Thanjavur Brihadeeswara Temple

The UNESCO’s recognized world heritage Thanjavur big temple is just 1-hour travel (60 km) from our Hotel Blossoms. Here Lord Shiva showers his benison on his devotee with the name as “Brihadeeswarar” along with Lordess Brahan Nayagi Amman. There is a Nandi at the entrance of the temple as it is the gate guardian of Kailash. This was built by the great Raja Raja Chola I, the greatest king of the Chola dynasty, between AD 985 and 1014. The main feature is that here Lord Shiva, as well as Nandhi, is a Monolithic (made out of a single stone).

Standing erect and strong this Tanjore big temple serves as a showcase for the true form of Dravidian architecture in temples and is a representative of the ideology of Chola Empire as well as Southern India’s Tamil civilization. This 212 ft (64.8 meters) towering Shiva temple is home to one of the largest Shiva Linga(s) of the country. A majestic Nandhi (bull), measuring a gigantic 19.4 ‘ x 8.23’ x 12’ (5.94 x 2.51 x 3.66 in meters) stands guard over the temple. This is why it is also called “ The Tanjavur Periya Kovil”. This is one among top 5 large temples in India.

This temple was completely built by granite and in such a way that never in a day the shadow of the temple falls on the ground. The top “Vimanam”( the temple tower/tomb) weighs around 80 tons and it is believed that elephants rolled the tomb to the top of the temple. This temple is known for its great architectural value, as each tomb and each wall of the temple and the surrounding are filled to the brim with carvings and paintings depicting the rich history of art, culture, mythology, and science of the era. The carvings on the stone can be found all around the temple even today. According to the carving in the stone, it is Kunjara Mallan Raja Raja Perunthachan who was the chief architect of the temple. His successors survive to this day and practice the art of Vastu or Vastu Shastra. The temple has enough ventilation to host a full city inside it.

Surrounding the temple lays a grass grown where visitors could sit and enjoy the great view of Periya Kovil. A look on the whole temple mesmerizes us to such an extent that we start feeling bad for not living during the era of King Raja Raja Cholan – I. This temple always takes place in the list of “don’t miss it” for the tourist as well as residents.