Arjuna's Penance
Colossal Pallava-era rock relief of gods, ascetics, elephants and a sly praying cat across twin boulders.
Location
About this audio guide
This guide to Arjuna's Penance at Mahabalipuram, near Chennai, looks past the famous ascetic on this vast Pallava-era granite relief to a much smaller figure carved near the elephants. It touches the long argument over whether the holy man is Arjuna or the sage Bhagiratha, and the channel where water once ran down the rock. Stand facing the boulders, a little right of the central cleft.
This audio guide was created using AI.
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