Brihadeeswarar Temple

Peruvudaiyar Kovil, which is also famous as Brihadeeswarar Temple, Rajarajeswaram and Raja Rajeshwara Temple, is located in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu. This Hindu temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is one luminous example of the major heights, Cholas achieved within Tamil architecture. This temple is a tribute and a reflection of the power of the Chola King, Raja Raja Chola I. This temple remains as one of India’s largest and Indian architecture’s greatest glories. It is also a part of UNESCO World Heritage Site as “Great Living Chola Temples”.

This great temple is India’s one of the most prized site for its architecture. It stands in the middle of fortified walls added probably in sixteenth century. The temple tower, which people call as Vimana, is 216 feet or 66 meters high. It is also one among the tallest tower in the whole world of its kind. Kumbam, Chikharam or Kalasha, which is bulbous, or apex structure on top of the temple, people believe that it is made out of a single stone carving.

There is one statue of a sacred bull or Nandi at the entrance of this temple measuring about thirteen feet high and sixteen feet long. It is the result of a single rock carving. Entire structure of the Brihadeeswarar temple is made of granite, whose nearest source is near Tiruchchirapalli, which is nearly 60 kms to Thanjavur’s west, where temple is.

Built by Raja Raja Chola I in 1010 AD in Thanjavur, Brihadeeswarar Temple is also popular by name of ‘Big Temple’ and it turned 1000 years in 2010.