Bragatheeswarar Temple

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Peruvudaiyar Kovil, better known by its more famous moniker, Brihadeeswarar Temple, Rajarajeswaram or the RajaRajeshwara Temple is located at Thanjavur in the state of Tamil Nadu in India. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, it is a luminous example of the heights attained by Chola architecture. This temple is a tribute and a reflection of the power of its patron, Raja Raja Chola I. An integral part of ancient Indian architecture's greatest glories, it is today a UNESCO World Heritage Site as “Great Living Chola Temples”.

Prized for its architecture, this temple stands in the middle of fortified walls, added probably in the sixteenth century. One temple tower, amongst the tallest in the world of its kind, commonly alluded to as the Vimana, is 216 feet or 66 metres high. The bulbous apex structure on top of the temple, known as the Kumbam, Chikharam or the Kalasha is believed to be carved out of a single stone.

Yet another single rock carving is the statue of a sacred bull or Nandi measuring about thirteen feet high and sixteen feet long, at the entrance of the temple. The entire structure of the temple is made of granite whose nearest source is near Tiruchirapalli which is about 60kms to Thanjavur's west, where the temple is.

Built by Raja Raja Chola I in 1010 CE, this temple which is also popularly known as the “Big Temple” completed 1000 years in 2010.

History

Arulmozhivarman, a Tamil emperor who was popularly known as Raja Raja Chola I laid the foundations for the Brihadeeswarar Temple during 1002 CE. It was the first among other great building projects initiated by the Chola emperor. This temple was built to comply with a divine command received by Raja Raja Chola in a dream.

A symmetrical and axial geometry rules the layout of this temple. Temples from this period and the two following centuries are expressions of Chola power, artistic expertise and wealth. Emergence of features such as multifaceted columns along with projecting signals of square capitals signifies the arrival of the Chola style.

The Brihadeeswarar Temple was built like a royal temple and is a reflection of the emperor's vision. This temple was the primary site of royal ceremonies such as anointing a new emperor and to link the emperor with Lord Shiva, the deity; the deity's rituals mirrored those of the King's.

An architectural exemplar, the Brihadeeswarar Temple showcases the true form of Dravida temple architecture and “testifies to the Chola's brilliant achievements in architecture, painting, bronze casting and sculpture”.

The Brihadeeswarar Temple is the first among all buildings which make use of granite fully and was finished within five years from 1004 CE to 1009 CE.

Temple Complex

The temple complex lies on the bank of a river from which a man-made canal is drawn out to form a moat around the fortress-like walls of the complex. There are several structures aligned axially that are built inside this temple complex. You can enter by one access through a 5-storey Gopuram or there is second access, which will take you directly to huge main quadrangle through one smaller and free-standing Gopuram.

The main Shikhara although hollow on the inside is massively sized and soars up to 60 metres with 16 complicatedly articulated stories which dominate the main quadrangle. Piers, attached columns and pilasters are rhythmically placed covering each surface of the Shikhara.

The main entrance's Gopuram is exactly 30 metres high and is smaller than the Vimana. An unusual feature of this temple is that under Dravidian architecture the Gopurams are generally taller than the Vimana and are the main towers, which is not the case with this temple.

Main temple

The first rectangular wall surrounding the main temple is 270 metres by 140 metres and marks the outer boundary. The main temple lies in the centre of a spacious quadrangle and is comprised of one sanctuary, one Nandi, one pillared hall, one assembly hall or mandapa and several sub-shrines. The most significant part of this temple is an inner mandapa. Massive walls surround it, which are divided with sharply cut pilasters and sculptures into levels providing deep recesses and bays.

Each side of the sanctuary has one bay that emphasizes the main cult icons. Karuvarai (Karu means focus) is a Tamil word, meaning the interior of the sanctum sanctorum. It is the innermost sanctum and the main focus of a temple where resides one image of the primary deity, Shiva represented by a big stone linga. Only the priests can enter the inner-most chamber.

In true Dravida style, the Karuvarai takes the form of one miniature Vimana along with many other features that are exclusive to temple architecture in southern India. The inner wall along with the outer wall creates one pradakshina or circumambulation around the Garbhagriha. There is a high end decoration on the entrance. The inside chamber housing an image of the God is the sanctum sanctorum or the Garbhagriha.

The Garbhagriha is in the shape of a square, sitting on one plinth. Its location, as they calculate, is one point of complete harmony and equilibrium as it is representative of one microcosm of the universe. In the center an image of the deity is found in its place. A royal bathing hall to the east of the Irumudi-Soran hall is where Raja Raja the great used to give gifts.

In the Garbhagriha, a circumambulation wraps around the massive lingam and repeats itself in one upper storey, which presents the idea that the Chola emperor offers access to gods to all and not just for the priests.

From the inner mandapa, a way leads out towards one rectangular mandapa further towards one 20-columned porch having 3 staircases leading downwards. Sharing a similar stone plinth, there is one small and open mandapa which is dedicated to Nandi, the sacred bull of Lord Shiva.

Temple Deities

The “Moolavar” or primary deity of Brihadeeswarar Temple is Lord Shiva. All other deities, particularly ones, which are placed in the niches of the outer wall or Koshta Moorthigal like Dakshinamurthy, Chandra and Surya are of huge size. This temple is one of those rare temples that have statues of “Ashtadikpaalakas” or Guardians of directions – Indra, Agni, Nirrti, Varuna, Kubera, Isana, Yama and Vayu – each of whom is represented by a life-sized statue approximately six feet tall. All of these are enshrined in one separate temple facing their respective direction. Only Agni, Vayu, Isana and Varuna are in situ preserved.

Adjoining Structures

Surrounding the main temple are 2 walled enclosures. The outer wall of these two is high, defining the area of the temple's complex. A massive gateway or Gopuram about which you have read above is situated here. Within this one portico is located one barrel vaulted Gopuram having more than 400 pillars; one high wall encloses it with enormous Gopurams lined up axially towards the main temple.

Myths & Features

In the South of India, this temple's Vimana is tallest at 60 metres. There is one European-like figure carved on the Vimana and it is a belief that it is an ancient warning heralding the arrival of Europeans. Investigations by archaeologists have concluded that claims like this may be hoax.

It is also widely believed that the shadow of the Gopuram, which is a pyramidal tower over the temple's gateway, never falls on the ground. It is also estimated that over 130,000 tons of granite went into the making of this temple. A 60 ton granite “Kumbam” carved out of a single stone lies on top of the main Gopuram. It is believed that this stone was taken to the top by creating an inclined slope towards the top of this Gopuram. A belief that still prevails is that this mud slope starts from Thirukoilore, nearly three miles from the temple's site, Raja Raja's mother's birthplace, near the temple of Sri Virateshvara Swamy.

Murals

This temple has Chola frescoes on the walls around the sanctum sanctorum which portray Lord Shiva in different actions such as destroying fiend forts, sending a white elephant to transport a devotee to heaven and dancing. In the 1940s with the discovery of these frescoes, people came to know about mythological episodes like the journey of the Chera King and Saint Sundaranar to heaven and the battle scene between Tripurantaka or Lord Shiva and the Asuras or demons. The Chola artists of yore have demonstrated their mettle and their sense of beauty even while portraying Asura women.

Some paintings on the passage walls and in the sanctum sanctorum have suffered from damage because of deposition of soot on them. Due to continuous exposure to soot and smoke from burning camphor and from lamps in the sanctum sanctorum for centuries, certain portions of the Chola paintings on the walls of the circumambulatory passage are badly damaged. About 400 years in the past, the Tanjore Nayak kings replaced these Chola paintings with a few of themselves. The Archaeological Survey of India for the first time in the history of the world made use of its original de-stucco process for restoring the over thousand years old Chola frescoes. Sixteen Nayak paintings were accumulated over boards of fibre glass and are on display at one separate pavilion.

Temple Personnel

Raja Raja Chola I consecrated this temple in the year 1010 CE and in the year 2010 a celebration commemorating the thousandth anniversary of this temple was conducted. During its heyday, this temple maintained a staff of over a thousand people in different capacities with four hundred temple dancers, Brahmin priests, record keepers, scholars, craftsmen and musicians of every kind along with housekeeping staff. This temple was a hub for business activities; flower, oil, ghee and milk merchants used to supply their wares for the temple's poojas and festival seasons. Furthermore, as evidence from inscriptions found in the temple's compound walls, this temple has always served as a platform for dancers who excel in Bharatanatyam, a traditional dance form.