Current Date: 29 Oct, 2025
{{entry.title}}

Mahabalipuram: The mystery behind Lord Krishna's butterball that defies gravity

Krishna's Butter Ball is a massive rock in Mahabalipuram, Tamilnadu, India, that is perfectly balanced on a slope. An attempt was made in 1908 to remove the rock for fear that it would roll down and destroy nearby homes, but the efforts were wasted.

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.

Krishnas Butter Ball 1
Photo Credit: commons.wikimedia.org
Krishnas Butter Ball 2
https://www.atlasobscura.com/users/lucasstrittmatter
Krishnas Butter Ball 3
Photo Credit: commons.wikimedia.org
Similar Stories
The birth or sign language in Nicaragua

The birth or sign language in Nicaragua

When 50 deaf Nicaraguan children who did not know sign language were placed in the same classroom, they created their own sign language. Scientists are still researching the unique spontaneous appearance of language, as well as its own evolution and training of grammar.

The mysterious secret of Dr James Barry

The mysterious secret of Dr James Barry

Before women were allowed to enroll in medical school, Margaret Ann Bulkley studied medicine and assumed the identity of Dr. James Barry for 56 years while dressing as a man. After 46 years of service as an army doctor officer, her secret was not made public until after her death in 1865.

The Remarkable story of jazz bassists Henry Grimes, lost but found as janitor and reclaimed the spotlight

The Remarkable story of jazz bassists Henry Grimes, lost but found as janitor and reclaimed the spotlight

Henry Grimes, one of the most versatile jazz bassists, disappeared in the 1960s and was later presumed dead. However, a jazz-loving social worker found him in 2002 working as a janitor in a hotel. Grimes found his way back into the limelight when a fellow musician sent him a bass as a gift. In 2016, he received a lifetime achievement award.

The Heartbreaking Story Of Ella Harper, The ‘Camel Girl’

The Heartbreaking Story Of Ella Harper, The ‘Camel Girl’

Ella Harper, Professionally known as the “Camel Girl” was born with a rare orthopedic condition that cased her knee to bend backward. Due to this condition, had to walked on all four legs, which resulted in her nickname as “Camel Girl”. Tough it was hard at first, but soon she made a fortune out of it.

Jimmy Carter Once Promised to Release UFO Files—Here’s Why He Didn’t

Jimmy Carter Once Promised to Release UFO Files—Here’s Why He Didn’t

During his 1976 presidential campaign, Jimmy Carter declared a bold intention: if elected, he would make all government UFO information available to the public. A man who openly admitted to having seen a UFO himself, Carter embodied a promise of transparency on one of the most controversial subjects of the Cold War era. However, once in office, Carter found powerful obstacles and, citing "national security concerns," chose not to release the files. This article unpacks Carter’s famous guarantee, the political realities he faced, and the enduring mystery surrounding government UFO secrecy.