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

0.04 MILES

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

0.07 MILES

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.

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