Descent of the Ganges, known locally as Arjuna's Penance,[1][2] is a monument at Mamallapuram, on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal, in the Chengalpattu district of the state of Tamil Nadu, India.

The legend depicted in the relief is the story of the descent of the sacred river Ganges to earth from the heavens led by Bhagiratha.

This architectural legacy of the Pallavas is continued by the descendants of sculptors of that period, who are now integrated into the present town's culture.

It was created on two large boulders of pink granite in the open air giving the whole a natural effect.

It cascaded over the cleft and the relief to give the impression of the Ganga descending from the head tied dreads of Shiva.

This scene was created during festive occasions and the presence of a brick masonry cistern at the top of the cleft to release water attests to its location at the site.

[4][5][13][14][15] The sculptures carved in the natural fissure that divides the cliff not only depict the cosmic event of Ganges descending to Earth but also show the event being watched by many gods, goddesses, puranic figurines such as Kinnara, Gandharva, Apsara, Gana, Nagas, and also wild and domestic animals.

[14][17] Shiva is shown next to the Kinnaras who are depicted in large numbers in the upper portion of the relief; they are anthropomorphic forms of half-human half-bird, a popular Indian art form in ancient times representing the Indic ethos of the world as one creation.

Carvings of the divine nagas shown swimming in the river, as Ganga descends from the heavens, are also in anthropomorphic form of a serpent and human, which has been a traditional style from ancient times in Indic art.

[5][18] It is also said that the relief in one unity is the early Indic artist's concept of "sublime continuity in all living things".

A kim-purusha, meaning a dwarf with elongated ears and wearing a cap on his head and beating a drum is also seen in the panel.

Wild lions are also shown with large mane and also rams which are interpreted as representing the Himalayan habitat.

[5] On the left side of the upper panel, carvings of divinities and celestial couples moving towards the river are seen.

The temple roof is patterned on the style of Draupadi Ratha with a square curvilinear dome type of tower.

[5] In one interpretation, a figure in the relief who is standing on one leg is said to be Arjuna performing an austerity Tapas to receive a boon from Shiva as an aid in fighting the Mahabharata war.

Bhagiratha is said to have performed austerities so that Ganga might descend to earth and wash over the ashes of his relatives, releasing them from their sins.

To break Ganga's fall from heaven to earth, she falls onto Shiva's hair, and is divided into many streams by his tresses; this miraculous event is shown in the form of sculptures on the boulders being watched by the animals and human beings.

[17] One more interpretation of the events seen in another part of the panel is that of a cat standing on one leg (apparently as an austerity), and perhaps an iconic figure in the relief.