Believed to be the world's largest structure of its kind, inscribed on two monolithic boulders, the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Arjuna's Penance (tapas) is a bas-relief, measuring to 43 ft height and 100 ft length. It has over 100 sculptures of gods, birds, beasts and saints. The relic depicts a scene from the epic Mahabharata, where Arjuna is praying hard and performing penance to Lord Shiva to ask him for his powerful and divine bow. It is said that Arjuna needed this bow in the battle of Mahabharata to defeat the Kauravas. Another legend gives the site the name of descent of the Ganges, as it is believed to be the spot where king Bhagiratha performed penance and prayed to Lord Shiva, standing on one leg, to let River Ganges descend from heaven so he could gain salvation for his ancestors.

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