The Peruvudaiyar Kovil (Tamil: ) is a Hindu temple dedicated

to Shiva that is located in the city of Thanjavur in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is an important
example of Tamil architecture achieved during the Chola dynasty. It is also known as Periya Kovil,
[1]

Brihadeshwara Temple, RajaRajeswara Temple and Rajarajeswaram,[2] It is one of the largest

temples in India[3] and one of India's most prized architectural sites. Built by emperor Raja Raja
Chola I and completed in 1010 AD,[4] Peruvudaiyaar Temple, also popularly known as the 'Big
Temple', turned 1000 years old in 2010. The temple is part of the UNESCO World Heritage
Site known as the "Great Living Chola Temples".[5]
Thanjavur Periya Kovil stands amidst fortified walls that were probably added in the 16th century.
The vimanam (or temple tower) is 216 ft (66 m) high[6] and is among the tallest of its kind in the world.
The Kumbam (Kalasha or Chikharam, the apex or the bulbous structure on the top) of the temple is
carved out of a single rock and it weighs around 80 tons. [7] 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.
[8]

The entire temple structure is made out of granite, the nearest sources of which are close

to Tiruchirappalli, about 60 km to the west of Thanjavur. The temple is the most visited tourist
attraction in Thanjavur and the state alike.[9]
Contents
[hide]

1 History
o

1.1 Construction
2 Temple complex

2.1 Main temple

2.2 Temple Deities

2.3 Adjoining structures

2.4 Features

2.5 Murals

2.6 Temple personnel

3 Millennium commemoration
o

3.1 Bharathanatyam Yajna

3.2 Commemorative stamps and coins

3.3 Popular culture

4 2015 Car festival

5 See also

6 Notes

7 References

8 External links

History[edit]

Thanjavur Brihadeeswara Temple Entrance

The Brihadeshwarar temple was built to grace the throne of the Chola empire by the Tamil emperor
Arulmozhivarman, popularly called Rajaraja Chola I, (Tamil: , Rjarja Choan ) in
?

compliance to a command given to him in a dream. [8] One of the first great Tamil Chola building
projects, the temple's foundations were laid out in 1002 CE.
[10]

An axial and symmetrical geometry rules the temple layout.[11] Temples from this period and the

following two centuries are an expression of the Tamilars (Chola) wealth, power and artistic
expertise. The emergence of such features as the multifaceted columnswith projecting
square capitals signal the arrival of the new Chola style.[12]
Intended to display the emperor's vision of his power and his relationship to the universal order, the
temple was the site of the major royal ceremonies such as anointing the emperor and linking him
with its deity, Shiva, and the daily rituals of the deities were mirrored by those of the king. It is an
architectural example showcasing the pure form of the Dravida type of temple architecture and
representative of the Chola Empire ideology and theTamil civilisation in Southern India. The temple
"testify to the brilliant achievements of the Chola in architecture, sculpture, painting and bronze
casting."[13]

Construction[edit]

Statue of Rajaraja Chola Chola Iwho consecrated the temple

The esteemed architect and engineer of the temple was Kunjara Mallan Raja Raja Perunthachan as
stated in inscriptions found at the temple. The temple was built per ancient texts called Vaastu
Shastras and Agamas. The temple was built using a measure of 1 3/8-inch called an angula (24
units equalling 33 inches called a hasta, muzam, or kishku). This is the same measure found in
ancient Lothal and other sites in the Indus Valley dating back 4000 6000 years. This same
measure is used to build structures compliant with the Vaastu Shastras and Agamas today. While
some builders use a different measure this is considered a standard due to its antiquity.
The solid base of the temple raises about 5 metres (16 feet), above which stone deities and
representatives of Shiva dance.[14] The bigNandi (bull), weighing about 20 tonnes is made of a single
stone and is about 2 m in height, 6 m in length and 2.5 m in width. [15] The presiding deity of lingam is
3.7m tall. The prakaram (outer precincts of the temple) measures 240m by 125m. [15] The outer wall of
the upper storey is carved with 108 dance karanas postures of Bharathanatyam, the classical
dance of Tamil Nadu.[15] The shrine of Goddess was added by Pandyas during the 13th century,
Subramanya Shrine by Vijayanagara rulers and the Vinayaka shrine was renovated by Maratha
rulers.[15] There were significant additions from the Thanjavur Nayaks.[16]

Temple complex[edit]

Tamil writings and sculptures at right side of Thanjavur Brihadeeswara Temple Gopuram.

Carved figures on temple wall

The temple complex sits on the banks of a river that was channelled to make a moat around the
complex's outer walls, the walls being built like a fortress. The complex is made up of many
structures that are aligned axially. The complex can be entered either on one axis through a fivestorygopuram or with a second access directly to the huge main quadrangle through a smaller freestanding gopuram. The massive size of the mainVimanam (Shikhara) is ca. 60.96 meters high, with
16 elaborately articulated stories, and dominates the main quadrangle. Pilaster, piers(a raised
structure), and attached columns are placed rhythmically covering every surface of the Vimanam.
[17]

The gopuram of the main entrance is 30 m high, smaller than the vimana. It is unusual in

the dravidian architecture where the gopurams are generally the main towers and taller than the
vimanam.[18]

Main temple[edit]
A first rectangular surrounding wall, 270 m by 140 m, marks the outer boundary.[18] The main temple
is in the center of the spacious quadrangle composed of a sanctuary, a Nandi, a pillared hall and an
assembly hall (mandapas), and many sub-shrines. The most important part of the temple is the inner
mandapa which is surrounded by massive walls that are divided into levels by sharply cut sculptures
and pilasters providing deep bays and recesses. Each side of the sanctuary has a bay emphasising
the principle cult icons.[11] The karuvarai, a Tamil word meaning the interior of thesanctum sanctorum,
is the inner most sanctum and focus of the temple where an image of the primary deity, Shiva,
resides. Inside is a huge stonelinga. The word Karuvarai means "womb chamber"
from Tamil word karu for foetus. Only priests are allowed to enter this inner-most chamber.[19]
In the Dravida style, the Karuvarai takes the form of a miniature vimana with other features exclusive
to southern Indian temple architecture such as the inner wall together with the outer wall creating
a pradakshina around the garbhagriha for circumambulation(pradakshina). The entrance is highly
decorated. The inside chamber housing the image of the god is the sanctum sanctorum,
thegarbhagriha.[12] The garbhagriha is square and sits on a plinth, its location calculated to be a point
of total equilibrium and harmony as it is representative of a microcosm of the universe. In the center

is placed the image of the deity.[11] The royal bathing-hall where Rajaraja the great gave gifts is to the
east of the hall of Irumudi-Soran.
The inner mandapa leads out to a rectangular mandapa and then to a twenty-columned porch with
three staircases leading down. Sharing the same stone plinth is a small open mandapa dedicated to
Nandi, Shiva's sacred bull mount.

Temple Deities[edit]
The "moolavar" or prime deity of the Brihadeeswarar Temple is Shiva. All deities, particularly those
placed in the niches of the outer wall (Koshta Moorthigal) likeDakshinamurthy, Surya, Chandra are
of huge size. The Brihadiswarar temple is one of the rare temples which has idols for "Ashtadikpaalakas" (Guardians of the directions) Indra, Agni, Yama, Nirr ti, Varuna, Vyu, Kubera, na
each of whom was originally represented by a life-sized statue, approximately 6 feet tall, enshrined
in a separate temple located in the respective direction. (Only Agni, Varuna, Vyu and na are
preserved in situ.)

Adjoining structures[edit]
Surrounding the main temple are two walled enclosures. The outer wall is high, defining the temple
complex area. Here is the massive gopuram or gateway mentioned above. Within this a portico,
a barrel vaulted gorpuram with over 400 pillars, is enclosed by a high wall interspersed with huge
gopurams axially lined up to the main temple.

Features[edit]
A widely held belief is that the shadow of the Vimana never falls on the ground. . [20] However, several
photographs exist showing the shadow on the ground. [21] The temple is said to be made up of about
60,000 tons of granite. The capstone itself is made of four pieces of granite and weighs about 20
tons.,[22] on top of the main gopuram is believed to have been taken to the top by creating an inclined
slope to the height of 66m to the top of the gopuram.

Murals[edit]

This mural was originally thought to represent Rajaraja and his guru. This has been contested now. [23]

Mural at Brihadeeswarar temple,Tanjavur. This is painting style that evolved in the town

The temple has Chola frescoes on the walls around the sanctum sanctorum potryaing Shiva in
action, destroying demonic forts, dancing and sending a white elephant to transport a devotee to
heaven.[14] These frescoes, discovered in the 1940s by S. K. Govindasami of the Annamalai
University, portray the mythological episodes of the journey of Saint Sundarar and the Chera King to
heaven, the battle scene of Tripurantaka (Lord Siva) with Asuras (demons).[24] The Chola artists have
proved their mettle by portraying even the Asura women with a sense of beauty.[24] Some of the
paintings in the sanctum sanctorum and the walls in the passage had been damaged because of the
soot that had deposited on them. Owing to the continuous exposure to smoke and soot from the
lamps and burning of camphor in the sanctum sanctorum over a period of centuries certain parts of
the Chola paintings on the circumambulatory passage walls had been badly damaged. [24] The Tanjore
Nayak kings replaced them with a few paintings of their own, about 400 years ago.
[24]

The Archaeological Survey of India, for the first time in the world, used its unique de-stucco

process to restore 16 Nayak paintings, which were superimposed on 1000-year-old Chola frescoes.
[24]

These 400-year-old paintings have been mounted on fibre glass boards, displayed at a separate

pavilion.[24]

Temple personnel[edit]

Since its consecration in 1010 CE by Raja Raja Chola I, the temple maintained a staff of 1000
people in various capacities with 400 being temple dancers [15] Besides the Brahmin priests, these
included record-keepers, musicians, scholars, and craftsman of every type as well as housekeeping
staff. In those days the temple was a hub of business activities for the flower, milk, oil, and ghee
merchants, all of whom made a regular supply of their respective goods for the temple for
its poojas and during festival seasons. Moreover, as evidenced by the inscriptions that found in the
compound wall of this temple, the temple had always served as a platform for dancers who excelled
in the traditional dance form of Bharatnatyam.[25]

Millennium commemoration[edit]
Built in the year 1010 CE by Raja Raja Chola in Thanjavur, 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. It was to recall the
275th day of his 25th regal year (1010 CE) when Raja Raja Chola (9851014 CE) handed over a
gold-plated kalasam(copper pot or finial) for the final consecration to crown the vimana, the 59.82metre tall tower above the sanctum.[26][27][28]

Bharathanatyam Yajna[edit]

One of the 108 dance postures

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, Tamil Nadu,
Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Singapore, Malaysia and the US danced in concert to the
recorded 11 verses of divine music Thiruvichaippa (ninth of Thirumurai) composed by Karuvur
Thevar (the guru of Raja Raja Chola) named Tiruvisaippa. The small town turned into a cultural hub

for two days beginning 26 September 2010 as street performers and dancers performed throughout
the town.[29][30]

Commemorative stamps and coins[edit]

1000 currency note released by Reserve Bank of India on 1 April 1954 to honour the historic Brihadeeswarar
Temple, a UNESCO World heritage site

A 5 Special Commemorative coin released by Reserve Bank of India to mark the millennium year
celebrations of the famous Brihadeeswarar Temple built by the great Chola ruler Raja Raja Chola I

On 26 September 2010 (Big Temple's fifth day of millennium celebrations), as a recognition of Big
Temple's contribution to the country's cultural, architectural, epigraphical history, a special 5
postage stamp featuring the 216-feet tall giant Raja Gopuram was released byIndia Post.
The Reserve Bank of India commemorated the event by releasing a 5 coin with the model of
temple embossed on it.[31][32] A Raja,Cabinet Minister of Communications and Information
Technology released the esteemed Brihadeeswarar Temple special stamp, the first of which was
received by G K Vasan, Cabinet Minister of Shipping.
Mumbai Mint issued Rs 1000 Commemorative Coin with the same picture as on the Rs 5 coin. It
was the first 1000 Rupees coin to be released in the Republic of India coinage. This coin was a Non
Circulative Legal Tender (NCLT).[33]
On 1 April 1954, the Reserve Bank of India released a 1000 currency note featuring a panoramic
view of the Brihadeeswarar Temple marking its cultural heritage and significance. In 1975, the then
government led by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi demonetised all 1,000 currency notes in an effort
to curtail black money. These notes are now popular among collectors.[34]
In 2010, the then Tamil Nadu chief minister, M Karunanidhi renamed Semmai Paddy, a type of high
productivity paddy variant, as Raja Rajan-1000 to mark the millennial year of the constructor of the
temple,Raja Raja Cholan.[35]

Popular culture[edit]
Kalki, a renowned Tamil novelist, has written a historical novel named Ponniyin Selvan, based on the
life of Raja Raja Chola I.[36] Balakumaran, another Tamil author has written a novel
named Udaiyar themed on the life of Raja Raja Chola I and the construction of the Brihadeeswarar
temple.[37]