<< Our Photo Pages >> Sri Brihadeeswara temple - Ancient Temple in India
Submitted by motist on Thursday, 15 February 2007 Page Views: 14888
Multi-periodSite Name: Sri Brihadeeswara temple Alternative Name: Rajarajeswaram templeCountry: India Type: Ancient Temple
Latitude: 10.782843N Longitude: 79.132356E
Condition:
| 5 | Perfect |
| 4 | Almost Perfect |
| 3 | Reasonable but with some damage |
| 2 | Ruined but still recognisable as an ancient site |
| 1 | Pretty much destroyed, possibly visible as crop marks |
| 0 | No data. |
| -1 | Completely destroyed |
| 5 | Superb |
| 4 | Good |
| 3 | Ordinary |
| 2 | Not Good |
| 1 | Awful |
| 0 | No data. |
| 5 | Can be driven to, probably with disabled access |
| 4 | Short walk on a footpath |
| 3 | Requiring a bit more of a walk |
| 2 | A long walk |
| 1 | In the middle of nowhere, a nightmare to find |
| 0 | No data. |
| 5 | co-ordinates taken by GPS or official recorded co-ordinates |
| 4 | co-ordinates scaled from a detailed map |
| 3 | co-ordinates scaled from a bad map |
| 2 | co-ordinates of the nearest village |
| 1 | co-ordinates of the nearest town |
| 0 | no data |
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The Brahadeeswara temple is described in the encyclopedia Britannica as 'The Great Pagoda at Thanjavur...'
Rajarajeswaram in the Tanjavur district of Tamil Nadu has often been called `the temple of temples'. Built round the turn of the first millennium A. D. during the heyday of Chola rule, For the Cholas, temple building was not merely an outpouring of artistic talent but also a way 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 Rajarajeswaram, meaning `the temple of the Iswara (God) of Rajaraja'. Later on, it became known as the Brihadeeswara temple meaning the temple of the `Great Iswara'. Inscriptions engraved on the walls, pillars and podium, is rare wealth, indeed of immeasurable value to the scholar.
The inscriptions give, apart from a comprehensive history of the times, a full enumeration of all the metallic images set up in the temple. Numbering about sixty-six, these icons are referred to with a description of the minutest details of size. shape and composition.
The temple also sports a depiction in stone, of eighty one of the one hundred and eight karanas of Bharata Muni's Natya Sastra - the first of its kind - setting the pace for many others to follow in succeeding centuries.
The inseriptional data also abound in mention of the jewellery of the period; about sixty-six different types of ornaments and jewellery are listed with all the details.
The history depicted on the temple walls will not make much sense without an idea of the background of Chola rule and hegemony.
The details of Rajaraja's conquests, his army and navy, his administrative ability and his religious tolerance, are gleaned from the inscriptional evidence on the temple walls.
An all stone structure of such stupendous proportions had never been attempted before. In height, elegance and simplicity of design and plan, the temple has few parallels.
The Bharatanatyam panels have been a source of great attraction to the curious scholar and the dance theorist, as also to the performing artiste.inscriptions mention twenty-three varieties of pearls, and eleven very clearly defined varieties each of diamonds and rubies alone; which only shows how exhaustive is the recording left behind for posterity.
Not to speak of their own names and other details, is a case in point to illustrate the Rajarajan eye for detail and documentation. Nothing had been left to chance.
A temple for the Cholas was not merely a house of worship. It was the fulcrum of life, for the king linked himself closely with the deity of his choice. War booty was gifted to the temple which was the Treasury as well as the Public Record Office.
The king's coronation was celebrated in the temple.
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Wir möchten mehr über diese Stätte erfahren. Bitte zögern Sie nicht, eine kurze Beschreibung und relevante Informationen in Deutsch hinzuzufügen.
Nous aimerions en savoir encore un peu sur les lieux. S'il vous plaît n'hesitez pas à ajouter une courte description et tous les renseignements pertinents dans votre propre langue.
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