At a distance of 0.5 Km from Mahabalipuram Bus Station (on Mada Koil Avenue), Arjuna’s Penance or Bhagiratha’s Penace is the identify of an enormous open air bas-relief monolith relationship from the seventh century CE. Measuring 96 ft lengthy by 43 ft excessive, the bas-relief is often known as The Descent of Ganga. It has been labeled as a UNESCO World Heritage Web site as a part of ‘Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram’.
In a single interpretation, a determine within the bas-relief who’s standing on one leg is alleged to be Arjuna performing an austerity Tapas to obtain a boon from Shiva as an help in preventing the Mahabharata warfare.
The bas reduction is located on a rock with a cleft. Figures throughout the cleft are stated to signify the River Ganges and Shiva. This supplies the idea for another interpretation, slightly than Arjuna, the determine performing austerities is alleged to be Bhagiratha.