Krishna's Butterball: What Makes This UNESCO World Heritage Site In Mahabalipuram So Unique
'South India is so unique. There's a place here where gravity is not just working,' explains Tanya Khanijow in the clip. The video then introduces viewers to an enormous 250-ton boulder, almost as tall as a 5-storey building. It stands on a 45-degree slope and 'hasn't moved in the last 1200 years.' Correct, that's Krishna's Butterball. Tourists in the video are seen trying at least to tilt the huge orb of rock with their hands, but to no avail.
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All About Krishna's Butterball
Krishna's Butterball, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a colossal granite boulder. It is approximately 6 metres high and 5 metres wide and positioned on a steep slope of a small hill near Ganesh Ratha. It is a part of the Group of Monuments located at Mamallapuram.
Mythological Significance
According to Hindu mythology, Lord Krishna once dropped his favourite butterball in the exact spot and it hasn't moved an inch since. Krishna loved butter and the rock bears a striking resemblance to a dollop of butter, hence its name.
Another myth suggests that the Pallava king Narasimhavarman I tried to move the granite boulder with elephants. But he failed in the endeavour. Not even natural phenomena like heat or rain could budge the rock.
Attempts To Move
Later in 1908, the Governor of Madras, Arthur Lawley, attempted to displace the rock off the hill. He was concerned about the safety of the villagers. To pull off the impossible act, he brought seven elephants with a pulling power of 42 tons. Unfortunately, even he couldn't accomplish the feat.
Science Behind Krishna's Butterball
Scientists believe that Krishna's Butterball is a rare geological occurrence known as exfoliation. Over centuries, wind, fire and erosion have shaped the rock, making it perfectly wedged on the hill.
Research also revealed that the rock is composed of a unique type of granite called gneiss, durable and resistant to erosion. The granite's remarkable balance defies the law of physics. Scientists have decoded that the shape of the rock, the slope of the hill and the natural friction between the rock and the ground have all contributed to its unique positioning.
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