The Geological Narrative of Hampi’s boulder-strewn landscape, Karnataka And Its Possible Origin

Balancin boulder, Hampi

Balancing boulder stacks, Hampi, KA hampi.in

 The geological narrative of Hampi’s boulder-strewn landscape is a masterclass in deep-time transformation. While these formations appear to defy gravity, their existence is the result of a precise sequence of subterranean cooling followed by surface-level decay. The journey begins roughly 2.5 billion years ago, during the Archean Eon, when Hampi sat atop the Dharwar Craton.

balancing rock ,Garden of the Gods,
Colorado Springs, Colo. USA. amusingplanet.com

The Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs,
USA.gagdaily.com

Above images: Very old sedimentary rock  called  steam boat rock.Garden of the Gods is a public park located in Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA. It was designated a National Natural Landmark

 Mushroom rock formation. Let's learn Geology - WordPress.com

Formations of mushroom rock or balancing rock
SlideShare.com

Unlike the sedimentary "mushroom rocks" of Colorado or the wind-sculpted formations of Yorkshire, Hampi’s boulders are igneous granite. They originated as molten magma that intruded deep into the Earth's crust. As this magma cooled slowly miles underground, it contracted and developed a network of internal fractures known as joints. These joints typically formed in a grid-like pattern of horizontal and vertical cracks, dividing the solid mass into massive, hidden blocks.

amusingplanet.com

 Above image: Near Yangon in Myanmar (Burma), there is a balancing rock called The Golden Rock (Kyaikhtiyo or Kyaiktiyo), precariously perching  atop a cliff. It is one of the sacred sites for the Buddhists near Yangon, is one of the most sacred sites in Burma.The rock is almost at the edge ready to fall.

The transition from a solid subterranean complex to a landscape of scattered boulders occurred through exhumation and denudation. Over eons, the miles of overlying rock were stripped away by erosion. As the weight of the Earth's "ceiling" was removed, the granite expanded upward, causing the existing joints to widen. This allowed water to seep deep into the fractures.

The primary sculptor here was spheroidal weathering (or chemical exfoliation). Rainwater, reacting with the minerals in the granite (like feldspar), turned the rock into soft clay along the joints. This process acted like a giant polisher, eating away at the sharp corners of the blocks faster than the flat faces. Eventually, the surrounding soil and weathered debris (grus) were washed away by wind and rain, leaving behind the rounded corestones.

These boulders remained stacked exactly where they formed—in situ. They appear to balance precariously because the points of contact between them were the last parts of the flat joint surfaces to erode. They "defy" gravity because their center of gravity remains vertically aligned with a stable, albeit small, base of support. Much like the Golden Rock in Myanmar or the Krishna Butter Ball in Mahabalipuram, the friction of the crystalline granite surfaces prevents sliding, while the massive weight of the stone provides a low, stable center of mass that resists the push of the wind.

https://karnatakatravel.blogspot.com/2019/02/rock-formations-around-hampi-and.html

https://5sensestours.com/hampis-boulders

https://hampi.in/origin-of-hampis-boulders

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krishna's_Butterball

https://navrangindia.blogspot.com/2016/12/mystery-behind-krishnas-butter-ball.html

 http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-3528036/Rock-NOT-roll-mystery-250-ton-boulder-defied-gravity-1-300-years-hasn-t-stopped-daredevil-tourists-posing-it.html

Further Reading:

Geological Survey of India (GSI): "Geology of the Closepet Granite Complex."

UNESCO: "Group of Monuments at Hampi - Landscape and Geology."

Journal of Earth System Science: "Evolution of the Archean Cratons in India.

K.N. Jayaraman