Unknown Facts of Thanjavur Big Temple

Thanjavur Temple unknown Facts

             Thanjavur is famous for many things but among them this one stands out.

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Fact - 1:
Everyone know this temple was built by RajaRajaChola I and in 2010 its Millennium was celebrated.

Beyond from the fact its 1000 years old this temple have lots of special things. As I am from thanjavur , I visited this temple so many times that i cannot even count. Every time when I go there it shows me some new things and gives Goosebumps to me.

In my recent visit i came know that this is also called as தென் கைலாசம் (kailash of south) also related to Dakshin Meru.

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    Notice the mountain Shape in the Vimana of the temple . Lord Shiva with Parvathi devi, his sons, Lord Vishnu, Lord Brahma and all his devotee.

    It is said that King Raja Raja Chola wanted this because people from south can't afford to go  for the kailash in the himalayas.

Fact - 2
 The modern Brihadeeswara temple was not fully Constructed by Cholas.

  The main vimana of the temple, the small shrine to Chandikeswara,the guardian of Shiva’s temples on its north side and the outer  enclosure wall with the nandhi's statues upon it. And also the two entrance Gopuras.

   

     Other shrines were add by different Kings over the period of time.

Pillar added by pandyas

    

  1. After the fall of Cholas Dynasty in 13th century, The Pandya's captured the city and added the Shrine for Goddess Parvathi named as Brahan Nayaki along with the pillar with a man before a nandhi statue to the north side.

 2. During 16th century Thanjavur was ruled by Nayakas dynasty from Vijayanagar Emperor. Their contribution to this temple were the Subramanya Shrine located to the north side to vimana. The major difference between the construction of Cholas and nayakas were, in cholas period the Granite stones were first placed in the position after that they sculptured it. So in this method if any mistakes happen they can't replace it.

  But in Nayakas period they used to sculpture the statues first and then place them . So their shrine looks more detailed and completed.

The subramaniya Shrine
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 And also the nayakas changed the entrance to the main vimana. During cholas period the entrance were in the left side , having the statues of the Prince Rajendra chola I and the King Raja Raja chola I.

See the Statue of Raja raja chola I. the entrance at the middle was in nayakas style,.

3. After the Nayakas, Marathas 

captured the city and they too added
 the Ganesha Shrine, 
the Varahi Amman shrine 
to the South side of the Vimana 
and the Nandhi made up of  single stone.

The cholas period nandhi was replaced by this one. Cholas Nandhi is still kept in the enclosure wall to the south side.

The Marathas were the one to gave the name Brihadeeswara to the temple. The name that was gave by Rajaraja chola was Rajarajeshwaram.