Thanjavur
The erstwhile grand capital of the Chola Kingdom, Thanjavur is an important trade and cultural hub of Tamil Nadu. With the river Kaveri flowing through the heart of it, surrounded by lush green paddy fields, doted by many temples, Thanjavur has so much to offer!
The most prominent, iconic identity of Thanjavur is the grand Brihadeeshwara Temple. This temple was constructed by Raja Raja Chola, the most illustrious among the Chola Dynasty. The temple, which is a magnificent and beautiful granite structure, is dedicated to Lord Shiva, as Brihadeeshwarar.
Here I go, with the pictorial description of the temple, the grandness of which, cannot be justified with any mere words!
The entrance tower – Gopuram of the temple, basked in the sun
The gigantic guard – Dwarapalaka, showing us the way to the Lord, or is he signifying the greatness of the One inside, by raising his arm?!
Yazhi, a mythical creature, sculpted on one of the pillars
Silhouette of the grand temple
The metal flag mast
The beautifully carved stone spout, that guides the ritualistic ablution offerings – Abisheka, from the inner sanctum
Entering into the holy sanctum
A majestic view of the grand tower, over the sanctum
The granite tower over the sanctum, in all its splendor!
One of the several stone carvings, that narrate an epic, in their own language!
A smaller shrine within the complex
Nandi, the guard and mount of the Lord, observes in silence!
Udaiyar Sri Raja Raja..as found on a stone edict, within the temple
A detailed plan of the temple, placed within the premises
The grandness of the temple can be realized, only by paying a visit and respect to the vision and labor of the several hands, that made this wonder, stand the test of time, over a millennium, and going strong!
More about Thanjavur, coming up in the following post.
Cheers. God Bless.
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