South India Travel Tours

Monuments in Tamilnadu

Arjuna's Penance

This bas relief, is an extensive panel (27 metres long & 9 metres high of relief sculptures, with life size images. There are two beliefs as to the them of the sculptures. Arjuna, one of the Pandava brothers is said to have done penance asking for a powerful weapon with which to destroy his enemies. The huge gathering of celestials and humans witness the great scene.
According to the second belief, it is Bhagiratha's penance to get river Ganges down to the earth. His prayers are answered and Lord Shiva sends the Ganges down to the earth, controlling its rapid flow by allowing it to trickle from his matted locks. The natural cleft in the rock face depicts the flow of Ganga, watched over by celestials and humans. There are several images of animals too.





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