With reference to the Indian history of art and culture, consider the following pairs : Famous work of sculpture Site 1. A grand image of Buddha's Mahaparinirvana with numerous celestial musicians above and the sorrowful figures of his followers below : Ajanta 2. A huge image of Varaha Avatar (boar incarnation) of Vishnu, as he rescues Goddess Earth from the deep and chaotic waters, sculpted on rock : Mount Abu 3. "Arjuna's Penance"/ "Descent of Ganga" sculpted on the surface of huge boulders : Mamallapuram Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?

Let's evaluate each pair concerning famous sculptures and their sites in Indian art and culture:

1. A grand image of Buddha's Mahaparinirvana with numerous celestial musicians above and the sorrowful figures of his followers below : Ajanta This statement is correctly matched. Cave 26 at the Ajanta Caves in Maharashtra features a magnificent sculpture of the Mahaparinirvana (the great passing away) of Buddha, depicting him reclining, with heavenly figures above and sorrowful disciples below. It is a prime example of Gupta period Buddhist art.

2. A huge image of Varaha Avatar (boar incarnation) of Vishnu, as he rescues Goddess Earth from the deep and chaotic waters, sculpted on rock : Mount Abu This statement is incorrectly matched. The most famous large rock-cut image of Varaha rescuing Bhudevi is found at the Udayagiri Caves in Madhya Pradesh, dating back to the Gupta period. Mount Abu in Rajasthan is renowned for its exquisite Dilwara Jain Temples, which are known for their intricate marble carvings, not for a large Varaha avatar sculpture.

3. "Arjuna's Penance"/ "Descent of Ganga" sculpted on the surface of huge boulders : Mamallapuram This statement is correctly matched. The massive open-air relief sculpture known as "Arjuna's Penance" or "Descent of the Ganga" is a prominent feature at Mamallapuram (Mahabalipuram) in Tamil Nadu. It depicts a narrative scene, possibly related to the penance of Arjuna or the descent of the river Ganga, with numerous figures carved on a large rock face. This is a significant example of Pallava art.

Therefore, pairs 1 and 3 are correctly matched.