When to go
- Time of day
- Open 6:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Nature & WildlifeBalancing boulder
Krishna's Butter Ball
Huge boulder resting on a slim base that seven elephants could not shift in 1908
Sign in to save places and plan trips, day by day.
01 — The story
The story
Krishna's Butter Ball is a giant boulder in Mamallapuram, about 16 feet tall and nearly as wide, that sits on a small footing and looks ready to roll. Though rounded from some angles, it is not a true sphere, and its balance has long puzzled onlookers.
A local story says Pallava kings tried to shift it with their armies and elephants and failed. A recorded attempt came in 1908, when Arthur Lawley, the Governor of Madras, worried that it might crash onto the town below and had seven elephants pull at it. The rock stayed exactly where it was.
Unmapia
02 — About
About Krishna's Butter Ball
Coming soon
We’re still writing about Krishna's Butter Ball: its history, what’s there and why it’s worth the trip.
03 — Plan your visit
Plan your visit
On the ground
- Access
- Nearest airport: Chennai International Airport (MAA), Chennai.; Nearest railway station: Chengalpattu Junction Railway Station (CGL).
Where it is
Chengalpattu, Tamil Nadu
No map pin yet: directions search for the name
01 — More in Chengalpattu
