Back معبد بريهاديسفارا Arabic معبد بيروفودايار ARZ राजाराजेश्वर मंदिर AWA Brahadişvara Azerbaijani Templo Brihadisvara BCL Брихадесварар (Танджавур) Bulgarian বৃহদীশ্বর মন্দির, তাঞ্জাবুর Bengali/Bangla Brihadišvára Czech Brihadishvara-Tempel German Templo Brihadisvara Esperanto
| Brihadisvara Temple | |
|---|---|
தஞ்சைப் பெருவுடையார் கோயில் | |
 Brihadishvara Temple complex | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Hinduism |
| District | Thanjavur district |
| Deity | Shiva |
| Festivals | Maha Shivaratri |
| Location | |
| Location | Thanjavur |
| State | Tamil Nadu |
| Country | India |
  Location in Tamil Nadu, India  Brihadisvara Temple (Tamil Nadu) | |
| Geographic coordinates | 10°46′58″N 79°07′54″E / 10.78278°N 79.13167°E |
| Architecture | |
| Style | Chola architecture |
| Creator | Rajaraja I |
| Completed | 1010 CE[1][2] |
| Inscriptions | Tamil |
| Elevation | 66 m (217 ft) |
| Official name | The Brihadisvara Temple complex, Thanjavur |
| Part of | Great Living Chola Temples |
| Criteria | Cultural: (ii), (iii) |
| Reference | 250bis-001 |
| Inscription | 1987 (11th Session) |
| Extensions | 2004 |
| Area | 18.07 ha (44.7 acres) |
| Buffer zone | 9.58 ha (23.7 acres) |
Brihadishvara Temple, called Rajarajesvaram (lit. 'Lord of Rajaraja') by its builder, and known locally as Thanjai Periya Kovil (lit. 'Thanjavur Big Temple') and Peruvudaiyar Kovil, is a Shaivite[3][4] Hindu temple built in a Chola architectural style[5] located on the south bank of the Cauvery river in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, India.[1][6] It is one of the largest Hindu temples and an exemplar of Tamil architecture.[7] It is also called Dakshina Meru (Meru of the South).[8] Built by Chola emperor Rajaraja I between 1003 and 1010 CE, the temple is a part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the "Great Living Chola Temples", along with the Chola-era Gangaikonda Cholapuram temple and Airavatesvara temple, which are about 70 kilometres (43 mi) and 40 kilometres (25 mi) to its northeast respectively.[9]
The original monuments of this 11th-century temple were built around a moat. It included gopura, the main temple, its massive tower, inscriptions, frescoes, and sculptures predominantly related to Shaivism, but also of Vaishnavism and Shaktism. The temple was damaged in its history and some artwork is now missing. Additional mandapam and monuments were added in the centuries that followed. The temple now stands amidst fortified walls that were added after the 16th century.[10][11]
Built using granite, the vimana tower above the shrine is one of the tallest in South India.[6] The temple has a massive colonnaded prakara (corridor) and one of the largest Shiva lingas in India.[6][9][12] It is also famed for the quality of its sculpture, as well as being the location that commissioned the brass Nataraja, Shiva as the lord of dance, in the 11th century. The complex includes shrines for Nandi, Parvati, Murugan, Ganesha, Sabhapati, Dakshinamurti, Chandeshvara, Varahi, Thiyagarajar of Thiruvarur, Siddhar Karuvoorar and others.[9][13] The temple is one of the most visited tourist attractions in Tamil Nadu.[14]
- ^ a b Thanjavur Archived 7 August 2021 at the Wayback Machine, Encyclopaedia Britannica
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
mitchellwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Rajaraja the Great: A Garland of Tributes. Department of Museums, Government Museum. 1984. Archived from the original on 3 July 2023. Retrieved 25 October 2022.
- ^ India Perspectives. PTI for the Ministry of External Affairs. 1995. Archived from the original on 3 July 2023. Retrieved 25 October 2022.
- ^ Rao, Raghunadha (1989). Indian Heritage and Culture. Sterling Publishers. p. 32. ISBN 9788120709300. Archived from the original on 24 April 2023. Retrieved 18 March 2023.
- ^ a b c "The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)". Archived from the original on 22 September 2013. Retrieved 25 December 2012.
- ^ Keay, John (2000). India, a History. New York, United States: Harper Collins Publishers. pp. xix. ISBN 0-00-638784-5. Archived from the original on 3 July 2023. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
- ^ K. V. Raman. Temple Art, Icons And Culture Of India And South-East Asia. Sharada Publishing House, 2006. p. 136.
- ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference
UNESCOwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ S.R. Balasubrahmanyam 1975, pp. 1–21.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
michell16was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ S.R. Balasubrahmanyam 1975, pp. 20–21.
- ^ S.R. Balasubrahmanyam 1975, pp. 16–29.
- ^ Gopal, Madan (1990). K.S. Gautam (ed.). India through the ages. Publication Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India. p. 185.
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