Famous Temples in India

Architecture

Gangadeeswarar Temple is dedicated to Gangadeeswara, the form of Siva who received the River Ganga on her torrential descent from the heavens and constructed in Chola style of architecture. The temple has a five-tiered gopuram. Only one Chola inscription has been discovered in the Gangadeeswarar temple. This lithic record in Tamil etched in the ancient Tamil script of the Cholas, dates to the 13th Century C.E. Interesting but perplexing is the fact that this epigraph registers a donation made by a man named Neelakanka­rai­yan to the temple in Tiruvan­miyur. A few other inscriptions have also been found in this temple and these belong to the reign of the Vijayanagara emperors. One such inscription can be dated to the 15th Century C.E and perhaps belongs to Deva Raya-I or Deva Raya-II. It is written in the Tamil script of Vijayanagara times, but is unfortunately in a damaged condition, with only some portions readable. On a stone slab found in this temple is another inscription belonging to the Vijayanagara times of the 16th century C.E. It too is in Tamil. Unfortunately, this too is slightly damaged. It records that a person was employed in this temple to light the lamps daily. Another Vijaya­nagara inscription of the 16th Century C.E found on the north wall of the sanctum sanctorum (garbha griha) is also in Tamil. This fragmented epigraph mentions devotees praying at the temple and giving gifts to the shrine.