Krishna’s Butterball is a curious tourist attraction in
Mahabalipuram, a town about 60 km south of Chennai famous for its stone
carvings. The “butterball” is a giant balancing rock, 5 meters in
diameter, perched on a smooth slope, seemingly defying all laws of
physics.
In Hindu mythology Lord Krishna had an insatiable
appetite for butter, and as a child, would often sneak a handful from
his mother’s butter jar. Situated on a hill slope near the Ganesh Ratha
this massive natural rock boulder is attributed to a bolus of butter the
young Krishna would steal.
The rock’s awkward position makes it quite popular with locals and
tourists alike as it makes for an interesting backdrop for some whacky
photographs. It’s a common sight to see visitors placing hands under the
stone posing for pictures, which looks as though they are holding it
up. The rock provides welcome shade if you dare to sit underneath it,
and local kids have discovered that the slippery nearby hillside also
makes a great natural slide.
Mahabalipuram is an ancient
historic town and was a bustling seaport during the time of Periplus
(1st century CE) and Ptolemy (140 CE). Ancient Indian traders who went
to countries of South East Asia sailed from the seaport of
Mahabalipuram. Today's Mahabalipuram is purely a tourist town and one of
the major attractions around Chennai. People visit this place to see
the magnificent rock carvings, temples, cave sanctuaries, giant open-air
reliefs such as the famous 'Descent of the Ganges', and the temple of
Rivage, with thousands of sculptures to the glory of Shiva.
Mahabalipuram is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
A Balancing Rocks at Mahabalipuram
Written By Ella on Tuesday, December 17, 2013 | 1:45 PM
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