Pancha Rathas - Mahaballipuram, TN
These are a group of monuments enclosed separately in Mahaballipuram. Panch Rathas means Five Chariots, as these temples are built in the form of chariots. Naturally occurring rock blocks were used to carve these rathas.
The five rathas are called as Dharmaraja Ratha, Bhima Ratha, Arjuna and Draupadi Rathas Nakula and Sahadeva Ratha. There is a lion west of the Arjuna-Draupadi platform, a seated bull on its east and a standing elephant on its southwest. All the temples have a west entrance except the Nakula-Sahadeva Ratha, which has a south entrance. The rathas have common elements. Each is on a moulded plinth, with or without ganas;
