Buy Miniature of Arjun Penance, Mahabalipuram from Poompuhar. Arjuna's Penance is a massive open-air bas-relief monolith, which dates back to the 7th century. It is situated in the town of Mahabalipuram, at a distance of 58 km from Chennai, the capital city of Tamil Nadu. Standing tall at a height of 43 feet, the Mamallapuram monolith was carved on the face of two huge adjoining boulders, somewhere around the mid-7th century. The length of Arjuna's Penance is around 96 feet and the monolith is also known by the name of 'The Descent of Ganga'.