The Pancha Rathas are five monolithic temples cut from individual rock outcroppings at the southern end of Mahabalipuram. Each is distinct in plan: some are square, some rectangular, some apsidal; they range from a modest single-storey shrine to a multi-storey tower that anticipates the great gopurams of later Tamil temples. Standing among them, you can trace the Pallava dynasty working through every formal problem of temple design simultaneously.
Life-size stone animals complete the scene: a carved elephant, a lion, and a bull are positioned alongside specific temples as their respective vahanas, the divine vehicles of the presiding deities. The site sits on a wide sandy compound away from the main town and is most rewarding in the hour after opening (6am), before the tour groups arrive from Chennai.