Temple of Brihadesvara

The temple of Brihadisvara - also called temple of Râjarâjeshvaram - according to the name of its manufacturer - and located in the town of Tanjavûr in the state of the Tamil Nadu in India is an exemplary realization of the style Drâvidien of religious architecture.

It was built by the king Chola Râjarâja between 1003 at 1010. The 257e day of the 25e year of its reign (1010), Râjarâja attends the installation of the copper pot at the top of the Vimâna of 13 stages, for a total of 66 m, crowned of a monolithic block of 80 tons. This ceremony indicates that the construction of the temple is finished and that it is in function. The building, dedicated to Shiva - Rudra, is surrounded by two rectangular enclosures, and it itself, is made blocks of granite. The legend said that a ground slope of more than 6 km had been necessary to assemble the monolithic bulb until its site at the top of the vimâna, a technique used also in the ancient Egypt, of the archeologists have, seems it, discovered vestiges attesting of this artifice.

The Lingam of the temple largest ever is probably carried out, it was called in the beginning Adavallan , that which is good dancer - to bring closer to the figure of Shiva Natarâja, traditional in the south of India. The temple is covered as well outside as inside, which is much rare, with a great number of scupltures, of which some are perhaps late additions of the period marathe.

The Nandi, which dates from the period Nâyaka and which is placed in its clean Mandapa, is in agreement with the proportions of the building. It is about monolithic Nandi weighing some 25 tons, of 4 5 and height meters length.

The temple Periya Nayaki , inside the enclosure, is an addition of the period Pandya.

The temple of Brihadisvara is classified with the inheritance of Humanity of UNESCO.

The Temple of Gangaikondacholapuram is built on the same plan as that of Brihadisvara, but of more reduced size.

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