Mahabalipuram

For centuries, European mariners sailing the Bay of Bengal referred to this coastline as the home of the "Seven Pagodas." According to historical lore, the Shore Temple we see today was just one of seven magnificent temples lining the beach. The other six are believed to have been submerged by rising sea levels. Interestingly, during the 2004 tsunami, when the ocean briefly receded by several hundred meters, tourists and residents reported seeing long straight rows of large rocks and submerged stone structures just off the coast before the water rushed back in.

No, they are temples, but they are carved to look like rathas (the wooden processional chariots used in temple festivals). The most amazing detail about the Pancha Rathas is that they are completely monolithic. Artisans didn't stack stones to build them; they found a single, massive ridge of granite emerging from the sand and carved downward, chiseling out intricate multi-story temples, an elephant, and a lion all out of the exact same piece of bedrock.

The Descent of the Ganges (also called Arjuna's Penance) is one of the largest open-air bas-reliefs in the entire world. It features two massive boulders with a natural cleft running down the center. The carvings depict a massive gathering of gods, sages, and lifelike elephants watching the holy river Ganges descend from the heavens to the earth. In ancient times, the Pallavas actually routed a water channel above the rock so that during festivals, real water would cascade down the central cleft, bringing the stone artwork to life.

It is a massive, 250-ton granite boulder resting on a smooth, 45-degree hill slope. It defies gravity by remaining perfectly balanced on a tiny surface area. Local legends nickname it "Krishna's Butterball" because it looks like a dollop of butter dropped by the mischievous young god. Over the centuries, several rulers—including a Pallava king and later a British governor who used seven elephants—tried to pull the boulder down the hill for public safety, but it didn't budge an inch.