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History of Temple
Name: Brihadeeswara, Temple
Creator: Rajaraja I
Date built: 1010
Primary deity: Stone Linga
Location: Tamil Nadu
Built in the year 1010 CE by Chola emperor Rajaraja I in Thanjavur,
The Brihadeeshwara Temple (Peruvudaiyar Kovil) is a Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva at Thanjavur in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is also known as Periya Kovil, Rajarajesvaram and RajaRajeswara Temple. It is one of the largest temples in India and an example of Dravidian architecture during the Chola period. Built by Emperor Raja Raja Chola I and completed in 1010 AD, this temple turned 1000 years old in 2010. This temple is a part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the “Great Living Chola Temple” like the other two temples Brihadeeswarar, Gangaikonda Cholapuram and Airavatheswara Temple.
High vimanas are made of interlocking bricks. No binder is used. The best part is that it has survived through centuries and various invasions and disasters like earthquakes.
According to my first guide, there is debate as to whether this is really a temple or a watchtower. The presence of a moat around the Brihadeeswara Temple and various underground passages that lead to different locations certainly add weight to this theory. However, I confirmed it was a temple as other evidence points to it.
Near By Temples
Gangaikonda Cholapuram
Rajendra Chola I, son and successor of Radraja Chola I, founded Gangaikonda Cholapuram. The Cholas ruled over all of southern India. Rajendra Chola founded the city to commemorate his victory over the rulers of the Pala dynasty.
Serfoji Saraswati Mahal Library
The Serfoji Saraswati Mahal Library is one of the oldest libraries in Asia. Tourists can find manuscripts written on palm leaves. The languages used in this manuscript are Tamil, Hindi, Telugu, Marathi, English and many more. This library was founded by the kings of the Nayak dynasty who ruled from 1535 to 1675.
Thirunalar Saniswaran Temple
Tirunallar Saniswaran Temple is located in Karaikal area where Lord Shiva is the main deity worshiped. The god is made of dharba grass. Another deity is Saniswar, who is worshiped before reaching the temple of Lord Shiva.
Thanjavur Royal Palace
Situated in the Vijayanagara Fort, Thanjavur Royal Palace was the residence of the Nayak rulers. Then it came under the Marathas. Tourists can visit Nayak Hall Darbar Hall and Serfoji's Saraswati Mahal Library.
Vijayanagara Fort
Vijayanagara Fort was built by Vijaya Raghav who belonged to the Nayak dynasty. Then the Marathas completed the construction. Most of the fort has now been destroyed and tourists are only allowed to visit some of it.
Pooja Timing
Monday to Saturday 6:00 AM - 12:30 PM. 4:00 PM - 8:30 PM.
Sunday. 6:00 AM - 12:30 PM.
Special darshan tickets for Rs 5/- on Sundays for a quicker visit.
Arudra Darshanam - Arudra Darshanam is one of the biggest festivals in this temple. The holy shrine is a Chidambaram shrine or shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva. This festival aims to celebrate the cosmic dance of Shiva.
Maha Shivaratri - Maha Shivaratri is an annual festival which is celebrated with great enthusiasm from February to March.
| Poojas | Timings |
| Kala Sandhi or Morning Pooja | 8:30 A.M. |
| Utchi Kalam or the mid-noon Pooja | 12 P.M. |
| Sayaratchai or evening Pooja | 5:30 P.M. |
| Artha Jamam or night Pooja | 8:30 P.M. |
How to reach
By Flight
The nearest airport to Thanjavur or Tanjore is Trichy. It's about an hour from the capital. You will find many buses and taxis that will take you directly from the airport to Tanjore.
By train
The closest railway station is in Thanjavur itself, fairly well connected to the main railway stations in South India
On the road
Thanjavur is well connected by road, which makes commuting into the city an excellent option. From Chennai, Bangalore or Madurai, many public buses and tourist buses run into the city. In these cities you can even take a taxi or get out on your own.
The distance from Chennai to Thanjavur is 340 km which can be covered in about 6.5 hours.
From Bangalore to Thanjavur you can take NH 44 and the total distance is around 400 km. This route takes about 7 hours.
Madurai is closer than either of these two cities. The distance between Madurai and Tanjore is 190 km and can be reached in 3 hours.