94 



DESCRIPTIVE REMARKS ON 



during a festival illumination. The same are to be seen on the 

 west side of the Idaiyan Padal pillar rock at Saluvankuppam, 

 No. 56. 



17£. Returning now from No. 25 and passing round the north 

 end of this eastern ridge of the rocks by Kamaraja's temple, 

 No. 24, and down to the pathway again, to resume our southward 

 progress, at about 40 or 50 yards from No. 24 we come to a 

 flight of steps cut in the rock, and close by a steep sloping slide, 

 next to which comes the great bas-relief. 



17. Arjuna' s Penance. — The precipitous east face of the rock 

 for about 90 feet in length and 35 feet in height has been sculp- 

 tured to represent the story of the Tapas or penance of Arjuna, 

 so at least they say. The rock is divided by a deep natural cleft 

 in the middle, in the centre of which a great naga with a seven- 

 fold serpent hood, and serpentine below the waist, was placed. 

 Immediately below him the Nagini, his consort, with a triple 

 serpent hood, and below her again in the bottom of the cleft a 

 simple cobra or naga snake erect with extended hood. 



A multitude of human and animal figures celestial and terres- 

 trial have been carved, nearly all turning towards the central 

 cleft, which may very likely have contained some other and more 

 important centre of attraction than the naga figures which alone 

 remain. 



The so-named Arjuna stands on one leg with both hands raised 

 aloft in the attitude of meritorious penance ; whilst by him 

 stands a huge man, or god, with four arms, probably Siva, accord- 

 ing his approval. (?) 



A shrine in the style of the adjacent monoliths is represented 

 below Arjuna, with an image standing within the cell, stated to 

 be that of Krishnasvami, in front of which a contemplative sage 

 is sitting carved entire and very well done. 



There is another version of the penance on a similar cleft rock 

 No. 45, 300 yards further south. 



16. The Panca Pandava Cave (open to east). — Adjoining 

 the south end of the great bas-relief a considerable excavation 

 has been begun, nearly 50 feet wide (north — south), 40 feet deep 

 (east — west), and 10 feet high. It is quite unfinished. The six 



