Arjuna’s Penance Mahabalipuram

Vital Information for Visitors

Address:

Arjuna’s Penance, Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu

Open & Close:

Open on all days: 06:00 AM to 6:00 PM

Entry Fees:

Indian – INR 10/-

Foreigner – INR 250/-

Duration:

Approx 1-2 hrs

Significance:

Built in 7th Century

Arjuna’s Penance, a beautifully carved structure in ancient town of Mahabalipuram, is depiction of a magical story. The Arjuna’s Penance, a stonework masterpiece, is one of India’s greatest ancient artworks. It was built by the Pallava King, Narasimha Varma, who also is known as the ‘Ocean of the Arts’ in the 7th Century and is one of the most well known monuments that were carved from granite rock boulders. The story goes that Arjuna was practicing penance to get Lord Shiva’s weapon that would assist him to ﬁght the Mahabharata war, and it is strongly believed, that if one has the will to go through self-mortiﬁcation and transcend the mind, the universe showers its abundant blessings, and so, Arjuna was given the ‘weapon’. On the ﬂip side, it is also believed that the subject of this massive structure is the ‘Descent of the Ganges’. Bhagiratha oﬀered his prayers to Lord Shiva & was practicing penance to get the river Ganga ﬂowing on the Earth. It’s still a mystery. The structure could be either of them, or both is what is now taken as the ﬁnal call.

This magniﬁcent sculpture is carved at the back of a whale shaped stone. On either side of the rock, there are carvings of gods & ﬁgures from the celestial world, demi-gods, birds, beasts, the nagas & nymphs, all mingling into the theme. At one look, it can seem like they are all moving to witness the great miracle that’s unfolding. There are beautiful & intricate carvings of other heavenly bodies, gods that sing, dance & rejoice in art, holding musical instruments like the Veena in their hands. Above the shrine is the carved portrait of Arjuna or Bhagiratha, standing in a yoga posture, on one leg with arms up in the air. Behind him is Lord Shiva holding a weapon and surrounded by heavenly beings. Below this is a temple made in praise of Lord Vishnu, surrounded by sages, deer and a lion along with other animals. The many wonderfully carved animals include a herd of elephants and funny to the eyes – a cat mimicking Arjuna's penance to a crowd of mice.

Both, Arjuna and Bhagiratha are heroic beings, who with their devotion, prayer & penance had a unique relationship with the gods. They were also protectors of their families, clans and our mother earth. It is believed that the Pallava rulers, also had a connect with the gods & were also protectors of their land & people. This great structure with work so detailed, is also complex and each time one sees it, it’s like the eyes open up to a new panel, a new carving and a newer perspective or symbolic meaning comes gushing through. It is no coincidence that the city is full of everything that brings travelers from all across the globe. Bursting with history & art, a treat to the eyes and touch to the heart, Mahabalipuram in Tamil Nadu is a paradise, waiting to be discovered.