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Architecture in India

The Brihadeeswara Temple in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu is one of the largest South Indian temples built entirely of granite in the early 11th century under the patronage of Raja Raja Chola I. The temple features a 216 foot tall tower and an enormous dome weighing over 80 tons. Over 1.3 lakh tons of granite was used in its construction, which was brought from distant quarries using thousands of elephants. The temple is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and an exemplar of Chola architecture, engineering and sculpture.

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40 views15 pages

Architecture in India

The Brihadeeswara Temple in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu is one of the largest South Indian temples built entirely of granite in the early 11th century under the patronage of Raja Raja Chola I. The temple features a 216 foot tall tower and an enormous dome weighing over 80 tons. Over 1.3 lakh tons of granite was used in its construction, which was brought from distant quarries using thousands of elephants. The temple is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and an exemplar of Chola architecture, engineering and sculpture.

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samyuktha pantham
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ARCHITECTURE IN INDIA

BRIHADEESHWARA TEMPLE,Thanjavur
,Tamilnadu
INTRODUCTION
► The Brihadeeshwara temple ,also
called peruvudaiyar kovil,Located in
Thanjavur City

► This Temple is the first temple to built


with granite in the world.

► It is one of the largest South Indian


temple.

► The temple Brihaat= great and


eshwara=shiva,temple of the great
eshwar
History of Temple

►The king Raja Raja cholan built the temple


after his visit to Sri lanka.The king was inspired
after witnessed the vedic structures built by
the Hindu kings

►The temple is a part of the “UNESCO world


heritage site” known as the “Great Living
Chola temples”.

►1.3lakhs tons of granite was used to construct


the temple.
Temple Entrance view
About Temple
► The Temple is made up of 130,000tonnes of
granite and boasts of a 60 meter tall Vimana
which is believed to be the tallest in South
India.
► The temple is also known as peruvudaiyar
kovil,periya kovil or Big temple,Raja
Rajeshwara temple and Rajeshwaram.
► The temple tower is the tallest one in the
world which is 216 ft high and kumbam in the
tower weights about 80 tonnes
The Deity
► The lifting of the top most stone with
the help of ramp was pulled up by
elephants.

► The granite stones are interlocked.

► A thousand year old temple stands


tall,with copper pot(kalasam)
anointed with holy water from all the
sacred rivers.
Thanjavur Big Nandi
• Located before the entrance to Lord
Shiva’s shrine.
• It is big and massive.
• Measures about 19 feet long and 12
feet high and 81/2 feet wide.
• It is made up of granite stone and
monolithic.
Construction of Temple

► It is built with sandstone and granite in an area


where no mountains exist.
► It is said that 3000 elephants were used to
bring these Stones from far away.
► No cement ,stucco,plaster used between the
stones.
► It included gopuram,the main temple,its
massive tower,inscriptions,frescoes and
sculptures related to shaivism,vaishnavism and
shaktism traditions of Hinduism.
Interesting facts

► At top,80 ton cap stone is 4 times long


and 10 times heavier than Nandi
below.

► The shadow of the gopuram is believed


to never touch the ground.
Garbagriha tower
Sculptures,reliefs and murals

Gaja-lakshmi
Sculpture mural,another Relief detail
vaishnavism themed art
work
Mode of Transportation

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