TANJORE TEMPLE

Presenting by,T.Vinodhini.

CONTENT

• History• Rajaraja Chola the Great • Construction• Temple complex• Cholas frescos• Millennium commemoration• Interesting facts• Reference

HISTORY

• Other Names:• Rajarajeswara Temple• Peruvudaiyar Temple• Tanjore Big Temple• Brihadeeshwarar Temple• Rajarajeswaram

HISTORY• The temple had its foundations laid out by the Tamil emperor

Arulmozhivarman, popularly called Rajaraja chola I(985 A.D - 1015 A.D).

• It took just 6 years to complete this work on 1010 A.D.• Expression of the Tamils (Chola) wealth, power and artistic

expertise.• The temple was the site of the major royal ceremonies.• Architectural example showcasing the pure form of the

Dravida type of temple architecture.• Testify to the brilliant achievements of the Chola in

architecture, sculpture, painting and bronze casting.

Rajaraja Chola I•Period- 985–1015 CE•The second son of the Parantaka Cholan II and Vanama Mahadevi.•Valiant warrior.•Meticulous attention to the welfare and comfort of his people.•Administration.•Equality and liberty for women.•Ensured religious tolerance.•Ruled for thirty years-golden age of cholas.

Rajaraja Chola the Great

Construction

• Measure of 1 3/8-inch called an angula (24 units equaling 33 inches)

• Architect and engineer of the temple - Raja Raja Perunthachan.

• First building fully built by granite. • Solid base of the temple -5 meters (16 feet)• The Big Nandi(bull), weighing about 20 tonnes -

made of a single stone and is about 2 m in height, 6 m in length and 2.5 m in width.

Construction• Kalasam or Vimanam (top portion of the

shrine) - believed to weigh 81.28 tones of single stone block-raised to its present height by dragging on an inclined plane of 6.44 km.

• Deity of lingam is 3.7m tall.• Prakaram(outer precincts of the temple)

measures 240m by 125m.• Outer wall of the upper storey is carved with 81

dance karanas – postures of Bharathanatyam.

Temple complex• Keralaanthagan

Gopuram

• Rajaraja Chola -Keralaanthakan meaning Destroyer of Kerala (Chera's) after his victory over Kerala king Baskararavivarma, this gopuram is named after this title .

• This is a five stage gopuram. In the front side of the gopuram one can see various forms of Shiva - Rudhrathandava pose (a fierce Shiva in dancing form).

Temple complex

Keralaanthagan Gopuram• In the rear side of the gopuram -Krishna Leela,

MahaVishnu, Narasimha in one side and Hiranya Samkara on the other side. On the top stage Shiva and Vishnu idols are seen.

• The load is distributed on two huge granite walls and the walls are merged into single structure.

• The huge base platform distributes the load to the ground with the minimum foundation depth.

Temple complex

Rajarajan Gopuram• Two huge 15 feet monolithic

Dwarapalas on either side of this entrance is seen.

• The 15 feet huge monolithic stone sculpture of the Dwarapala reveals the Thattva (concept) that God is Everywhere as shown by the upper two hands and the pose of right hand index finger denotes that God is one and only one.

Temple complex

The Great Nandhi:• Big statue of Nandi(sacred bull), carved out of

a single rock, at the entrance.• The Nandhi-12 feet high, 19.5 feet long and

18.25 feet wide.• Weighing about 20 tones.• Stone was brought over from the bed of the

River Narmada in the north

Chola frescos• The Chola fresco paintings discovered

in 1931-Aradhana Mandapam.• The passage of the corridor-two

layers of paintings from floor to ceiling.

• A smooth batter of limestone mixture is applied over the stones, which will take 2 to 3 days for setting. Within that short span, such large paintings were painted with natural colors like fruit and vegetable juices.

• During the Nayak period the chola paintings were over painted by the Nayaks. These have certain labels in Telugu characters mentioned the names of Sevappa and Achyutappa and others.

Millennium commemoration

• Built in the year 1010 CE- 'Big Temple' turned 1000 years old in September 2010.

• 1000th year of the grand structure– Bharathanatyam Yajna- 1000

dancers – Commemorative stamps and

coins

Millennium commemoration

Interesting facts

• Underground passages in Tanjore big temple• Huge cap stone at the top of Tanjore big temple • Painting in Tanjore big temple• Granite stones used for the temple construction• Cutting and carving of Granite stones• Secret passages in Tanjore big temple• Shadow Disappears at noon

Underground passage Huge cap

Paintings One of the 81 dance postures

Huge cap

Paintings at the roof of the temple

Granite stone

Cutting and carving

Secret passages

Shadow disappears at noon

Details of Shiva Temple at Tanjore

Base and Shikhara Tower of Shiva Temple at Tanjore

Shiva Temple in Tanjore, Nandi Shrine

Conclusion

• Real wonder at Tanjore.• Beautiful archaeological temple.• Must visit place for all the people irrespective

of religion and country.• The vision -Chola had in his mind when

building this huge monument.

References

• Rajarajesvaram, the Pinnacle of Chola Art by B.Venkataraman – 1985

• Sri Brihadisvara : The Great Temple of Thanjavur by A.K. Seshadri

• THE SCIENTIFIC EDIFIC OF BRIHADEESWARA TEMPLE, TANJORE, TAMILNADU by Dr. V.Ganapati Sthapati

• PAINTINGS OF SITTANNAVASAL, PANAMALAI AND THANJAVUR by C. Nachiappan(now Sri-la-Sri Nachiappa Swami of Koviloor Mutt)

Thank you