Lesser known facts about the Thanjavur Brihadeeshwara Temple

I have asked myself the same question - Why is Thanjavur known as the seat of Art, Music and Culture of South India and greatness of Chola dynasty? I found some answers to my question at a lecture by Dr. Chitra Madhavan on Thanjavur Temples.

1. Thanjavur Brihadeeshwara temple is a Royal temple - a temple named after the King qualifies for the royal status -Rajarajeshwaram is the original name of the temple. The temple was built in 1010 AD and a few years back it celebrated 1000 years of existence.

First Gopuram is named Keralanthaka Thiruvaasal - rajaraja was the first king to capture the Chera kingdom. Second Gopuram is named Rajarajeshwaram.

2. The main vimanam is not made of a single stone and the shadow falls on the ground against the popular fallacy that it is a monolith and the shadow doesn't fall anywhere. During Rajaraja’s time the vimanam was covered with gold sheets. Muslim invaders plundered the temple wealth did some damage to the structure before the vimanam.

3. Rajaraja built the two Gopurams, the huge vimanam, Brihadeeshwara and a Nandi in the Nandi mandapam

4. Marathas added another small entrance to the temple along with 108 shivalingas in the outer prakara.

5. Brihanayaki was added to the temple by the Pandyas, Subramanya added by nayakas and Ganesha and huge Nandi that we see were also added by the Nayaka Kings.

6. Temple contains sculptures of Shiva in 108 karanas in the order specified in Bharata's Natyasashtra. Only temple in the world to have these sculptures after the ones in Indonesia.

7. Tripuranthaka sculptures (Shiva with a bow and quiver full of arrows) is depicted on the entire second tier of the vimanam.

8. Though they call this temple an architecture marvel, there is mismatch of the size of many idols to the size of its opening. As a result of mismatch, some of the idols are only partially visible.

9.  The temple was only partially complete at the time of Rajaraja and the subsequent rulers of Thanjavur added structures to the temple. Though the temple was only partially complete, Makuta agama followed at this temple, one of the 28 types of Saiva Agama, provides an expection to do pooja, thereby  making it a functional temple.

10. At a time when the the hymns of Appar, Sundarar, Maanikavasagar were almost lost,   Rajaraja brought them from a locked room at Chidambaram temple, set them to tune and made it a part of the Oodhuvaar tradition at Shiva temples.

11. 400 devadasis were moved from other Chola temples and lived in the four streets surrounding the temple. Their names, remuneration, etc are contained in the inscriptions on the outer wall.

Click here to hear the audio from her lecture.

Here is another lecture by Dr. Chitra Madhavan on temple architecture of India - http://vimeo.com/17671788. She covers some features about Thanjavur temples in this lecture. She reminds me of my history teacher from school. Wish she can record some vidoes for our school children.

Here is the ASI Site on Brihadeeshwara, Gangaikondachozhapuram and Dharasuram Chola Temples - http://asi.nic.in/asi_monu_whs_cholabt.asp 

The lecture was followed by a concert by Dr. Vijayalakshmy Subramaniam as a part of her Kshetra Sangeetham series. Click here to access information on temples covered earlier in the series.

1. Varnam - Naataikurunji - Ponniah pillai - Brihadeeshwara

2. Pamara Jana Paalini - Simendramadhyamam - Muthuswami Dikshithar - Brihannayaki

3. Brihadeeshwara Mahadeva - Kaanada- DR. M Balamuralikrishna

4. Thirumangai Azhwar Paasuram - Ratipriya

Maararatipriyam - Ratipriyam - Muthuswami Dikshithar

5. Amba Neelambari - Neelambari - Ponniah pillai - Brihannayaki

6. Prasanna Venkateshwaram - Vasanthabairavi - Muthuswami Dikshithar

7. Varali - Bangaru Kamakshi - Shyama Shastri

8. Dani Bodhana - Surutti- Javali - Thanjavur Quartet - Brihadeeshwara

9. Anjana Vel Vizhi - Thirupugazh - Kaapi

10. Thillana -Sankarabharanam - Thanjavur quartet - Brihadeeshwara

11. Karunajoodu - Sri- Shyama Shastri

Please email me if you need a copy of the concert rendition.