There are many places in world where the nature acts like a fine artist and produces a myriad of land forms of different shapes and sizes. Some of them are odd and unique and also above our imaginations.
One such artistic creation of nature is Krishna’s butterball. In the historical town of Mahabalipuram, close to Chennai in Tamil Nadu, stands a gigantic boulder that is 6 metres high and 5 metrea wide and weighs around 250 tonnes. What is often referred to here as Krishna’s butter ball or Vaan Irai Kal in local parlance is actually a huge balancing boulder resting almost near the edge of an 45 degrees inclined plane.
What makes this rock special is, with a small base, it is balancing precariously and it has been in the same position for more than 1200 years. Though facing the vagaries of weather and climatic changes through ages, it has not moved an inch from it original position on the slope.
In the past Pallava King Narasimhavarman too tried to move the boulder from its place, but it ended up in failure. Way back 1000 years ago, the great Chola King Rajarajan (builder of Thanjavur big temple) visited this place and was impressed by the balancing rock. This land form gave him inspiration to make mud dolls called Thanjavur Thalaiyatti Bommai with half spherical base.
In Hindu mythology Lord Krishna had an insatiable appetite for butter, and as a child, would often sneak a handful from his mother’s butter jar. Situated on a hill slope near the Ganesh Ratha this massive natural rock boulder is attributed to a bowl of butter the young Krishna would steal.
As for the formation of this boulder, it is likely it was caused by wind action – blasting of sand, small particles of rock or broken pieces on a tall solid rock outcrop. The abrasive action at the bottom of the rock will be more vigorous. This slow and and continuous wind action over a long period of time may lead to the formation of a pedestal rock.
This rock is bigger and heavier than ollantaytambo, Peru. It also mich bigger than the rock found in mysterious Macchu Picchu.
In 1908, then-governor of the city Arthur Havelock made an attempt to use seven elephants to move the boulder from its position due to safety concerns but with no success.
This rock is a part of the Group of Monuments at Mamallapuram, also a UNESCO World Heritage Site