[Pastey93]

Prologue

Deep in the state of Tamil Nadu is the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Great Living Chola Temples that make for an amazing insight to ancient architecture and offer a reminder of the Chola dynasty’s 1,500-year-long reign. The Cholas were a Tamil dynasty of southern India that ruled for more than 1,500 years, until the 13th century CE.

Our plan was to explore the three popular temples which were built by one of the most powerful, the longest-ruling, and the oldest dynasties that ruled Southern India, the Cholas. Earlier, our plan included only Brihadeeshwara Temple in Thanjavur, but later we included Gangaikonda Cholapuram Temple and the Airavateshwara Temple in Darasuram as they are located in close proximity to each other. These three temples, constructed in 11th and 12th century, together called as “the great living Chola temples” and recognized as a UNESCO World heritage site.

Of all the temples I have visited, I am partial to those in Tamil Nadu—towering stone structures standing amid fluorescent paddy fields, surrounded by swaying coconut palms. It is this personal bias that took me on a quest to explore the Chola Temples in Tamil Nadu. I had learnt about the Great Living Chola Temples a few months earlier while roaming another temple complex (Kanchipuram) in the state of Tamil Nadu. And so here I am, on a February morning, waiting to explore one of the largest temple complexes in the world.

Day 1
19th Feb, 2022

We started from Bangalore at around 5:30 am.

Route Taken:
Bangalore - Hosur – Krishnagiri – Salem – Attur – Kumbakonam

Smooth tarmac for almost 70% of the drive.
Attachment 2278944

A quick pitstop somewhere between Attur and Kumbakonam


The road between Attur and Kumbakonam is narrow and there are many notorious monkeys


We reached Kumbakonam around 1:30 pm. Known for coffee, temples, and a rich cultural and culinary legacy, Kumbakonam is an important town in Tamil Nadu.

Stay: The Cholaa Dynasty, Kumbakonam. The hotel is located on the highway just off Kumbakonam. The hotel is good with sufficient parking space and clean washroom.

Our steed taking rest on reaching


Our room at Cholaa Dynasty


We had lunch at the hotel’s in-house restaurant, the food was decent nothing to praise or complain about.

Around 4 pm we started driving to Gangaikonda Cholapuram Temple.

Somewhere between Kumbakonam and Gangaikonda Cholapuram. Yes, this reminds of us Parra Road, Goa


Brihadisvara Temple, Gangaikonda Cholapuram

Gangaikonda Cholapuram, once the flourishing capital of Cholas for 250 years, is located in Ariyalur district of Tamil Nadu and the temple is dedicated to lord Shiva. It was established by the ambitious king Rajendra Chola I, the son of the illustrious Rajaraja Chola I, who had conquered lands up to the Ganga Delta in the North. The town, whose name literally translates to ‘the town of the Chola who took over Ganga’, was designed to be the grand new capital of the empire. Today, Gangaikonda Cholapuram is just a small town off the state highway. This temple is a replica of Brihadeeshwara Temple in Thanjavur and is one of the largest temples in India. Built in 1035, the Brihadisvara Temple of Gangaikonda Cholapuram was completed barely 25 years after the one in Thanjavur. King Rajendra, the locals say, wanted to outshine his father not only in his achievements but also in his buildings, and this temple is a great example of his ambitions. Much larger than the one at Darasuram and much more elaborate than the one at Thanjavur, the temple rises 182 feet above the stony ground of Gangaikonda Cholapuram and is different in its layout from the other two.

After reading these historical facts of the temple and the place, we could not resist the temptation to visit this place. And the first glance at the temple through the entrance itself made us feel worth the visit.




We were awestruck with the hugeness of the temple complex. The tall gopuram of the temple definitely makes anybody to appreciate the craftsmanship of the Chola dynasty. The well carved structures on the wall panels and on the Gopurams boast the richness of ancient architecture. Since we were just in time, we went inside the sanctum to offer our prayers for the huge lingam. The temple was very less crowded which made easy for us to explore the surroundings which included few small shrines.










Do not miss the structures of massive Nandi and Simhakeni. Every inch of the temple is decorated with magnificent carvings and sculptures. We spent an hour sitting in the green lawn around the temple complex remembering the glorious years of Cholas.


Does the design of this Simhakeni remind you of the Great Sphinx of Giza, or is it only me?


It was dusk by the time we left Gangaikonda Cholapuram. Golden rays of the setting sun had lit up the exquisite temple spire, and long shadows of the gopuram make intriguing patterns on the jagged earth.


Day 2
20th Feb, 2022

The next day began with a typical south Indian breakfast. After a portion of steaming idlis, crispy vadas, and one too many ghee-laden dosas, we finally head to Airavateshwara Temple, Darasuram. Google maps showed us that the second Chola temple, located in Darasuram, was not more than four kilometres away from from our hotel, so we decided to visit it and then check out from our hotel. The route is scenic with vast paddy fields.


Airavateshwara Temple, Darasuram
Darasuram town is known for the ancient Airavateshwara Temple constructed by Rajaraja Chola II in the 12th century. The Airavatesvara Temple is much newer than the other two Chola temples and is dedicated to lord Shiva in the form of Airavateshwara. Though this temple is not as big as Brihadeeshwara temples in Gangaikonda Cholapuram or Thanjavur, the details on the sculptures displayed in this temple is more attractive than these two temples. The highly ornate pillars, the never ending long pillared corridors, gorgeous Mandaps, and extremely well carved sculptures are the highlights of this temple.


The Mandapam of the main temple is in the form of a stone chariot drawn by horses. This chariot is a classic example of perfection of Dravidian architecture. It is so well carved that it flawlessly exhibits the minutest details. This architectural marvel is truly a treat for eyes. I remember reading how the sculptures at this temple are considered the epitome of finesse that Chola art had reached in the 12th century.






The entire complex of Airavatesvara exudes the feeling of peace; it is neither filled with devotees nor are there many tourists. This temple complex is surrounded by beautifully manicured lawns and tall coconut trees.


We returned back to our hotel, packed our bags and after a smooth check-out process bid adieu to Kumbakonam.

Brihadeeshwara Temple, Thanjavur
Our final destination of the drive was Thanjavur—an ancient town in Tamil Nadu that is known as much for its paintings, musical instruments, and bronze statues, as it is for the 1,010-year-old Brihadeeswara Temple. Of all the Chola marvels, this temple is the most popular one. Not only among the Chola temples, but also it is one of the most well-known and one of the biggest temples in India. Built in the 11th century by the Chola emperor Rajaraja I, the sandstone and granite complex of the Brihadeeshwara Temple is one of the largest in the world. Also called the Tanjai Periya Kovil (‘the big temple of Thanjavur’) locally, the sprawling compound is in the middle of town. We reached Thanjavur around 1 PM and we were shocked to see the sea of vehicles near the temple. Though we knew that the temple is very popular, by looking at the less crowd in the other temples, we expected a lesser crowd here as well. Sadly, we were completely wrong. However, the temple complex is so gigantic that it held the large crowd inside its compound walls effortlessly and showed us how advanced our ancient generation was in planning, technology, and architecture compared to us.


The temple is so beautifully carved in every corner that you cannot stop uttering “wow”. The temple complex turns out to be larger and more elaborate than I had imagined. Other than the exceptionally high tower, it also has one of the largest monolithic sculptures of Nandi (Shiva’s bull), long corridors, and hundreds of smaller structures strewn around. Building a 216 ft high Gopuram itself is hard to imagine for us. Placing 80 ton Vimana carved out of a single rock on top this Gopuram is indescribable. We spent an hour going around the complex and gazing at the humongous golden spire (Vimana), the gigantic black granite Nandi, and many smaller shrines.


The carving of a foreigner/European man on the Gopuram. There are intricate frescos and exquisite carvings done in different periods and by different kings; large, life-sized idols of devas and asuras adorn the high stonewalls; and detailed patterns are etched on numerous pillars. I try to imagine what the temple must have looked like a thousand years ago.






We had late lunch at a A2B in Thanjavur and started driving towards Bangalore around 4:00 pm and reached at 11:30 pm.

Route Taken: Thanjavur – Thiruchirapalli – Namakkal – Salem – Krishnagiri – Hosur – Bangalore.

[mAndArk]

Thanks for giving us a glimpse of our rich history through your crisp writing and beautiful pictures!

Would've loved to join you on this journey as planned but alas, maybe next time. Looking forward to more such trips and amazing travelogues in the near future

[anandavinash]

Excellent travelogue! Thank you for sharing this. I have always been curious about the Chola Dynasty given their naval prowess. This has now given me a reason to plan my next road trip.

[ashishsGT]

Hello Pastey93,

Lovely clicks of these wondrous ancient marvels!
Thank you for sharing!

Cheers,
Ashish

[kiredd1005]

Thank you for sharing this gem! India is filled such wonderful places to visit!

[adityaprasoon]

Thank you for sharing. This is definitely going in my travel wish list.

[Kosfactor]

I have seen a lot of temples down south - but - the Tanjavur Periya Kovil is the absolutely jaw dropping one ever. That is until you realize that its made of Granite.

The history of Chola Empire is fascinating, had it remained intact, we may not have been called a developing country now.

[ampere]

Beautifully captured! And yes the Skoda is as handsome as the grand temples!

There is a reason why Indian medieval history is so rich. If you notice; modern history is more of either Mughals who had unified India or British (Story of Indian Independence). Again ancient India is the story of Harappan civilisation lining up to the Mauryan emplre.

Its the history sandwiched between these two periods which is fascinating. Simply because it showcases the true colours of Indian diversity across the length and breadth of the country. Every location which we explore has some roots to these times.

Chola in this case represents every thing grand all the way from ~800AD to 1200/1300AD. And the temples are a living testimony! While Tanjore and GKC (Gangaikonda Cholapuram) are pillars standing tall, Darasuram kind of gets overshadowed by the more active temples in Kumbakonam region. But its beauty does not diminish one bit.

I have had the opportunity to see all of them and its sheer delight!

[graaja]

Beautifully written travelogue with beautiful pictures of the architecture, and detailed information on history. Thank you so much for sharing.

The Thanjai Periya Kovil has been in my wish list to visit with family. But did not know about the temple at Darasuram. Will add this temple to the list.

[venkyhere]

Originally Posted by Pastey93

Brihadisvara Temple, Gangaikonda Cholapuram

Gangaikonda Cholapuram, once the flourishing capital of Cholas for 250 years, is located in Ariyalur district of Tamil Nadu and the temple is dedicated to lord Shiva. It was established by the ambitious king Rajendra Chola I, the son of the illustrious Rajaraja Chola I, who had conquered lands up to the Ganga Delta in the North. The town, whose name literally translates to ‘the town of the Chola who took over Ganga’, was designed to be the grand new capital of the empire. Today, Gangaikonda Cholapuram is just a small town off the state highway. This temple is a replica of Brihadeeshwara Temple in Thanjavur and is one of the largest temples in India. Built in 1035, the Brihadisvara Temple of Gangaikonda Cholapuram was completed barely 25 years after the one in Thanjavur. King Rajendra, the locals say, wanted to outshine his father not only in his achievements but also in his buildings, and this temple is a great example of his ambitions.

The story I've heard is quite opposite. RajaRaja Chola was crestfallen after the consecration of the sivalinga (aagama shaastra ritual performed on the idol, to make it a living deity) "failed" - the idol didn't acquire the 'life' like it was intended to, and RajaRaja couldn't bear the failure. His lifelong ambition, his whole life itself, was centered around building the grand Brihadeeswara (brihad = large) temple and wanted to be a part of history and known to future generations as the person who was responsible for this grandeur which was to be unmatched in future (which he succeeded in, we still remember him, and congratulate him for the massive architectural and civil engg marvel). He couldn't reconcile with the fact that this project of his that spanned decades, didn't achieve what it was supposed to. He became a broken man, his health deteriorated and he died from sorrow.
Hi son, Rajendra wanted to fulfil his father's ambition and hence commissioned the Gangaikondacholapuram temple build as an exact replica of Brihadeeswara temple. It was the urgency to fulfil his father's objective that led to this build being extremely quick compared to any other grand temple build of those times. Luckily, the consecration ceremony was a "success" and the idol in this temple is worshipped more reverentially than that at Brihadeeswara temple (Brihadeeswara is more of a tourist location today).

Of course, we hear a variety of stories that get passed on across generations, and that's normal.

[Raaj*]

Great Temple, Nice pictures . My MIL once detailed something interesting. When she had been there during 1980s, it was 6pm and sun was ready to set. For a moment, to her surprise, a bright torch kind of light was flowing from the entrance to the Shivalinga. The pujari explained that its due to a Chandra Gantha stone fixed on the Nandhi at the entrance, which reflects the light from the sun, at dusk.
Even though there is no electricity light inside the moolasthanam, the sunlight reflected by the Nandi pours on the Moolavar and you are able to see the Lord without any difficulty. Though i had visited the temple (during the day), planning to go by evening and see the effects of CGStone, it its still there.
"One of the speciality of this temple is the way the Cholas have used their knowledge and understanding of material properties which even today not known to any one. They have used Chandra Gantha Stone ( a precious gem) and have installed this beneath the moolavar too. Due to this, the stone which has the material property of controlling the environment of the moolasthanam based on the outside temperature. For example during summer season even though you have scorching sun outside, this stone is said to be emitting cool waves which causes the inside environment to remain cool, similarly during winter months it emits hot waves which keeps the moolasthanam warm. This shows how the Cholas used the contemporary knowledge of Air-conditioning just by using material properties of some stones."

[Sidban85]

Inspired by you, I did a 1 night 2 day trip.

Started around 9am from HSR, reached Brihadeswara Temple directly around 3.30pm and stayed till 4.30pm. Then I went to Airavateshwara Temple before going to Rayas Grand for the night. There is a holy tank next to the hotel, so went for a walk around it.

Next morning, checked out at 6am and reached Brihadeeshwara Temple by 7.30am, in between wrongly routed by Google Maps and a visit to petrol pump. Started around 8.45am and drove to Madurai and was near the temple around 11.30am.

I did the blunder of trying to find a parking near the temple and wasted time till 12.30pm navigating round and round the narrow streets. Finally, sense prevailed and went to GRT Regency Hotel, parked and went back to temple. But it had closed for afternoon and so, could only visit from outside.

I had lunch at GRT and started around 2.30pm. I reached HSR by 9.45pm.

Lessons learnt:

1. Directly visiting the 2 temples on the 1st day saved me some time as planned

2. Tanjore to Madurai roads are so awesome to drive

3. Better to find a hotel, park the car there and tale an Ola to the temple in Madurai than trying to find parking near temple. Have lunch in the hotel and everyone will be happy

4. Rayas Grand was an OK hotel. While the bedsheets were monogrammed, but the shower was rusted