Brihadisvara Temple

Brihadisvara Temple
Religion
Affiliation	Hinduism
Location
Location	Thanjavur
Architecture
Type	South Indian, Kovil
Creator	Raja Raja Chola

The Brihadeeswarar temple (Tamil: பிருஹதீஸ்வரர் கோவில்) (also spelled Brihadeshvara Temple or Birhadeeshwara temple) is an ancient Hindu temple located at Thanjavur in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. This 10th century CE temple, part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site "Great Living Chola Temples", is a brilliant example of the Dravidian style of temple architecture. The central temple known as the Periya Kovil (Big Temple) stands within a fort, whose walls were later additions built during the 16th century. The name periya kovil came from its original name "periya aavudayar kovil" (aavudayar being a local name of Lord Shiva). The vimana (main tower) of the temple is approximately 65 m (215 ft) high and is the tallest in the world. It was so designed that the vimana never casts a shadow at noon during any period of the year.

Description And History

The temple is approached from the East via two gopurams - pyramidal towers that serve as an entrance to the temple grounds. They are flanked by two huge guardian figures, and various Shiva legends represented in the carvings. The inner gopuram is the Brihadeeswarar temple, encircled by sea monster heads and topped by a protective monster mask. The plaster sculptures on the roof were added the initial construction of the Temple. At 65 m or 215 ft tall, the vimana is the tallest structure in the temple and makes this Brihadeeswarar temple somewhat unusual in that the tallest structure in most Indian temples is the gopuram – the pyramidal tower that serve as an entrance to the temple grounds. While not entirely unique to Brihadeeswarar, as this same setup can be found in a few other temples built by Chola kings. Atop the vinama rests an octagonal shikaram, or a crown resembling a cupolic dome, made of two massive blocks of granite each weighing some 40 tons. In the 10th century, moving such enormous blocks of granite to the top of a 65 m tower was a remarkable accomplishment. In order to do so, a ramp of sand was built from a distance of nearly 1.75km (1 mile) away to the west, and the two halves of the shikaram were most likely moved by elephants up the incline ending some 65 m higher at the top of the vinama.

The walls of the vinama are inscribed with 100 paragraphs detailing the gifts given by the king and his family toward the creation of the temple. From these paragraphs we know that the temple was finished 25 years and 275 days after Rajaraja took power in 975 A D. Upon completion of the temple, Rajaraja gave the gift of a golden kalasam, or finial, to top the vinama.

Inside the vinama is a huge lingam, 8.7 meteres high, representing the main deity worshipped at the temple, Shiva, also known as Brihadeeswarar. The grace and grandeur of this temple has been matched by very few and within the temple are many amazing sculptures, bronzes, and frescos; all being excellent examples of the art and history of the Chola period. Worth noting are three large Shiva sculptures – one dancing, one holding a spear, and one holding a trident, as well as many murals of Shiva in his various manifestations. One good example being Tripurantakamurti, which shows Shiva as the destroyer of three cities

Another remarkable feature of the temple is the great Nandi (bull). The Nandi found at the mandaman (hall) near the temple entrance is immense in size, and the ceiling of its enclosure is decorated with frescoes in the typical painting style of Thanjavur. The Nandi weighs 27 tonnes, and measuers roughly 4m by 6m by 2.5m, making it one of the largest Nandi sculptures in the world. It is said to have been installed later in the 16th Century.[citation needed]. A story is told that the Nandi continued to grow and grow, until finally a nail was driven into its back and the growth was stopped.

The temple also contains several smaller shrines, with the shrine of Sri Subramanya being of notible mention due to it being an excellent example of decorative architecture, with nearly every inch covered in sculptural detail. Several other small shrines dot the courtyard, and around the its entirety is a pillared cloister, containing several small shrines in which can be found many lingam, frescos, and sculptures.

On a historical note, The tall vinama of the temple also found use as a survey platform during the measurement of the Great Arc, by the Survey of India under William Lambton. The Great Theodolite used during the Survey of India was damaged in a fall from the roof, and its carefully calibrated plates were bent. This instrument was later repaired at Trichy.[citation needed]

Picture Gallery

• 
  The Big Temple
• 
  Entrance to Garbhagriha or Sanctum Sactorum
• 
  View from the rear right
• 
  View from the front left
• 
  Rajagopuram (main tower) of the temple
• 
  An ornamented pillar in the temple courtyard
• 
  The Nandi, with the [vimana] in the background
• 
  Frescoes on the enclosure roof
• 
  Entrance to the Brihadeeswarar Temple
• 
  Detail of Gopuram
• 
  The Shrine of Sri Subramanya
• 
  Detail of steps of the Shrine of Sri Subramanya
• 
  One of many bronze deities found in the pillared cloister surrounding the courtyard
• 
  Several of the Lingam found in the pillared cloister
• 
  Example of the many frescos found in the pillared cloister
• 
  Nandi, looking peaceful.

External links

• UNESCO's World Heritage Site
• Panoramic 360 degree views of the Temple
• TLC: Mysteries of India: Lost South Indian Temples (via Google Video)
• Brihadeeswarar Temple
• Photos of Thanjavur Periya Kovil
• Template:Wikitravel

See also

• Thanjavur
• Hindu temple architecture
• Rajaraja Chola I
• Śiva

10°47′N 79°08′E