Thanjavur Temple (Tamil Nadu, India)

The town of Thanjavur was the seat of the glorious Chola Empire of Tamilnadu, and was later on the seat of the Nayaks and the Marathas. True to art historian Fergusson, the Chola artists conceived like giants and finished like jewellers. The districts of Thanjavur, Kumbhakonam and Nagappattinam (constituting the erstwhile Thanjauvr district) boast of hundreds of ancient temples.

Rajagopala Temple:
This shrine dedicated to Rajagopala, is a vast temple complex with a 1000 year old history. Referred to as Dakshina Dwaraka and as Champakaranyam, this temple is located in the town of Mannargudi, and is well connected by rail and road to Thanjavur, Kumbhakonam, Tiruvarur and other towns in the erstwhile Thanjavur district. This is a massive temple with as many as seven prakarams or circumambulatory paths surrounding the central sanctum. A 154 feet high Rajagopuram adorns the entrance to the outermost prakaram. There are several beutiful pillared halls in the temple - such as the Thousand pillared hall, the Vallala Maharaja Mandapam, the Yaanai Vaahana Mandapam, Garudavaahana Mandapam, Vennaithaazhi mandapam and Punnai Vaahana mandapam. The Shrine to Garuda on top of a 50 feet high monolithic pillar in front of the temple, deserves mention. The saying 'Mannaargudi Madhil Azhagu' (the walls of the temple of Mannargudi are of great beauty) in Tamil, testifies to the grandeur of this temple. Several theerthams (temple tanks) adorn this shrine. The Haridra Nadhi tank is located located near the temple, and popular belief has it, that a river was transformed into a big tank, and that Rajagopala performed the famed Rasa Leela in the tank.

Singaravelavar Temple:
Around 80 Kms from Thanjavur situated in Nagapattinam Tiruvarur Main Road. The ancient history says here only Lord Murugan got the 'Sakthi Vel' from Parvathi (refered as Velnedunkanni amman in this temple ) and killed Suran. This temple is one of the few temples in Tamilnadu which has both Siva and Vishnu in the same campus. The 'Vel vankuthal' festival in the Tamil month of Iyappasi is very famous here.

Vyagrapureeswarar Temple:
Around 80 Kms from Thanjavur, situated 3/4 Km North of Ramarmadam Busstop in Nagapattinam - Tiruvarur Main Road. The ancient history says Kamadhenu, the devalogha cow prayed to Lord shiva in this shrine to get rid of its sabam. One more speciality about this temple, on evenings, Nataraja is worshipped first prior to all other gods. This is also referred as Dhakshina Chidambaram. chidambaram is where famous temple of lord Nataraja located. This village is also called as Vyagrapuri named after the lord.

Brahadeeswara Temple:
Brahadeeswara Temple at Tanjore (Thanjavur), dedicated to Lord Shiva, also called the Big Temple, belongs to the architecture of the Chola period. Built in the 10th Century A.D., by Raja Raja Chola, the Temple Tower is capped by an 81.3 tonnes round monolithic cupola. This enormous piece of stone is said to have been was moved into position by moving it along an inclined plane 6 kms. long. [*Maybe, see next frame] The temple is considered an engineering skill of the Chola architects who planned its construction in such a way that the shadow of the cupola never falls on the ground.