We stayed a little to the south of Madras, near the site of some granite rock carvings, made in the seventh century close to the shore at Mamallapuram.
The carvings were into an exposed cliff face, with nothing stuck on afterwards.
The 5 Rathas were all carved from solid rocks
The shore temple
The carvings here were a bit more eroded by sea air. Fortunately the line of rocks in the background had protected the temple during the tsunami. Less fortunate were the inhabitants of the nearby fishing villages, who now live in tented settlements, mainly supplied by charitable donations from the nearby cities e.g. Madras Rotary. The tents now appear as thatched huts, as the inhabitants have added insulation/cooling to the roof.
Our guide seemed unconcerned that I might roll the stone down