern end of the Mamallapuram Hill compound, the Trimurti Cave Temple depicts the Hindu 'trinity' amid guardian figures: Brahma (left), Shiva …

8. Krishna Mandapa

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Just south of the Arjuna's Penance relief carving, the Krisha Mandapa has a fine 16th-century colonnade and contains a famous carving of Krishna…