The Pancha Rathas, or Five Rathas, stand at Mamallapuram on the Bay of Bengal in Tamil Nadu. Each is carved from a single granite outcrop. They are commonly dated to 630 to 668 CE under the Pallava king Narasimhavarman I, and work stopped when he died in 668.
The largest measures 42 by 35 feet (13 by 11 meters), and the tallest reaches 40 feet (12 meters). The Dharmaraja Ratha has a square plan and a pyramidal roof of three tiers. The Bhima Ratha is rectangular and has lion-mounted columns on its long sides. The Draupadi Ratha is square and resembles a thatched village hut. A monolithic elephant and a Nandi bull stand nearby.
None of the rathas was ever completed or consecrated, and uncut rock remains at the base and top. They survived tsunamis in the thirteenth century and in 2004. They are part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram.
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