Thanjavur, Thanjavur Temple, Peruvudaiyar Kovil or Brihadeeswarar Temple (Big Temple) Thanjavur

Interesting Info about Brihadeeswarar Temple

Location: Tanjore or Thanjavur, Tamilnadu

Significance: One of the biggest Dravidian Temples in the world

Other Nearby Attractions: Shore Temple, Pancha Pandava Rathas, Krishna Mandapa, Art Gallery, Tanjavur Palace, Varaha Cave and Krishna's Butterball

Best Time: Throughout the year

Temple Tower Height : 216 ft (66 m) Height

Build: In 1010 AD

How to Reach

By Air:
The nearest airport is situated at Trichy, 65-km from Thanjavur.

By Rail:
The nearest railway station at Thanjavur, is well connected with Trichy, Chennai, and Madurai. 

By Road: Thanjavur is well connected by road with all the major towns and cities in Tamil Nadu and also with Kochi, Ernakulam, and Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala and Bangalore in Karnataka

Where to Eat

There are few good restaurants which serves delicious pure vegetarian food. 

About Peruvudaiyar Kovil or Brihadeeswarar Temple
This temple is one of India's most prized architectural sites. The temple stands amidst fortified walls that were probably added in the 16th century. The Vimana - or the temple tower - is 216 ft (66 m) high and is among the tallest of its kind in the world. The Kalash or 'Chikharam' (apex or the bulbous structure on the top) of the temple is not carved out of a single stone as widely believed. 

Lord Brihadeeswarar - Very rare picture

There is a big statue of Nandi (sacred bull), carved out of a single rock, at the entrance measuring about 16 feet long and 13 feet high. The entire temple structure is made out of hard granite stones, a material sparsely available currently in Thanjavur area where the temple is located.

Built in 1010 AD by Raja Raja Chola in Thanjavur, Brahadishwara Temple also popularly known as the ‘Big Temple’ has turned 1000 years. The temple is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Great Living Chola Temples.

About King Raja Raja Cholan

King Raja Raja Chola

Rajaraja was born as the third child of Parantaka Sundara Chola and Vanavan Maha Devi. Rajaraja Cholan is one of the greatest emperors of the Tamil Chola Empire who ruled between 985 and 1014 CE.  

He established the Chola empire by conquering the kingdoms of southern India expanding the Chola Empire as far as Sri Lanka in the south, and Kalinga (now its Orissa) in the northeast. He fought many battles with the Chalukyas in the north and the Pandyas in the south. By conquering Vengi, Rajaraja laid the foundations for the Later Chola dynasty. He invaded Sri Lanka and started a century-long Chola occupation of the island.
 1040s Deaths: Humbert I, Count of Savoy, Rajendra Chola I, Samuel Aba of Hungary, Odilo of Cluny, Cunigunde of Luxembourg, Gyda of Sweden

He built the magnificent Peruvudaiyar Temple (every one known as the Brihadeeswarar Temple) in Thanjavur, Tamilnadu and through it enabled wealth distribution amongst his subjects. His successes enabled his son Rajendra Chola I to extend the empire even further.
Brihadeeswarar Temple History

Rajarajan Gold Coins

The temple had its foundations laid out by the Tamil emperor Arulmozhivarman, popularly called Rajaraja Cholan in 1002 CE , as the first of the great Tamil Chola building projects. According to tradition, the temple was built by the Chola king Rajaraja in compliance of a command given to him in his dream. The scale and grandeur is in the Chola tradition. An axial and symmetrical geometry rules the temple layout.
Temples from this period and the following two centuries are an expression of the Tamils (Chola) wealth, power and artistic expertise. The emergence of such features as the multifaceted columns with projecting square capitals signal the arrival of the new Chola style. The temple is also an architectural exemplar.
The temples testify to thebrilliant achievements of the Chola in architecture, painting, sculpture  and bronze casting. Built in 1010 AD by Raja Raja Chola in Thanjavur, Brahadishwara Temple also popularly known as the Big Temple has turned 1000 years.
Temple Festival
The day of the Ruling star, satabhishag is treated as a festival day every month as it symbolizes the ruling star at the time of birth of Rajaraja.

The annual festival is held for 9 days in the month of Visaka or May according to the English calender. The deity is bathed with the water soaked with the fragrant Champaka flower.

Tanjavur Brihadeeswara Temple Galleries

View Peruvudaiyar Kovil in a larger map

Temple Paintings

kodimaram

Main Entrance

Gopuram

Foreigners trips

Sun Set

Paintings

Around Tanjavur Brihadeeswara Temple Galleries Tanjavur
Thiruvaiyaru: 13 kms from Tanjavur is Thiruvaiyaru, where the famous saint Thyagaraja lived and attained samadhi. The famous temple at Thiruvaiyaru is dedicated to Shiva, and is known as Panchanatheswara. An eight day music festival is held here, every January, in honour of the saint. 

Thirukandiyur: The temples at Thirukandiyur (10 kms away), are dedicated to Brahmasirekandeswarar and Harshavimochana Perumal, and are noted for their fine sculptural work. Tiruvarur (55 km) has the Thyagarajaswami Temple famous for the largest temple chariot in Tamil Nadu.
Tiruvarur is also the birth place of saint Thyagaraja. 

Swamimalai: Located 32 kms away, Swamimalai has one of the six abodes (Arupadaiveedu) dedicated to Lord Subramanya.

Kumbakonam: Famous for the Mahamaham festival held every 12 years, Kumbakonam, 36 kms from Tanjore, also boasts of five temples. The important ones among them are Sarangapani, Kumbeswarar, Nageswara and Ramaswamy temples. These temples are noted for their semi erotic sculpture.

Darasuram: Darasuram, 34 kms away, has a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva which was built by Rajendra Chola. It also boasts a silk weaving centre. 

Tirubuvanam: 45 kms away, Tirubuvanam has a 13th century Chola temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. 

Nagore, 88 km, is a famous Muslim pilgrimage site, which is frequented by people of all faiths. 

Velangani: 90 kms away, noted for the church dedicated to 'Our Lady of Health', attracts devotees of all faiths. Point Calimere (112 kms) is famous for its migratory water birds, especially flamingoes. The best time to visit is the period from November to January. 

Vedaranyam (104 km) is renowned for the festivals held on full moon day, in July-August and January-February. Manora, 65 kms away, has a 8 storey victory tower which was built by Raja Serfoji in 1814 AD. 

Tirunallar (101 km), is famous for its temple dedicated to Lord Saneeswara. Festivals The great Mahamaham festival is held at Kumbakonam, every 12 years, last held in 1992. To commemorate the saint Thyagaraja, the Thyagaraja Aradhana Music festival is held every year, in the month of January.