Krishna's Butterball

Mamallapuram (Mahabalipuram)


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


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Mamallapuram (Mahabalipuram) attractions

1. Ganesh Ratha

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

2. 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 …

3. 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…

4. 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,…

5. Raya Gopura

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

7. Lion Throne

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A beautifully carved throne or seat in the shape of a lion, a little west (uphill) from the Raya Gopura on Mamallapuram Hill.