BRIHADISVARA TEMPLE
THANJAVUR AND THE CHOLAS
The Cholas, the mightiest rulers of South India, at one point of time hold sway over major parts of South ledis and Sri Lanka. They alaz made their presence felt over North India and even South East Asia. The glory of the medieval Cholas was established by the early Chala rulers who ruled from the Uraiyur region in the beginning of the comunan era. The rise of Vijayalaya 0150 871 CI) by defeating the Pollass Pandyas and Muttaraiyars paved the way for the establishment of the Cholas of the Imperial line.
Thanjavur, the rice bowl of Tamilnadu located on the southern hack of Vadavara, was a strategic and geographic contro in the sauth western corner of the Cauvery delta. It is known as Tanjai in the inscriptions of the Cholas of the 10 and early 11" centuries. It was centre of a collection of villages controlled by the Muttaraiyars and eventually by the Cholas in the middle of " century CE. It was showered with importance by Chola Rajarajal (985-1014 CE) with the construction of his monumental Brihadisvara templo. The dutines character of this temple city was that it was deliberately created as a ceremonial and sacred bhakti centre. With the temple of its aantre, the city was designed with an ullalai (inner quadrangle around the temple) and a perambadi (outer circuit) fer the priestly/adéministrative class and for the other professional groups respectively.
Thanjavur lost its importance subsequent to the death of Rajaraja I when the capital was shifted to Gangaikondachelapuram. Itblossomed forth to its former glory under the Nayaka and Maratha rulers. The Brihadisvara temple was fertified and the Subramanya shrine as atse the colossal Nandi within the complex were added by the Nayakas. Several tanks were repaired and wastelnods were retained fr agriculture. Raghunatha Nayaka constructed a theatre in his royal palace to stage theatricals.
In 1675 CE. Thanjavur passed into the hands of the Marathas. Shahji, the Maratha ruler improved the palace and constructed beautiful throne room in it. Manuscripts were collected and housed in the Saranwathi Mahal Library. Rajagopalaswami temple added lustro lo the city. A number of choultries and chatrams were constructed for the poor.
Thanjavur was annexed by the British in 1855 CE when the last Maratha king Sivaji had ne male heir to succeed him. The stronger and growing British power converted the small princely state of Thanjavur inte a viable economic unit.
BRIHADISVARA TEMPLE
The ambitious Brihadisvara temple by Rajarajal was began in 1003 and completed in 1010 CE and was insigned to reprenant a спание structure the Mahameru. The temple is dedicated to Siva represented hy a linga 13.65m highi and named Rajarajanvarannadayer after the king himself. The temple was built in a courtyard measuring 240 x 120m in the ratio of 1:2 with granite blocks being brought from a distance of approx. 50kms. The vimana soors to height of 60.95m and the stone sikhara (8 pieces) at the top weighs 01.204 tonnes. The innes sanctum is a square. The height of the temple has been achieved due to the two tiered bhumi (wall. There is a pradakshinapathe (circumambulatory passage) around the sanctam. The lower circumambulatory passageway has on its walls exquisite paintings of the Chole period while the apper one has the kurane (dance poses) reliefs.
The enmples has the main temple with five subshrines for Chandikesvara, Amman, Subrahmanya, Ganesa and for Karever Devs, e royal priest. There are two mandapas for Nataraja and Nandi. A cloister mandapa runs round the complee. Twe tiruvanal and Koraloutake are of the same period as the main temple and the arch is of the Marathe period.
The walls and adhisthana (plinth) are covered with inscriptions of Chola, Pandya, Vijayanagara. Neyaka and Maratha roles from there in known that numerous andowments were mode to the temple by the royal family and the king Large images in bronce and we prasented to the temple. The receipt of dunations and how the temple was maintained is engraved in great detail. The annual the land set aside for this temple is estimated to be 1, 10,000 kalens of paddy
The niches in the lower wall of the temple depict varions deities ke Gannsa, Vishnu with Sridevi and Bhedsstan, Kalasta Natesa, Ardhanartsvere, Chandrasekhara to name a low. The upper wall corries the figure af Tripurantaka anly.
Location :
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