Famous Temples in India

Architecture

The temple is constructed on an elevated structure along with a courtyard which measures 170 m in height and 98 m in width. The main section of the structure measures 341 ft in height and 100 ft in width with an east-west axis. Like in all other temples, Shiva is represented in the form of a lingam which is 13 ft tall.The temple was built by the greatest of Chola rulers, Rajaraja, the temple was named after him as Rajarajesvaram, meaning the temple of the Isvara (God) of Rajaraja. Later on, it came to be known as the Brihadeswarar Temple meaning the temple of the `Great Isvara Rajaraja Chola, like other Chola rulers, was a great patron of art and architecture. The temple is facing East direction and built in Chola style of architecture. The gopuram of the main entrance is 30 Meters high, smaller than the vimana. Surrounding the main temple are two walled enclosures. The outer wall is high, defining the temple complex area. Here is the massive gopuram or gateway mentioned above. Within this a portico, a barrel vaulted gopuram with over 400 pillars, is enclosed by a high wall interspersed with huge gopurams axially lined up to the main temple. The vimanam (temple tower) is 216 Feet (66 Meters) high and is the tallest in the world. The Kumbam (the apex or the bulbous structure on the top) of the temple is carved out of a single rock and weighs around 80 tons. The sanctum sanctorum which houses the Shivalinga is a double walled structure with a passage between the two walls, this was built in this way to hold the 40000 ton vimana.

The compound within the temples inner wall measures about 500 feet x 250 Feet. The walls of the sanctum are adorned with the wall paintings of Chola and Nayak periods. The entrance to the main temple complex is through two beautiful arches, with ornate gopuras on top of them, covered with stucco figures of various deities. The outer one is called the Keralantakan entrance, and commemorates Rajaraja’s victory over the Cheras of Kerala. The inner one is simply called the Rajarajan entrance, and is flanked by two huge and fierce dwarapalas or guardian deities, a feature typical of Chola architecture. The inner mandapa leads out to a rectangular mandapa and then to a twenty-columned porch with three staircases leading down. Sharing the same stone plinth is a small open mandapa dedicated to Nandi, Shivas sacred bull mount. The temple is said to be made up of about 60,000 tons of granite. The capstone itself is made of four pieces of granite and weighs about 20 tons.