One rock each
Each of the five rathas (chariots) was carved from a single granite outcrop, worked from the top down like a sculpture rather than built up in courses. Because they were left unfinished, they show the Pallava carving process in mid-step — one of the reasons art historians value them so highly.
The five
They are named after the five Pandava brothers and their shared wife Draupadi: the Dharmaraja, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula-Sahadeva and Draupadi rathas. Each experiments with a different roof and plan, so the group reads almost as an architect's set of models. A large monolithic elephant, lion and bull stand among them.
Visiting
The Pancha Rathas share an ASI ticket with the Shore Temple and sit a short distance from it. Allow 30–45 minutes.