Brihadeeswarar Temple

Brihadeeswarar Temple is one of the oldest manmade structures in the world which is still in operation. It is first complete granite structure in the world. It is Located in Tanjavur, which itself an ancient and alive city in the southern tip of India. Brihadishwara Temple also popularly known as the ‘Big Temple’ turned 1000 years old in 2010.

This temple is one of India’s most prized architectural sites. The temple stands amidst fortified walls that were probably added in the 16th century. The vimana — or the temple tower — is 216 ft (66 m) high and is among the tallest of its kind in the world. There is a big statue of Nandi (sacred bull), carved out of a single rock, at the entrance measuring about 16 feet long and 13 feet high.

This Temple displays the ancient Tamil’s excellent knowledge in craftsmanship and construction. Even today, the Brihadeeswarar Temple remains India’s largest temple.

It has been said that the kalasam of the temple weighs about 50 tons. It has been remained as mystery how the builders move that amount of weight to the height of 216 ft during 1000AD. Recent archaeological excavations found it was moved using a slope which is nearly 1 mile in length, and no doubt they used elephants to move it.

The massive size of the main sikhara (although it is hollow on the inside and not meant to be occupied) is 63 meters high, with 16 severely articulated stories, and dominates the main quadrangle. Pilaster, piers, and attached columns are placed rhythmically covering every surface of the shikhara.Not only the temple but everthing is big in the Big temple the “moolavar”, (prime deity, Shiva) and all other deities (Koshta Moorthigal) like Dakshinamurthy, Suriyan (Sun), Chandran (Moon) are very huge sized. Especially, Brahadeeswar temple is one of the rare temples which has statues for “Ashta dik paalakas” (Lords of all Eight Directions) — Indra, Varuna, Agni, Eesana, Vayu, Niruthi, Yama, Kubera — each of which is a life-like status, i.e., approximately 6 feet tall.

Millennium celebrations

Brihadeeswarar Temple popularly known as the ‘Big Temple’ turned 1000 years old in September 2010. To celebrate the 1000th year of the grand structure, the state government and the town held many cultural events.

To mark the occasion, the state government organised a Bharathanatyam Yajna, classical dance show under noted dancer Padma Subramaniam. It was jointly organised by the Association of Bharatanatyam Artistes of India (ABHAI) and the Brhan Natyanjali Trust, Thanjavur. To mark the 1000th year anniversary of the building, 1000 dancers from New Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Tamilnadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Singapore, Malaysia and the U.S.

inside tanjore big temple | tanjavur big temple

ancient tamil script carved in the stone walls of brihadeshwara temple

artistically carved steps of ancient tanjore big temple

temple elephant of tanjore big temple at temple entrance

brihadeeswarar temple one of largest temple in world

brihadeshwarar temple, tanjore

huge veranda in tanjore big temple

tall towers of vimana of tanjore big temple

Brihadeeswarar Temple in tanjore kodimaram in tanjore big temple idols of nandi in the compound wall of Brihadeeswarar Temple
Dharmashalas in Brihadeeswarar Temple complex, tamilnadu karpura aarathi in tanjore big temple, tamil nadu entrance tower of the Brihadeeswarar Temple
hindu priest in the tanjavur big temple sacred cow of tanjore temple outer wall of Peruvudaiyar Kovil or Brihadeeswarar Temple in tanjavur
entrance gopuram of Brihadeeswarar Temple elephabt of tanjore big temple temple built by RajaRaja Chola in south india
small shiva lingams in tanjore temple pilgrims and tourists in tanjavur big temple rajagopuram or towers of Brihadeeswarar Temple
temple for godess parvathi in Brihadeeswarar Temple (big temple) complex scholl kids visiting Brihadeeswarar Temple of tanjore wall murals in tanjore temple, painted during vijayanagar empire period
Brihadeeswarar Temple campus in tanjavur | one of oldest and biggest temples in workd idol of nandi or bull in tanjavur temple | monolithic nandi temple elephant in big temple
vimana or the main gopuram of tanjore big temple idol of a hindu godess ancient wall murals (paintings) in tanjavur big temple
decorations for festival in tanjore temple | colorful cloth decoration veranda in tanjore big temple sculptures in the walls of big temple
sacred cow of tanjavur big temple or Brihadeeswarar Temple tower built on granite in Brihadeeswarar Temple, tamil nadu ancient paintins in the walls of temple
sculpture of Dwarapala in tanjavur big temple story of shiva painted in temmple walls hindu devotees in Brihadeeswarar Temple
Brihadeeswarar Temple or big temple complex in tanjavur celebration of maatu pongal in tanjore big temple, tamil nadu vimanam or rajagopuram of Brihadeeswarar Temple in tanjavur
painting (mural) of lord shiva and parvathi sculptures in tanjore big temple devotee of lord ayyapan blessed by sacred elephant in tanjore big temple
hindu women devotees in red sari statue of huge monolithic nandi or bull in Brihadeeswarar Temple nandi mandapam part of tanjavur big temple
story of lord shiva painted in the walls of tanjavur big temple idol of hindu godess amman intricate carvings in the gopuram of tanjavur big temple
the main shrine of Brihadeeswarar Temple huge complex of tanjavur big temple one of larges temples in world temple for godess gowri in Brihadeeswarar Temple complex, tanjore
main temle sturcture of Brihadeeswarar Temple idol of ganapathi of ganesh in tanjore temple

We thank Photographers appaji, Balaji.B, aswinkb, Nara J, Nagarjun, Melanie-m, illang, madpai, paulbaker, rvsarathi, shakarlamba, winchrisabi, ryemang, badrri and Idol for sharing their work.

By emperor • Architecture, Tamilnadu, Temple • 2 • Tags: , ,