Books & Editorials on The Big Temple

Books & Editorials on The Big Temple

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

For the Cholas, temple building was not merely an outpouring of artistic talent but also away of life, for the entire fabric of the society was woven round the temple.

Built by the greatest of Chola rulers, Rajaraja, the temple was named after him as Rajarajesvaram, meaning `the temple of the Isvara (God) of Rajaraja'. Later on, it became known as the Brihadisvara temple meaning the temple of the `Great Isvara'. But, in fairness to the great king who visualized and had this structure built, I have, following my father, adhered to the original name

I have chosen this subject, not merely because of my general interest in and involvement with art history of the Cholas for over three decades along with my illustrious archaeologist father, but also because no painstaking attempt has yet been made by any scholar to place all this treasure of information in a single capsule for the scholar or the traveller.(from the preface)

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

As a member of the conservation wing of the Archaeological Survey of India, the author has intimate knowlege of the several steps taken to preserve the temple in its original beauty. The author of this book does not claim to present any new discoveries but recounts in simple language all the outstanding features for which the temple has become renowned.

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

The ancient Indian science of Vaastu Shastra finds fullest expression in this magnificent edifice and Sthapati has elucidated in as simple terms as possible the science that has gone into its making, which makes an interested reading for seasoned readers as wells as newly initiated aspirants.

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

These sites, which are not easy to visit, were photographed 50 years ago by the Koviloor Swamy. He used an ancient 5"x4" Linhof camera for the Archaelogical Survey of India (ASI) The best paintings are found inside the vimana in the Brihadishvara temple at Thanjavur. The delicate nature of the paintings and the gradual erosion due to pollution have resulted in the ASI locking them up. Today they can only be seen by special permission. The paintings depict scenes from the Shiva Purana. But the elaborate tableaux of domestic, public and palace scenes are an excellent source of information about the Chola period and the court of Rajaraja, who commissioned them.

Middle Chola Temples : Rajaraja I to Kulottunga I (A.D. 985-1070) by S. R. Balasubrahmanyam

Art of the Imperial Cholas by Vidya Dehejia

Early Cola architecture and sculpture 866-1014 A.D by Douglas E Barrett

Visiting the Big Temple

Visiting The Big Temple

The temple is open daily. The sanctum sanctorum opens only during Pooja times. Please check with temple pooja timings.

By Air: The nearest airport is at Tiruchirappalli. Thanjavur is 55kms east of Tiruchirappalli. Next closest airport is at Madurai. It's about 200 Kms by road.

The Nearest International Airport is Chennai airport. Thanjavur is around 320 Kms south of Chennai by road.

By Road: Thanjavur is well connected with all the major cities and towns of Tamilnadu including Chennai, Kumbakonam, Tiruchirappalli, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Pondicherry, Coimbatore and Madurai. And also it is connected with Kochi, Ernakulam, Thiruvananthapuram, Mysore and Bangalore.

By Train: There is a Southern Railway junction in Thanjavur. It's well connected with Tiruchirappalli, Madurai, Chennai, Coimbatore, Mysore, Rameswaram, Kumbakonam, Tiruvarur and Nagapattinam. Please check the time table of southern railway.

Tamil Nadu Map

Chola Frescos

Chola Frescos

The Chola fresco paintings discovered in 1931 by Mr.S.K.Govindasamy of Annamalai University within the circumambulatory corridor Aradhana Mandapam of Rajarajeeswaram are of great interest. They are the first Chola specimens discovered. The passage of the corridor is dark and the enthusiast finds the walls on either side covered with two layers of paintings from floor to ceiling.

The important point to be noted is the technology used in the painting. 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.

The Chola frescos lying underneath have an ardent spirit of saivism is expressed in them. They probably synchronised with the completion of the temple by Rajaraja Cholan the Great.

In retrospect, it was a blessing in disguise, according to Dr. R. Kalaikovan of the Rajamanickanar Centre for Historical Studies . The upper layer of the Nayak paintings had actually protected the Chola frescoes underneath from further damage.

The Archeological Survey of India has, for the first time in the world, used its unique de-stucco process and restored 16 Nayak paintings, which were superimposed on 1000-year-old Chola frescoes at the Big Temple Thanjavur. More details can be foundhere.

The Indra Gandhi National Centre for Arts holds an impressive image gallery of the Rajarajeeswaram (Big Temple) murals.

More details on the nature of the images can be found here and a photographer’s plight and glory when he photographed these great paintings can be found here.

Big Temple Architecture

• Temple Architecture
 

History

The greatest of Chola emperorsRajaraja-I (985 A.D - 1012 A.D) the son of Sundara Chola (Parantakaa-II) and Vanavanmahadevi built this magnificent temple namedBrihadisvaram at Thanjavur - the capital of Chola dynasty.

From the epigraphical evidence it is known about Rajaraja-I started building this temple on his 19th year and completed on 275th day of his 25th year. It took just 6 years to complete this work on 1010 A.D.

Rajaraja-I named this temple as Rajarajesvaram and the deity Shiva in Linga form as Peruvudaiyar, the temple is also known in the deity's name as Peruvudaiyarkovil (in Tamil language). In later period Maratta and Nayaks rulers constructed various shrines and gopurams of the temple. In later period when the Sanskrit language was more popular during the Maratha rule the temple was named in Sanskrit as Brihadisvaram and the deity as Brihadisvara. Now-a-days it is called as Thanjai Periyakovil (Tanjore Big temple).

Keralaanthagan Gopuram

Rajaraja Chola assumed the title of 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), Shiva with Parvathi, Bichadanar (Shiva as beggar).

In the rear side of the gopuram one can see Krishna Leela, MahaVishnu in the first stage, Narasimha combating with Hiranyakasibu in one side and Hiranya Samkara on the other side. On the top stage Shiva and Vishnu idols are seen.

The Keralaanthakan gopuram is constructed on the same architectural concept of the Srivimana. Firstly, the load is distributed on two huge granite walls and the walls are merged into single structure as it approaches the height. Secondly, the Ball and Lock of the huge granites locks themselves with the neighboring rock, one can see the small projections evenly distributed on the base of the structure. Thirdly, the huge base platform distributes the load to the ground with the minimum foundation depth.

Rajarajan Gopuram

This gopuram is built by Rajaraja-I and depicts the mediaeval chola architecture where the Raja gopuram (the entrance gopuram) diminish in size and the Karpagraham (the main deity's gopuram) is significant.

The two huge 15 feet monolithic Dwarapalas on either side of this entrance is seen The 15 feet huge monolithic stone sculpture of the Dwarapala revals 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. On keen notice one can see a Elephant is being swallowed by a snake and the Lion standing behind. This denotes even if one faces such a big problem as of this magnitude a strong stand (a firm belief in God) similar to that of a Lion's strong standing posture will lead ways to realize God.

Rajaraja Cholan

Rajaraja Chola the Great

Rajaraja Chola I ( 985 to 1015 CE) was an unequalled monarch who ruled the entire Southern part of India over thousand years ago, whose greatness and glory can still witnessed by the world by his magnum opus the Brahadeswara Temple in Thanjavur.

He was born Arunmozhivarman, the second son of the Parantaka Cholan II alias Sundara Cholan and Vanavan Mahadevi. His brother the crown prince the Valiant Aditha Karikalan was assasinated and there was a political instability which followed this. Even as a youngster when all the people of the country wanted to crown him as the ruler, he declined and relinquished his right and requested his uncle to rule the mighty Chola kingdom to avoid any ill feelings in the family and waited for fifteen years to become the monarch and ruled for thirty years from 985 to 1015 which was the beginning of the golden age of cholas.

Its not an exaggeration to call RajaRaja Chola an all round genius earning him the various titles which can be found in his inscriptions.

He was valiant warrior and a master strategist who built his empire by his might of his army, navy and political treaties.

He paid meticulous attention to the welfare and comfort of his people. His local administration and civil administration system was par excellence.

Rajaraja built the Great temple of Thanjavur and covered the two hundred feet high tower with gold to signal his contribution. The temple survives to this day in its original grandeur. It is a magnificient haven of architecture, sculpture and paintings.

His rule demonstrates the equality and liberty the chola women enjoyed. His sister Kundavai and queens possessed property in their own names, which they donated to charity, temples and infirmaries and issuing orders with equal validity as that of the Emperor.

Rajaraja was a staunch follower of Saivism but ensured religious tolerance and patronized all religions Saivism, Vaishnavism, Saktam, Jainism and Buddhism alike.

Map of the Chola Empire

Big Temple Timeline

The much celebrated 'ponnambalam' (temple with golden roof) at Thillai (Chidambaram) was just a few days of journey away. Thiruvarur, the most important 'Sapta Vitanka Sthalam’, which had the patronage of the cholas right from the days of Manuneedhi Cholan and Musukuntha Cholan, was also nearby. So were numerous temples referred to as 'padal petra sthalangal' - temples where the Saivite saints Appar, Sundarar, Sambanthar and Manikkavasagar had sung Thevaram hymns (religious hyms praising the deeds of Lord Shiva). Then, what made Rajaraja Cholan build a massive temple in his capital city? 

Few centuries back, the Pallavas had given a new dimension to art and architecture. Under their patronage rose the majestic Rathas, Shore Temple and Yali Caves at Mamallapuram. Rajasimma Pallavan built two splendid temples in Kanchipuram 'Parameswara Vinnagaram' and 'Kailasanathar Kovil'. The latter, dedicated to Lord Siva, held Rajaraja Cholan's attention. He called it 'kachchipettu periya thali' (The Big Temple of Kanchipuram). 

Rajaraja Cholan's dreams and aspirations were always huge. The visionary he was in all matters, there is no wonder that he envisaged a huge temple to celebrate the power of divinity. 

Many a people, have wondered why he chose to build an imposing monument. Did he want to showcase the power and might of his empire by building something colossal? Did he want to stamp his authority and tell the world, 'Look what I have accomplished?' Did he want to get rid of sins wrought by years of warfare or get a magical cure to a disease of unknown origin, as some people claim? 

May be the reason was simple. 

He wanted to show the whole world the towering presence of God that is everlasting against human life that is highly evanescent...

a european on tanjore temple?

the Tanjore big temple has its own mysteries and holds it close to its chest.

yes its true
a carving of a face distinctly caucasid in features and european in attire finds a place on the gopuram.
when was it done? and who modelled for it?
we have no clear answer.

local legends say it is a replacement for a sculpture that fell down from the gopuram. the story goes that it is the face of a danishman from tranquebar- an european trading post set up with a long lease from the serfoji dynasty of tanjore in 18th century.
but then there is one event in the 1000 year old history of the temple that could provide possible leads.


around 1800 Colonel William Lambton was entrusted with the job of measuring and mapping british india. Lambton decided to have a mathematical and geographical survey that would cover the whole of india with a network of triangulation. when he was through with his job he would have a meridian arc right up the centre of India from the southern tip as far as the Himalayas.
Precision was rigorously maintained and even today, despite more sophisticated mapping equipment and survey methods, the values arrived at by lambton cannot be disputed. Lambton’s contribution is significant not only for mapping and measuring but also for geography. in his work he measured the arc of the meridian near to Equator and his measurement was used to deriving the ellipsoid of the earth.
When surveying Tanjore district, in 1808 Lambton mentions that the country was so flat that he had difficulty in locating any natural prominence for sighting. He therefore used the gopurams of the temples that dotted almost every village and completed the land survey.
On one occasion, the giant theodolite, which he was using, fell from the top of the Tanjore Big Temple and was badly damaged.
He had to spend months repairing it under a tent pitched in open country, before he could restart his work.” or was he held by the locals till the gopuram was repaired?
did the half ton heavy theodolite instrument damage the temple sculptures and did the replacement sculpture denote this incident where a cheeky sculptor indicated european presence in the temple?
and does the bust have a double cheek like lambton himself?

My collections of Big Temple

  Buddha statue in tanjore bigtemple

Lord Vinayaka