Krishna’s Butterball is a massive 20 feet high and 5 meter wide rock boulder situated in Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu which weighs 250 ton and stands on a slippery slope of a hill on less than 4-feet base. This Butterball is a mystery as scientists have been unable to crack the story of how it stands on the slippery terrain overcoming the force of gravity.
Krishna’s Butterball is a 250 ton rock boulder in Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu which stands on a slippery slope of a hill on less than 4-feet base.
The position of the rock is quite surprising as it seems to be rolling down the slope. However, it stands still and firm and tourists easily take shade under it. Also, it is unmoved by Tsunami, earthquakes or cyclones for over 1200 years old.
In fact, the rock looks like a half circle as one of its part is sheared off and nobody knows the reason of its erosion. This Krishna’s butterball challenges our modern technology with the question that how is it possible that a 250 ton rock can stand on such a small base of less than 4 sq-feet?
Legends say that it is named as Krishna’s butterball because Krishna loved butter which was his favourite food and the stone has fallen from heaven. It is also known as ‘Vaanirai Kal’ in Tamil which means ‘Stone of the Sky God’.
In 1908, the Governor of Madras Arthur Lawley decided to remove the ball from its location as he feared safety of the town from the base of the hill. For this, he sent seven elephants and tried to move the rock but it didn’t move an inch.
No one knows if it is science or supernatural powers, but it is true that this butterball is giving gravity a competition.
As per legends, the Pallava King Narasimhavarman (ruled South India from 630 to 668 A.D) was the first man to attempt to remove this rock as it was believed that it should not be touched by sculptors for it was heavenly. However, it remained on its position and did not move a little. In fact, the rock is heavier than the monolithic stones of Ollantaytambo, Peru or Machu Picchu.
Further Butterball is an inspiration behind the famous mud dolls called Tanjavur Bommai.
Raja Raja Chola (1000 C.E) was impressed by the way rock stands on such a small base and did not roll down a slope. Thus, a tradition developed from here to make mud dolls that never fell down. This was made on a half-spherical bottom which allows tilting but never falling down.
