School Excursion At Pancha Rathas At Mahabalipuram In Tamil Nadu, India Editorial Photo

Pancha Rathas, also known as Five Rathas or Pandava Rathas, is a monument complex at Mahabalipuram, on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal, in the Kancheepuram district of the state of Tamil Nadu, India. Pancha Rathas is an example of monolithic Indian rock-cut architecture. The complex was carved during 630–668 AD. The complex is under the auspices of the Archaeological Survey of India and is part of the UNESCO World Heritage site inscribed by UNESCO as Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram. Each of the five monuments in the Pancha Rathas complex resembles a chariot ratha, and each is carved over a single, long stone or monolith, of granite which slopes in north-south direction with a slight incline. The structures are named after the Pancha Pandavas and their common wife Draupadi, of epic Mahabharata fame.