| Arjuna’s Penance |
| About: |
| Mahabalipuram also known as Mamallapuram is a town in Kancheepuram district in Tamil Nadu.Located at a distance of 58-km from Chennai, Mahabalipuram has everything that makes a site memorable; tradition, history, piety, western annals, and current importance as a centre of tourism. The history of Mahabalipuram dates back to two thousand years, it contains nearly forty monuments of different types including an “open air bas relief” which is the largest in the world, for centuries it has been a centre of pilgrimage, it figures in the early annals of the British search for the picturesque in India in the 18th century, today it attracts shoals of foreigners in search of relaxation and sea bathing, and most strange of all, it has an atomic power plant for neighbour. A small library has been written on it. Over its history and that of its monuments a number of scholarly controversies rage. It is believed that there were seven magnificent temples what are known as the seven pagodas, built near the sea share. But the lonely survivor is the shore temples. It was originally constructed during the 7th century and later it was Narasimha Varman II, (Rajasimha) completed the skilled work in his rule. This is one of the oldest of the south Indian Temples which were structural temples constructed in the nature Dravidian style. This shore temple has gained popularity and tourists gather here because it has been listed among the world heritage sites of the UNESCO. The temple is full of designs made by carvings.There are many schools of thoughts over the theme of Arjuna’s penance. One school believes that the sculpture shows Arjuna undertaking a penance to obtain a rare weapon against his enemies. The other School believes that it portrays the legend of the River Ganges’s descent to earth. Whatever the reasons, Arjuna penance remains one of the most beautifully carved structures at Mamallapuram. Arjuna’s Penance has over 100 figures of gods and semi divine creatures, birds and beasts, man and saint. The skillfully carved edifice, Arjuna’s penance, is named after the Mahabharatha hero, Arjuna. As mentioned above, the subject of the carving is either how Arjuna, one of the Pandava brothers, performed severe austerities so that he could obtain Lord Shiva’s weapon to destroy his enemies or an illustration of how King Bhagiratha brought the River Ganges down to earth so that the souls of his ancestors could rest in peace. The relief also contains some of the popular legends from the Panchatantra books. The figures that are sculptured on the rock are remarkable for their vitality and spontaneity and speak volumes about the skill of the sculptors. |
| Location info: |
| Address:Mahabalipuram,Mahabalipuram district ,Tamil nadu ,India |
| District:Kanchipuram |
| Nearest City: Chennai |
| Best time to visit: October to March |
| Climate/Weather: |
| The Climate throughout the year is moderate. The variation between maximum and minimum temperature is not much. Though summer is hot,occasional rainfalls and water stagnation in the wet fields due to irrigating channels of Cauvery give much relief from sweltering heat. |
| History:What is depicted here in the great open-air sculpture has a story behind it and has been the subject of difference of opinion among historians. The older theory is that it represents the penance of Arjuna during his exile in the Himalayas, in the hope that Shiva would part with his favourite weapon, the “Pashupatashatra”, a magic staff or arrow. All generally accepts this popular interpretation. Some historians like Ferguson, Burgess, Vogel, Touvean, Dubreine and Langhurst have not accepted the above theory but put forward different ones, which are given below |
| The view held by Ferguson and Burgess is that this sculpture represents “Serpent Worship” in ancient India and that “in the center on a projecting ledge between the two great masses of rock once stood the statue of the great Nagaraja who was the principal personage for whose honour this great bas-relief was designed”. A later theory supported by Langhurst and Dr. Coomaraswamy (also splet as Coomaraswami) is that it depicts the “Descent of the Ganges” from the height of Kailasha (also spelt as Kailash). If this view is accepted, then the personage who has been identified, as Arjuna should be called “Bhagiratha” and this great sculpture as Bhagiratha’s penance and not Arjuna’s. But no local tradition exists which can serve as a real clue to its origin. |
| Interesting places to Visit: |
| The Shrines In The Shore Temple:There are three shrines in the Shore Temple. That facing the sea and another facing west into the township are Saiva. The one between is Vaishnava, with an image of Lord Anantasayi made of live rock. There are Vimanas over the Saiva (also spelt as Shaiv or Shaiva) shrines, but none over the third; it seems to have disappeared with time. There are Somaskanda reliefs on the walls of the Saiva shrine. In front of the eastern shrine there is a stone dhvajastambha, frequently under the waves. The light that shone on it at night must have been the last sight of home for thousands of Pallava citizens immigrating to South East Asia.Temple Of Sthalasayana Perumal:Immediately to the north of the bigger hill there is the temple of Sthalasayana Perumal, much enlarged in Vijayanagar times. By the very margin of the sea, with the waves often flowing at its foot, there is a magnificent fane with three shrines in an axial line, called the “Shore Temple”. To the west of the five Rathas there are three more rathas, two side by side. About 600 m north of Mahabalipuram, along the coast, is Saluvankuppam, where there are magnificent excavated temples and, near it, a rock Mandapa with tiger heads along its periphery, called the “Tigers Cave”. Between Saluvankuppam and Mahabalipuram, less than 200m from the sea, stands another structural temple, the Mukunda Nayanar.The Depictions Of Arjuna’s Penance: There have been strong differences of opinion among eminent scholars on what this scene depicts. An old view was that it represents Bhagiratha’s penance. But the opinion that currently holds the field is that it depicts Arjuna’s Penance. This “Mahabharatha” incident, also represented in both mural and relief in Lepakshi and a number of other sites, relates to Arjuna’s obtaining a weapon to use in the impending war against the Kauravas. Bharavi, the Sanskrit dramatist, who, it is believed, was living in Kanchipuram in the seventh century, when this masterpiece was made, has made it his theme in his “Kiratarjuniyam”. The Pallava court in that century was a nest of singing birds. It is highly probable that it is this scene, which is depicted here. The main scene of action is on the southern face. Here an ascetic is performing severe penance, standing on one leg. Near him is Lord Shiva, with His attendants. Immediately below them there is a small shrine with a relief of Lord Vishnu inside. By its side are many seated sages in meditation. |
| How to reach? |
| Nearest Railway Station:Chengalpattu (29-km) and Chennai (58-km). |
| Nearest Airport:Chennai (58-km) |
| Road Transport:Buses are available from Pondicherry, Kanchipuram, Chengalpattu and Chennai to Mahabalipuram daily. The road to Mahabalipuram is good. Tourists can also hire a taxi from Chennai. |
| Nearest Visiting places: |
| Thanjavur:Thanjavur District is the Rice Bowl of Tamil Nadu. The Big Temple and the other famous temples in the district are known all over the world. Thanjavur was the cultural capital of the country in 1790. Thanjavur gained prominence during the period of Chola Kings, who made it as their capital. Thereafter, it was ruled by Nayaks and Maratta Kings, who nurtured art and culture. The cultural, the architectural and the scholarly pursuits of these rulers are reflected in the great monuments like Grand Anaicut, Big Temple and Serfoji Mahal Library etc. in the district. ________________ |
| Nearest Petrol Pump: |
| Mahabalipuram |
| Hotels/Lodge/Accommodation:Grt Temple Bay Temple Bay, Kovalam Road, Mahabalipuram, 603104 Ideal Beach Resort Beach Rd, Mahabalipuram, Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu 603 104- 044 27442240 Quality Inn Mgm Beach Resort 1 74 New Mahabalipuram Rd, Mamallapuram, 603112- 044 27472435Mamalla Beach Resort Mahabalipuram, Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu- 044 27442375 |
| Help Line/Phone Number: |
| Police Station:Kalpakkam Township, Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu- 044 27481143 |
| Nearest Hospital:Saradeep Hospital No. 15, Thirukulan Street, Mahabalipuram, Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu 603104- 044 27242335 Sri Ramachandra Medical College & Hospital 1, Ramachandra Nagar, Porur, Chennai, Tamil nadu 600116- 044 24768027 Life Line Hospital No. 5/639, Old Mahabalipuram Road, Perungudi, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600096- 044 42454545 |
Image Gallery of Arjuna Penance-Historical Monuments
