krishnas butter ball rock the giant rock that defies gravity
Krishna's Butter Ball Rock: The Giant Rock That Defies Gravity
Among those natural wonders that refuse to abide by the laws of nature, Krishna's Butter Ball in Mahabalipuram, India, is one. Tourists visiting this place are awe-struck by its seemingly high-risk positioning at first, but soon come to realize that this huge granite boulder would never roll down the hill.
Mahabalipuram is famous for its beautiful stone carvings and Dravidian temple architecture in huge granite beds. These pieces of sculpture were manifested between the 7th and 9th century CE during the Pallava rule. The Shore Temple, Pancha Rathas, Varaha Caves, or Decent of the Ganges are some popular tourist attractions of the town.
This is a huge boulder perched on a hill slope that rests approximately on a four-feet-wide area. Located near the Ganesha Ratha, it has continued to defy gravity and has not moved an inch since over 1000 years. Efforts to push it down the hill, even using elephants, have failed.
"Vaan Irai Kal" is the original name of this granite marvel in the local Tamil language, which means 'Stone of the Sky God'. Located around 60 km south of Chennai, a tour guide once called this rock formation 'Krishna's Butter Ball', and the name became popular.
Krishna's Butter Ball of Mahabalipuram extends to around 5 meters in diameter, and rests at an angle of 45º on a very small base. The giant rock appearing to roll down any moment, surprisingly, defies gravity and precariously sits still atop the hill balancing itself. Although the formation of this rock that weighs around 250 tons is not known, it is believed to be a natural marvel, and not a human creation.
A curious tourist attraction, people fancy clicking funny pictures with the rock; holding it in their hands, lying down underneath it, or trying to push it down the hill. It also acts as a shady shelter to some animals during a hot summer afternoon.