Arjuna’s Penance monolith has been carved out of a two adjoining boulders and is 43 feet high. The monolith is also commonly known by the name of ‘The Descent of Ganga’. A massive open bas relief monolith dating back to 7th century, Arjuna’s Penance is located in Mahabalipuram, a town located at a distance of 58 km from Chennai in Tamil Nadu.

History

There are two distinct views on how the monolith came into existence. According to one of the views, the rock sculpture has been named after Arjun who was a key warrior during the Mahabharata era. Arjun performed various religious austerities to get weapons from Shiva to destroy his enemies and got the Penance in return.

The second view says that this penance signifies the sacrifices made by King Bhagiratha to bring Goddess Ganga to the earth. Interestingly, the carvings depicted on the walls of the monolith support both these stories and it is often left to the wisdom of the visitor to believe in whichever version of the story they desire to believe in.

Architecture

The massive open air bas relief monolith is 43 feet in height and has been carved out of two adjoining boulders. The length of this penance is around 96 feet and the penance has depictions of mythological tales which give a faint impression of its historical legacy.

More than 100 figures of flying celestial creatures and gods, giant elephants and other birds and animals have also been depicted in this monolith. Panchtantra fables have also been depicted on this monolith rock which adds a unique dimension to the entire perspective.

Activities & Excursions

• The place is of particular significance to those who have interest in exploring historical ruins.
• A fair idea of the cultural richness of 7th century can be had by visiting the Arjun Penance.
• This is the one of the biggest open air rock canvases in the world and enables one to explore our cultural richness from close quarters.
• Nearby attractions, namely Shore Temple, Krishna Mandapa, Varaha Cave and Pancha Pandava Rathas can be seen when on a visit to the Arjun Penance.

How to Reach

By Air

The nearest airport to Arjuna’s Penance in Mahabalipuram is at Chennai located at a distance of 60 km. Chennai is well connected to the world by international flights. Taxis can be hired from the airport to Arjuna’s Penance.

By Train

The nearest rail head to Arjuna’s Penance is Chengalpattu which is located at a distance of 29 km from Mahabalipuram. Local trains are available at Chennai railway station for Chengalpattu. Taxi can be hired to Arjuna’s Penance from the Chengalpattu railway station.

By Road

Mahabalipuram is well connected by the road network to important cities in Tamil Nadu including Pondicherry, Kanchipuram and Chennai among others. Tamil Nadu State Road transport corporation buses can be hired for a comfortable journey from any of these destinations.