"Stories from Mahabharata" are found engraved in:

Question

Accepted Answer

The correct option is 3:
Mahabalipuram (Mamallapuram), the celebrated centre of Pallava art from the 7th century CE, is the correct answer. The primary evidence lies in the monumental rock relief known as "Arjuna's Penance" or "Descent of the Ganga." This immense, open-air rock carving is essentially a sculptural treatise on Hindu mythology. While depicting the Descent of the Ganga, the vast expanse of the frieze is teeming with narrative details that include the *Kiratarjuniya* story—an episode from the *Mahabharata* where Arjuna performs penance to obtain a divine weapon from Lord Shiva. This extensive, visually rich representation of a core epic story, alongside other vignettes of hunters, sages, and animals, confirms Mahabalipuram as the key location for these engravings.

The incorrect option is 1:
The Kailash Temple at Ellora is arguably the most magnificent monolithic rock-cut structure in the world, excavated during the Rashtrakuta period. It is dedicated to Shiva and is a triumph of architecture and sculpture. Its main iconographic focus is the Puranic mythology surrounding Shiva and his celestial abode. The temple is most famous for the colossal relief of Ravana shaking Mount Kailash (Kailashnath). While this particular scene is *related* to the epic tradition, the temple does not feature the broad "Stories from Mahabharata" narrative cycle in the same extensive, defining manner found at Mahabalipuram.

The incorrect option is 2:
The Vrihaddeshwar Temple, also known as the Big Temple of Thanjavur (Tanjore), is a towering example of Chola architecture. This structural temple, built by Raja Raja Chola I, is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is renowned for its sheer scale and massive monolithic *Shikhara*. The engravings and murals in this temple primarily concentrate on Shaiva themes, portraits of Chola patrons, and the iconic depiction of the 108 *Karanas* of the classical dance form, Bharatanatyam. Epic narratives from the *Mahabharata* are not its primary or defining sculptural feature.

The incorrect option is 4:
The Kiradu temples, situated in Rajasthan, represent the Solanki style of architecture from the 11th and 12th centuries and are primarily dedicated to Shiva and Vishnu. These temples are historically significant for their intricate carving and beautiful, though ruined, structural elements. While Hindu temples generally depict scenes from various Puranas and epics, Kiradu is not historically recognized as a major centre for the comprehensive and widely celebrated engravings of "Stories from Mahabharata" compared to the famous Pallava relief at Mahabalipuram.