Prelude to Tour of Tamilnadu 2012 Heritage -Day 4

Chidambaram -Jayamkondan-Tiruvaiyaru- Thanjavur (120km) Part-2  The Great Living Chola Temple's 

The evening at Thanjavur presents a different contrast compared to the other days the reason being till Day 6 morning everything is going to happen at this same venue, catching up with few riders amidst their conversation is always fun,a few badly need to know about the reputed military eateries nearby,a few in inquire mood about local pubs and some want to drop into to the nearby Cinema Halls,over hearing these interesting conversations the scene now shifts to Great Living Chola Temples,the three great Temples are, Brihadiswara Temple at Thanjavur,Temple at Gangaikondacholapuram and Airavatesvara Temple at Darasuram which were built by Chola Emperors Rajaraja Chola 1, Rajendra Chola 1 and Rajaraja Chola 2 between 11th-12th AD respectively,these temples are an exceptional testimony to the development of the architecture and the ideology of the Chola Empire and the Tamil civilization.They represent an outstanding creative achievement in the architectural conception of the pure form of the Dravida type of temple (characterized by a pyramidal tower), taking these as the criterion the Brihadeeswarar Temple was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987, Temples of Gangaikondacholapuram and the Airavatesvara Temple were added as extensions in 2004 ... 

The Brihadiswara Temple:

It is the most ambitious structural temple built of granite by Rajaraja Chola 1 (985-1014).The temple is within a spacious inner prakara of 240.9 m long (east-west) and 122 m broad (north-south), with a gopura at the east and three other ordinary torana entrances one at each lateral sides and the third at rear. The prakara is surrounded by a double storeyed malika with parivaralayas The sikhara, a cupolic dome, is octagonal and rests on a single block of granite, a square of 7.8 m weighing 80 tons.The majestic upapitha and adhishthana are common to all the axially placed entities like the ardha-maha and mukha-mandapas and linked to the main sanctum but approached through a north-south transept across the ardha-mandapa which is marked by lofty sopanas. The molded plinth is extensively engraved with inscriptions by its royal builder who refers to his many endowments, pious acts and organisational events connected to the temple.The brihad-linga within the sanctum is 8.7 m high. Life-size iconography representations on the wall niches and inner passages includes many of the Hindu deities.The mural paintings on the walls of the lower ambulatory inside are finest examples of Chola and later periods which depict the contemporaneous scenes with legendary ones.

The Gangaikondacholapuram Temple:

Built by Rajendra Chola I, completed in 1035 AD.Its 53 meter Vimana (sanctum tower) has recessed corners and a graceful upward curving movement, contrasting with the straight and severe tower at Thanjavur. It has six pairs of massive, monolithic dvarapalas statues guarding the entrances and bronzes of remarkable beauty inside. The lay out the sanctum with its axial units, the Chandikesvara shrine, the cloister mandapa with the subsidiary shrines and a gopura is similar to Thanjavur. The location of two smaller shrines,the South and North Kailasa (now the Amman shrine) are different. But the architect of this edifice has shown remarkable intelligence to correct some of the shortcomings in the design of the Brihadisvara at Thanjavur like the provision for erecting a wooden scaffolding in the masonry of the sanctum, the pleasing elevation by appropriately changing and placing the hara elements etc.The temple has sculptures of exceptional quality like the dancing Hindu gods and goddesses in the west,south and north niche of the walls.But the most outstanding sculptures are found in the niches by the side of the northern entrance steps to the sanctum.

The Airavatesvara Temple:

Built by Rajaraja Chola II (1143-1173), this temple is a gem of Chola architecture. Though much smaller in size when compared to the Brihadisvara temple at Tanjavur and Gangaikondacholapuram, this temple is different as it is highly ornate in execution. The temple consists of a sanctum without a circumambulatory path and axial mandapas. The front mandapa known in the inscriptions as Rajagambhiran Tirumandapam, is unique as it was conceptualized as a chariot with wheels. The pillars of this mandapa are highly ornate.The elevation of all the units is elegant with sculptures dominating the architecture.

Thus summing up a short encounter with the details on these temples, Day 4 ends on a nostalgic note ...

Reference: ASI Publications on The Great Living Chola Temples,UNESCO World Heritage Site Publications, Wikipedia and Google Search

At Brahadiswara Temple Thanjavur