We are all familiar with how gravity operates. But did you know that Mahabalipuram is home to the mysterious 250-ton rock boulder known as Krishna’s Butterball that eerily defies gravity.
This enormous rock, which is 20 feet tall and 5 meters wide, is perched atop a slick hill with a less than 4-foot-wide base. Because butter is thought to be Lord Krishna’s favorite food and because the myth goes that butter falls from heaven, it is commonly referred to as Krishna’s butterball.
You will wonder how the rock managed to stick there and not roll down the slope given its peculiar placement. Nevertheless, it is so still that people can even sit under it for shade. It’s interesting to note that it was unaffected by any natural disasters, including earthquakes, tsunamis, and cyclones. The rock is also thought to be older than 1200 years.
In a nutshell, it questions current science and technology. Some believe that it may be caused by friction and the center of gravity. To put it another way, while friction prevents a ball or rock from sliding down a slope, a person can stand on it because their center of gravity allows them to balance on a small contact area. While many people also think that God placed the rock in that location on purpose.
If reports are to be believed, the Governor of Madras Arthur Lawley decided to remove it from its position as early as 1908, according to reports. He reportedly feared for the security of the town below the hill. He sent seven elephants to try and move the rock, but they were unsuccessful. Therefore, it can be concluded that the butterball is challenging gravity, whether through supernatural forces or purely physical ones.
What do myths claim?
According to a myth, the Pallava King Narasimhavarman (who ruled South India between 630 and 668 A.D.) made the first attempt to move this rock, but it remained in place. According to legend, the rock is heavier than Ollantaytambo’s or Machu Picchu’s monolithic stones from Peru.
