Tirtha Atlas

The sacred geography of the Indic world — every site mapped, dated, storied, and cited.

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Early medieval · Hindu · India

Draupadi Ratha

Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu · 12.6090°, 80.1898°

DurgaPallavaMonolithic rock-cut
Sacred since
630 CE
first attestation / structure
Standing structure
c. 650 (Pallava)
Pallava

History & significance

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.

Sthala katha — the legend

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.

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Sources

coordinates: wikipedia-2026-08-27 · sources retrieved 2026-08-26 · dynasty page: Pallava