 About 30 years before the founding of Narasimharavarman I's city, Pallava King Mahendravarman I had begun a series of "cave temples," which were carved into rocky hillsides Contrary to what the name suggests, they often did not begin as natural caves.Mahendravarman I and Narasimharavarman I also ordered construction of free-standing temples, called rathas in the region's language, Tamil.Nine rathas currently stand at the site (Ramaswami, 209).