Arjuna's
Penance, perhaps the world's largest bas-relief, is the universe itself in
stone, throbbing with a vastness of conception. Legend has it that King
Bhagiratha had to bring down to earth the celestial Ganga to sanctify and
redeem the cursed souls of his ancestors. But the river in its torrential
spree would deluge the earth, and so he had to undergo a penance to
propitiate Shiva who finally received the flood in his matted locks and let
it flow down. This was a sight for the world's creatures to see and they
gathered round. The cleft in the rock depicts the descent of Ganga, a theory
supported by the ruins of a stone water tank on the hill. There is a forest
with tribal people and all forms of fauna, just as they would appear in
their habitat. Women clothed in an aura of amazing grace, a rich inner
beauty transfiguring the plainest of them. The whole scene has a dimension
of humor too! Juxtapositioned against the ascetic is a cat doing rigorous
penance too, eyes firmly shut, even to the delectable mice scampering around
within easy reach.
A concord of lexeme on the rocks of history
Arjuna's Penance has the magically sculpted scene, which opens the doors of
cosmic imagination for man it has over 100 figures of gods and celestial
creatures, birds and beasts, man and saint. All these figures are carved
either facing or approaching the fissure and generally with hands folded in
reverence.
Legends associated with the monument
The cleft in the rock depicts the descent of River Ganga (also known as
Ganges), brought to earth by King Bhagiratha to redeem the cursed souls of
his ancestors. On the left side of the fissure can be seen a simple temple
which contains a four-armed deity, probably Shiva. The fissure is sculptured
with Nagas. Above the fissure and on either side of it are flying figures of
Gods and below are some sculptures of animals of which giant elephants are
the most impressive and are considered to be the noblest creations of the
human mind.
Arjuna,
one of the Pandava brothers and a consummate archer, is shown standing on
one leg, doing penance to obtain a boon from Lord Shiva. There is a forest
with tribal people and all forms of animal life, just as they would appear
in their habitat. Women are clothed in an aura of indescribable grace, a
rich inner beauty transfiguring the plainest of them. The comic scene in the
relief will amuse visitors where a cat is standing doing penance, while big
and small rats are freely playing around the feline 'Tapaswi'.
Arjuna's Penance is located in Mamallapuram or Mahaballipuram
!
Mamallapuram is 60 kms from Chennai and connected by a good road that runs
along the coast. It is also connected to Chengalpattu via Tirukkalukunram.
There are bus services to Mamallapuram from Chennai and Chengalpattu. The
nearest railway station is Chengalpattu while Chennai is the closest
airport. Regular tourist coaches ply every day. Consult Tourism Office for
timings.
Arjunas
Penance
