Temples cut from one rock and are called 'Rathas' are in:

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Accepted Answer

The correct option is 3:
The monolithic temples, popularly known as 'Rathas,' are exclusively found at Mahabalipuram, also called Mamallapuram, in Tamil Nadu. These remarkable structures were carved entirely out of a single, large granite rock by the Pallava dynasty during the reign of Narasimhavarman I in the 7th century. The most famous example is the group of 'Pancha Rathas' (Five Rathas), which showcase different styles of Dravidian temple architecture and are shaped like processional chariots (Rathas). They are a definitive example of early Pallava artistic innovation in rock-cut architecture.

The incorrect option is 1:
Ellora is a famous archaeological site for rock-cut architecture, featuring caves and temples of Buddhist, Hindu, and Jain faiths. It is most famous for the Kailash Temple (Cave 16), which is indeed a monolithic structure, but it is a massive, free-standing temple complex carved from the top down, not one of the smaller, chariot-shaped 'Rathas' associated with the Pallava period. The art here belongs mainly to the Rashtrakuta dynasty and represents a much later and grander scale of monolithic carving than the specific 'Rathas' found elsewhere.

The incorrect option is 2:
Elephanta is known for its spectacular rock-cut cave temples dedicated to Shiva, particularly the great Trimurti sculpture. The temples are excavated into the basalt rock of the island hill, forming caves rather than sculpted free-standing monoliths. These structures are associated with the Kalachuri dynasty and differ fundamentally from the specific 'Ratha' style of single-rock-cut temples for which Mahabalipuram is recognized.

The incorrect option is 4:
Khajuraho, located in Madhya Pradesh, is renowned for its magnificent group of temples built by the Chandela dynasty. The architecture here is of the Nagara style, distinguished by tall spires (shikharas) and intricate, often erotic, external sculptures. Crucially, the Khajuraho temples are *structural* temples, meaning they were built by assembling blocks of stone, not carved out of a single piece of rock (monolithic) like the 'Rathas'.