Perched dramatically on a slope in the ancient city of Mahabalipuram in Tamil Nadu, southeastern India, Krishna’s Butterball is a massive, narrow-based granite boulder that appears to defy gravity.
The rock stands more than 20 feet (6 meters) tall and is of similar width, weighing an estimated 250 tons.
Resting at an angle of about 45 degrees, the enormous boulder has remained remarkably stable for centuries, fascinating visitors and locals alike. Its mysterious position has made Krishna’s Butterball one of Mahabalipuram’s most intriguing natural attractions.
Krishna’s Butterball takes its name from Lord Krishna, a Hindu deity who, according to tradition, had a fondness for butter as a child.
The boulder was originally known in Tamil as Vaan Irai Kal, meaning “Sky God’s Stone”.
Today, visitors flock to the site to marvel at the spectacular rock, pose beside it, sit in its shadow, and even attempt to push against its massive surface.
The area has become a huge touristic attraction.
Fascinated visitors fulfill their curiosity by pushing on the boulder, hugging it and sitting around.
Majestic, mysterious, and seemingly impossible, Krishna’s Butterball certainly earns a place on DUNIA Magazine’s list of amazing wonders of the world.
