Mahabalipuram's gods of stone

About an hour’s drive south of Chennai along the Bay of Bengal is the ancient heritage site of Mahabalipuram, which dates as far back as the 4th century. LAKSHMI SHARATH delves into its history with a pictorial tour of the main sites.

1 - 8 of 8

1 - 8 of 8

3 of 8 photos

Yahoo Lifestyle Entertainment Photo by Lakshmi Sharath Wed 9 May, 2012 11:30 AM IST

Arjuna’s Penance
This is sheer poetry on stone. Carved on a rock face are stories relating to deities and mortals. The scene is supposedly taken from the Mahabharata when Arjuna performed a penance to please Shiva and to obtain a weapon from him to fight the war. There is also the perspective that this carving could represent Ganga’s descent to earth after Bhagiratha’s penance to Shiva.
Arjuna’s Penance
This is sheer poetry on stone. Carved on a rock face are stories relating to deities and mortals. The scene is supposedly taken from the Mahabharata when Arjuna performed a penance to please Shiva and to obtain a weapon from him to fight the war. There is also the perspective that this carving could represent Ganga’s descent to earth after Bhagiratha’s penance to Shiva.