Arjuna’s Penance (Descent of the Ganges)

Arjuna's Penance, also known as the Descent of the Ganges, is one of the largest and most celebrated open-air bas-relief carvings in the world, located at Mahabalipuram. Carved in the 7th century CE by the Pallava dynasty on two massive boulders, the relief depicts either Arjuna's penance from the Mahabharata or the story of Bhagiratha bringing the Ganga to earth. The composition is 30 metres wide and 15 metres tall and features gods, humans, animals, nagas, and mythical beings converging towards a central cleft representing the river. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a masterwork of Indian sculptural art.