Arjuna's Penance, Mamallapuram, Tamil Nadu India

 Arjuna's Penance is a massive open-air bas-relief monolith, which dates back to the 7th century. It is situated in the town of Mahabalipuram, at a distance of 58 km from Chennai, the capital city of Tamil Nadu. Standing tall at a height of 43 feet, the Mamallapuram monolith was carved on the face of two huge adjoining boulders, somewhere around the mid-7th century. The length of Arjuna's Penance is around 96 feet and the monolith is also known by the name of 'The Descent of Ganga'.

Mamallapuram, popularly known as Mahabalipuram is famous for its splendid 7th and 8th century art and architecture, especially the stone carvings. The monolithic rock sculptures, shore temple, carvings and wonderful beaches make Mahabalipuram a beautiful tourist destination. The Arjuna's penance is one of the most famous stone carvings at Mahabalipuram. It is an enormous relief made on two massive boulders. One of the biggest open-air rock canvases in the world, the Arjuna's penance is 31m long and 9m high. The surface of the rock has detailed carvings, showing the most endearing and natural renditions of animals especially the elephants and monkeys