BRIHADEESWARAR TEMPLE

@ THANJAVUR BIG TEMPLEENGLISH COMMUNICATION LAB – PRESENTATION 1

LOCATION OF TEMPLE :THANJAVUR , TAMILNADU

About 1 km from the

Thanjavur Bustand

LOCATION COORDINATES :

10°46′58″N79°07′54″E

CHOLA EMPIRE DRAVIDIAN

ARCHITECTURE

BRIEF HISTORY OF TEMPLE :A MAGNIFICIENT EDIFICE WITH IT’S MAJESTIC

VIMANA,SCULPTURES, ARCHITECTURE & FRESCOES.

WEALTH & RICHNESS OF TAMIL INSCRIPTIONS

ENGRAVED IN SUPER CALLIGRAPHY.

BUILT IN 10TH CENTURY B.C

APPROXIMATELY 1010 C.E

MILLENIUM COMMEMORATION ON SEPTEMBER 2010

UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE

INITIALLY NAMED AS RAJA RAJESHWARAM BY THE CHOZHA’S AND RENAMED AS BRIHADEESWARA (THE GREAT ISHWARA) BY THE MARATHAS

BUILT BY RAJA RAJA CHOLA – 1 1010 AD

WRITTEN ON STONE INSCRIPTIONS OF ABOUT 107

PARAGRAPHS A KING’S PASSION ON ARCHITECTURE

SUCH A MASSIVE ARCHITECTURE INTENSE PLANNING

SAFETY IN CONSTRUCTION JUST 1 ACCIDENT RECORDED

EVERY INCIDENT RECORDED STRUCTURAL DETAILS, GIFTS

GIVEN, JEWELLERY PRESENT, TIME OF CONSTRUCTION… etc.

DREAM SRILANKA INVASIONS SAIVIST TEMPER

SENIOR ARCHITECT / ENGINEER OF THE PROJECT :

KUNJARA MALLAN PERUNTACHAN RAJA RAJA CHOLA 1 – 985 AD to 1014 AD

ABOUT THE TEMPLE :STRUCTURAL DETAILS RELATIONSHIP WITH ‘TAMIL’

216 feet HIGH TEMPLE (app. 66 m)

12 feet HIGH VIGRAHA ( LORD SHIVA SHRINE)

18 feet DEEP FOUNDATION

1 LORD SHIVA SHRINE

12 UYIR EZHUTHUKAL

18 MEI EZHUTHUKAL

216 UYIR MEI EZHUTHUKAL

1 AAYUTHA EZHUTHU

247m(TOTAL) = DISTANCE BETWEEN LINGA AND NANDHI

STRUCTURAL ELEVATION & PLAN :

ENTIRE ‘GRANITE’ STRUCTURE

BUT NO GRANITE SOURCE IN

100 km RADIUS

HERCULEAN TASK OF

TRANSPORTATION

A 16 STOREY VIMANA OF 60.96m

A 30m HIGH MAIN ENTRANCE

AXIAL & SYMMETRICAL GEOMETRY

PRAKARAM (OUTER PRECINCTS)

240m BY 125 m

OTRAI KAL NANDHINANDI IS A SACRED BULL IN HINDU MYTHOLOGY

CARVED OUT OF A SINGLE ROCK

16 feet LONG (4.9 m)

13 feet HIGH (4.0 m)

SAID TO BE GROWING

A PHENOMENOL WEATHERING ACTION

CONSPIRACY OVER OTRAI KAL NANDI

ORIGINAL OTRAI KAL NANDHI

270 m BY 140 m OUTER BOUNDARY

OUTER WALLS CONTAIN 108 BHARATHANTIYA KARANAS

PERUVUDAYAR KOIL PERUNKOIL or MADAKOIL HIGHER

PLATFORM NATURAL OR MAN MADE MOUNDS

CHOLA’S ACHIEVEMENTSMURALS, SCULPTURES, PAINTINGS…etc

MULTIFACETED PILLARS WITH PROJECTING SQUARE CAPITALS

KUNJARA MALLAN RAJA RAJA RAMA PERUNTHACHANNEW STYLE

SHRINE OF GODDESS PANDYAS

SUBRAMANYA SHRINE VIJAYANAGARA EMPIRE

VINAYAKA SHRINE MARATHA RULERS

THE VIMANA

THE VIMANA:AN ENGINEERING WONDER STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS OF VIMANA

BIGGEST MYSTERY HUGE CAP STONE ON TOP OF VIMANA

A SINGLE STONE CAP OF 80 TONNES WEIGHT RESTED ON THE 16 STOREY

SCIENTISTS BAFFLE ON HOW IT WENT THAT HIGH

MANY THEORIES WERE PROPOSED ON HOW IT WENT THAT HIGH…

HOW EQUILIBRIUM IS MAINTAINED THERE…?

SHADOW DOES NOT FALL ON THE GROUND INSTEAD FALL ON ITSELF

THE GARBAGRAHA SHIVA LINGA EMITS HUGE AMOUNT

ELECTROMAGNETIC POSITIVE ENERGY

80 TONNE STONE CAP WAS SET AS REPULSIVE FORCE TO MAKE THE

POSITIVE ENERGY REVOLVE AROUND THE PERIMETER OF TEMPLE

CLOCKWISE CIRCULATION OF COSMIC ENERGY

6 FEET TALL KALASAM

WHY THE VIMANA WAS CAPPED?:

The popular theory by western investigators is that a 11 km - long inclined plane was built, and the stone was rolled to the top on logs, by elephants. The starting of the inclined plane has been found and it is called "Sāra Palālāam" (Scaffold Pit).

MOST POPULAR THEORY

ALTERNATE THEORY

A THICK ROUND BRICK WALL 5 TO 6 FEET WIDE SCAFFOLDING

‘SAARAKKATTU SUVAR’ AROUND GOPURAM BIG STONES ARE KEPT

SAND IS POURED IN THE GAP SCAFFFOLDING SPIRAL CASING

BLOCKS AND BIG STONES ARE PLACED ON THE SCAFFOLDING AND ARE

MOVED WITH LESSER ENERGY THAN THE PREVIOUS METHOD.

“BREAKING OF EGG SHELL” OPENING OF THE SCAFFOLDING

STHAPATHI’S

SCAFFOLDING COMES OFF SAND SPILLS OUT GOPURAM REVEALED

ANY MISTAKE IN LEVELS WILL SHOW UP PLUMB LINE PERFECT

The temple is constructed in layers. It would take less space and less effort comparing to other methods. Sand in poured in large amounts as shown in the figure to move around and place the rock at the center. Moving in circular path makes you feel less tired and that is why you have circular stair case

A HUGE HOLLOW AT CENTRE OF

VIMANA STILL MAKES A

WONDER HOW THE LOAD

BALANCING WOULD HAVE TOOK

PLACE

BUILT OF INTERLOCKING STONES

AND NO BINDING MATERIAL IN

BETWEEN

SURVIVED 6 EARTHQUAKES.

1807, 1816, 1866, 1823, 1864 and 1900

OTHER INTERESTING FACTS :

MOAT:

DEFENSIVE FORT WITHSTAND

ANY ATTACK FROM ENEMIES

SATTELITE IMAGE WATER

DRAINAGE LAYOUT LONG

MOAT GRAND ANAICUT’S

WATER CROCODILES

HUGE DEFENSE OF THE CITY

PAVED WAY FOR MANY SECRET

HIDDEN PASSAGES

A dedicated secret passage was created to connect different secret places in hidden mesh-like structure.

It is decorated with distinct features depicting Hindu history of Bharat (India).  

While roaming through secret passages, it is impossible to come back to the starting point, as no one

knows the route to reach the inter-places meshed to each other. That is the reason, most of the

underground and secret passages are closed for the public and archaeologists.

What are Secret Passages of Thanjavur (Tanjore)? 

Secret Passages are closed since entrance to them is only possible when you recite right mantra to enter

it. The in-roads through the secret passages lead to places which RajaRaja Chola wanted only his close

confidante to know. Such places were holding keys to the treasure chest, rare scripts, calligraphs and

vaults whose confidentiality were to be maintained.

SECRET PASSAGES INSIDE TEMPLE :

GRANITE CARVINGS:

GRANITE CUTTING :

Series of holes were created in the granite block. The holes can be deeper or surfacial based on the requirement. Then wooden sticks were filled in those holes, water is poured on the holes. After a long period of time the rocks would break. And in similar manner, customized Granite blocks were cut.

PAINTINGS & MURALS:

These were purposely painted using solution made up of natural elements like flower petals, colorful leaves, haldi (turmeric), treated muds, crushed salts, neem, pressed herbs, etc. The lasting of such Vedic designs were ensured using medicinal learnings of Ayurveda.

INSCRIPTIONS ON WALLS:

BUDDHA STATUE IN THANJAVUR ?:

EVIDENCES SHOW ADVENT OF

BUDDHISM DURING 10TH CENTURY AD

RAJA RAJA CHOLAN SAIVIST

SECULAR RELIGIOUS TOLERANCE

BUDDHA UNDER WISDOM TREE

SCULPTURES:

REFERENCES:

GOOGLE

WIKIPEDIA

QUORA

HARIBHAKT.COM

INNOVATIVEBLAZE.BLOGSPOT.COM

THE HINDU – ARCHIVES

TAMILNADU.COM

VALAITAMIL.NET

INDIANTEMPLES.ORG