Descent of the Ganges (Mahabalipuram)
| Descent of the Ganges – Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram | |
|---|---|
| Name as inscribed on the World Heritage List | |
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| Type | Cultural |
| Criteria | i, ii, iii, vi |
| Reference | 249 |
| UNESCO region | Asia-Pacific |
| Inscription history | |
| Inscription | 1984 (8th Session) |
Descent of the Ganges is a monument at Mahabalipuram, on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal, in the Kancheepuram district of the state of Tamil Nadu, India. Measuring 96 by 43 feet (29 m × 13 m), it is a giant open-air rock relief carved on two monolithic rock boulders. The legend depicted in the bas-relief is the story of the descent of the sacred river Ganges to earth from the heavens led by Bhagiratha. The waters of the Ganges are believed to possess supernatural powers. The descent of the Ganges and Arjuna's Penance are portrayed in stone at the Pallava heritage site. The relief is more of a canvas of Indian rock cut sculpture at its best not seen anywhere in India. It is one of the Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram that were designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1984.
The Arjuna bas-relief is in the centre of Mahabalipuram, facing the sea at a short distance from the shores of the Coramandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal where the Shore Temple is situated. It is accessible from Chennai city over a 36 miles (58 km) paved road to its west and 20 miles (32 km) from Chengalpet.
The relief was created to celebrate the victory of Hinduism over Buddhism. The place, now known as Mahabalipuram, was earlier known by the epithet given to the king Narasimhavarman I (630–668 AD) of the Pallava Dynasty (who ruled from 4th to 9th centuries),) as Mamallan, the "great wrestler" or "great warrior". His father was king Mahendravarman I who converted from Jainism to Hinduism. The architectural creations at Mamallapuram, mostly attributed to Mamalla in the 7th century, adopted stone as the medium for sculpting in situ rock faces, which till then was done with some perishable material like wood or loose stones. It is part of 25 UNESCO World Heritage Cultural Sites in India, and as a protected monument, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), Chennai Circle is entrusted with its upkeep in all aspects. The open air bas-reliefs (including the Descent of the Ganges (Mahabalipuram) are one of the four categories under which UNESCO identified the site as a World Heritage Site and inscribed it in 1984 under the title Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram. This bas-relief in rock is reported as a "sublime" early sculpture of the 7th century; even in the subsequent dynasty of the Chola's adopted the shrine-sculpting technique in the temples they built in the late 9th century. This architectural legacy of the Pallava dynasty is continued by the descendants of sculptors of that period, who are now integrated into the present town’s culture.
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