If you visit Mahabalipuram in Tamil Nadu, you definitely shouldn’t  miss the amazing piece of boulder lying precariously on a slope that appears to defy gravity. The giant granite boulder approximately 6 meters high and 5 meters wide weighs around 250 tons and rests on a short incline. Although it takes a lot of courage to stand beneath the rock, one need not be afraid as the boulder has been at the same place for over 1200 years.

Locally it is called ‘Vaan Irai Kal’ which means “Stone of Sky God” in Tamil. As per the Hindu mythology, Lord Krishna loved to eat butter and would steal butter from his mother’s butter vessel or handi. The locals consider the natural boulder as the mass of butter that he pinched and probably has led to the name of the boulder.

Many attempts were made to move the boulder, but all efforts went in vain. It is said that in 1908, then-governor of the city Arthur Havelock made an attempt to move the boulder from its position due to safety concerns. He engaged seven elephants for this task, but with no success.

A similar attempt was made by Pallava King  Narasimhavarman, but even that met with failure. However, Krishna’s Butterball could not escape the vagaries of time. A part of it has weathered away making it look like a semi-spherical rock hanging on a slope.

The unique boulder has also proved to be an inspiration. Tamil king Raja Raja Chola was enthralled by the balance of this huge stone boulder. The inspiration led to the making of Thanjavur Bommai which are mud dolls with a half-spherical base. Due to the unusual base, the dolls tend to shift back to its original position each time someone tries to make it fall.

There are instances of bigger and heavier boulders in many parts of the world, like monolithic stones of Ollantaytambo and Machu Picchu of Peru, but none of them are as inclined on a slope as the Krishna’s Butterball making it unique and amazing.

 Krishna’s Butterball in Mahabalipuram has become a famous tourist destination as the boulder continues to attract a large number of tourists. It has also been listed by the Archeological Survey of India as a historical monument.There are many who believe this rock was put in its place by the Gods while others say it was an extraterrestrial intervention. On the other hand, geologists argue it’s a natural formation. Many theories abound this boulder but it still remains those rare unsolved mysteries of science.