Five Rathas

The Mamallapuram Five Rathas are five monolithic temples located in Mamallapuram, Tamil Nadu, India. The temples, also known as Pancha Rathas, were built between the 7th and 8th centuries. The monuments are now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The five rathas are named after the Pandavas, the heroes of the Hindu epic Mahabharata. The temples are: Each of the rathas is carved from a single piece of granite. They are all approximately the same size, and each is a different shape. The rathas are popular tourist attractions, and are often crowded with visitors.