---
title: "Pancha Rathas, Mahabalipuram: Pallava Temples"
description: "The Pancha Rathas are five monolithic Pallava rock-cut temples at Mahabalipuram, key to UPSC GS1 art and culture and the origin of Dravidian temple form."
url: "https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/glossary/pancha-rathas-mahabalipuram"
---

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Model Diplomat Research Team · Last reviewed June 22, 2026

TL;DR

- The Pancha Rathas are five monolithic seventh-century rock-cut temples at Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu, carved under the Pallava dynasty in the Dravidian style.
- Why are the Pancha Rathas called 'rathas' if they are not chariots?
- How do the Pancha Rathas differ from the Shore Temple at the same site?
- What is the date and dynastic attribution of the Pancha Rathas?

[Civil Service & Diplomatic Exams](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/civil-services/glossary)Updated June 22, 2026

The Pancha Rathas are five monolithic seventh-century rock-cut temples at Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu, carved under the Pallava dynasty in the Dravidian style.

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In October 2019, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hosted Chinese President Xi Jinping at the second India–China Informal Summit at Mahabalipuram, spotlighting the Pallava-era monuments that include the Pancha Rathas.

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