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Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu · 12.6090°, 80.1898°
The smallest of the Pancha Rathas at Mahabalipuram, cut from a single rock around 650 CE under the Pallavas and shaped like a thatched hut. Its sanctum holds Durga as Mahishasuramardini, and it forms part of the UNESCO-listed monuments of the town.
What follows is the temple’s own traditional account, transmitted through liturgy and local memory. It is recorded here as tradition, not as attested history.
The monument is popularly named for Draupadi, shared wife of the five Pandavas of the Mahabharata, although the article notes that history does not support the name.
coordinates: wikipedia-2026-08-27 · sources retrieved 2026-08-26 · dynasty page: Pallava
Answers only from cited records
Opening the line…