The Brihadeeswarar temple  (also spelled Brihadeshvara Temple) is an ancient Hindu temple located at Thanjavur in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. This 10th century CE temple, part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site "Great Living Chola Temples", is a brilliant example of the Dravidian style of temple architecture. The central temple known as the Periya Kovil (Big Temple) stands within a fort, whose walls are later additions built during the 16th century. The name periya kovil came from its original name "periya aavudayar kovil" (aavudayar being a local name of Lord Shiva). The vimana (main tower) of the temple is about 70 m high and is the tallest in the world. It was so designed that the vimana never casts a shadow at noon at any part of the year.
 

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History

The temple was commissioned by the great king Raja raja Chola I who ruled from Thanjavur. It was built between 1003 to 1010 and is the greatest of Chola temples. In many ways the temple is typical of the south Indian or Dravidian style of architecture. The temple is dedicated to Lord Brihadeeswarar, a manifestation of Shiva.
 

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The Nandhi

A remarkable feature of the temple is the great Nandi (stone bull). The Nandi that figures at the entrance is immense in size (a popular belief is that it is growing by the day), and the ceiling of its enclosure is decorated with frescoes in the typical painting style of Thanjavur. The Nandi weighs 27 tonnes and is probably the largest in the world and said to be installed later in the 16th Century.
 

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The Temple Architecture

The temple is approached from the East via two gopuras or gateways, flanked by two huge guardian figures with various Shaiva legends represented in the carvings below. The shrime tower is thirteen stories tall. The exterior is decoration with hundreds of painted stucco sculptures. In the interior, the inner sanctum contains a massive Shiva lingam that is the object of devotion. The inner gopura is the Brihadeeswarar temple which has a circle of sea monster heads topped by a protective monster mask. Plaster sculptures on the roof were added later. The dome topping the sanctuary is carved out of a single large stone weighing 81 tons.

The temple compound includes a Chandeshvara shrine with octagonal dome, a Nandi pavillion, a porch with overhanging eve, a mandapa or columned hall, an antechamber, and a towered sanctuary, and other, smaller shrines. Most Shiva temples and shrines have a sculpture of Nandi, Shiva's mount, who faces the linga enshrined within the temple. The columned porch fronts the columned hall which leads to the sanctuary. A colonade is built along the outer enclosure wall surrounding the temple complex.In the sanctuary niches in the walls contain finely carved figures of Shiva and other gods. Dancing Shive figures cover one wall.
 

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 Festival

The temple celebrates with religious fervour – Shivaratri and Pradhosa Poojas.  All other  festivals Deepavali, Pongal and the New Year’s day, follow the traditions of the temple.
 

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