Draupadi Ratha

About

The Draupadi Ratha is a monument in the Pancha Rathas complex at Mahabalipuram, previously called Mamallapuram, on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal, in the Kancheepuram district of the state of Tamil Nadu, India. It is an example of monolithic Indian rock-cut architecture. Dating from the late 7th century, it is attributed to the reign of King Mahendravarman I and his son Narasimhavarman I (630–680 AD; also called Mamallan, or "great warrior") of the Pallava Kingdom. The entire complex is under the auspices of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), and is one of the Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1984.

Resembling a chariot (ratha), it is carved out of a single, long stone of granite. Though sometimes mistakenly referred to as a temple, the structure was not consecrated because it was not completed due to the death of Narasimhavarman I. The structure is named after the common consort Draupadi of the Pancha Pandavas, of epic Mahabharata fame, though the nomenclature is not supported by history. The unfinished structure is dedicated to the goddess Durga.

Adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)。Photography via Wikimedia Commons.