Team: Aishwarya Seshadri and Soundarya Seshadri
View of the gopuram as seen while entering the temple complex
A view of the main structure of the temple complex as seen from the cloistered mandapa around
Some interesting design facts about the Brihadeeshwara temple:
◦ The temple was built by the then king Raja Raja Cholan & his sister princess Kundavai. Inscriptions in the temple point towards Kunjara Mallan Raja Raja Perunthachan as the chief architect of the temple. His successors survive to this day and practice the art of Vastu or Vastu Shastra.
◦ The temple has several underground secret passages which connect it to other important places of the region such as temples, palaces etc. However, most of these have been sealed off today.
◦ A construction marvel: The temple was built of interlocking granite stones without any binding material; and there was not a single granite quarry in about 100 km radius of the temple! The capstone of the temple vimana, which is also made of granite, weighs 80 tons; it is marveling to note as to how this was lifted up and placed on the top!
◦ At noon the shadow of the Gopuram does not fall on the ground but on itself. This is because of the high plinth which absorbs this shadow on its base itself.
◦ National Award-winning art director Thota Tharrani has disclosed that the Chola temples provided the best reference for architectural details for his team to create sets for director Mani Ratnam’s Ponniyin Selvan 1. And one can observe details from this temple too while watching the film!
◦ The temple was built by the then king Raja Raja Cholan & his sister princess Kundavai. Inscriptions in the temple point towards Kunjara Mallan Raja Raja Perunthachan as the chief architect of the temple. His successors survive to this day and practice the art of Vastu or Vastu Shastra.
◦ The temple has several underground secret passages which connect it to other important places of the region such as temples, palaces etc. However, most of these have been sealed off today.
◦ A construction marvel: The temple was built of interlocking granite stones without any binding material; and there was not a single granite quarry in about 100 km radius of the temple! The capstone of the temple vimana, which is also made of granite, weighs 80 tons; it is marveling to note as to how this was lifted up and placed on the top!
◦ At noon the shadow of the Gopuram does not fall on the ground but on itself. This is because of the high plinth which absorbs this shadow on its base itself.
◦ National Award-winning art director Thota Tharrani has disclosed that the Chola temples provided the best reference for architectural details for his team to create sets for director Mani Ratnam’s Ponniyin Selvan 1. And one can observe details from this temple too while watching the film!
