The relief was created to celebrate the victory of Narasimhavarman I over the Chalukya Emperor Pulakesin II. The place, now known as Mamallapuram, was named in the honor of the Pallava monarch Narasimhavarman I (630–668 CE),[1]) who was conferred the title Mamallan, the "great wrestler" or "great warrior". He was the son of King Mahendravarman I. The architectural creations at Mamallapuram, mostly attributed to Mamallan in the 7th century, adopted stone as the medium for sculpting in situ rock faces, which until this was done with some perishable material like wood or loose stones.[1] It is part of 25 UNESCO World Heritage Cultural Sites in India,[2] and as a protected monument, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), Chennai Circle is entrusted with its upkeep in all aspects. The open air reliefs (including the Descent of the Ganges (Mamallapuram) 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.[3][4] This relief in rock is reported as a "sublime" early sculpture of the 7th century; even in the subsequent reign of the Imperial Cholas adopted the shrine-sculpting technique in the temples they built in the late 9th century. This architectural legacy of the Pallavas is continued by the descendants of sculptors of that period, who are now integrated into the present town's culture.[5]