Brihadeeswara Temple, also called Rajarajesvaram or Peruvudaiyar Kovil, is a Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva located in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, India. Brihadeeswara Temple was built by Rajaraja Chola.
The original monuments of this 11th-century temple were built around a moat. It included gopura, the main temple, its massive tower, inscriptions, frescoes, and sculptures predominantly related to Shaivism, but also of Vaishnavism and Shaktism traditions of Hinduism. The temple was damaged in its history and some artwork is now missing. Additional mandapam and monuments were added in the centuries that followed. The temple now stands amidst fortified walls that were added after the 16th century.
The height of the tower of the temple is 60m. The statue of Nandi, the bull, is situated at the entrance whose length is about 4.9m and height is about 4m. Granite stone was used to construct the temple.
History of Thanjavur
Thanjavur is one of the big cities in India which was glorified during the reign of Chola dynasty. After that the city came under the rule of Nayaks and Marathas. There are many temples and other monuments besides Brihadeeswara temple which the tourists can visit.
There is a legend which says that the city was named so due to a demon named Tanjan who was killed by Neelamegha Perumal, an incarnation of Bhagwan Vishnu. There is no historical evidence which tells about the foundation of the city but it is said that the city existed during the Sangam period in the 3rd century BC.
Visiting Hours
The temple is open for the public from 6:00am to 12:30pm and 4:00pm to 8:30pm. It takes around 2-3 hours to visit the whole temple as the temple is very big. The temple is also open on all days of the week including government holidays.
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