Brihadeeswara Temple - Tanjavur

The colour prompt for this week was :

Red, Royal Blue and a splash, smudge or pop of Light Blue

This week I am staying down South with an architectural marvel, another Dravidian splendor, which was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1954 and which observed it's Millennium Celebrations in September 2010. It is located in Tanjavur, Tamil Nadu...Any guesses (my brothers and sisters) ??? (and let me also tell you with utmost pleasure that I have been here...thanks to my uncle and aunt who took me there years back during my college vacation. I experienced AWE! I also had the pleasure of watching Sonal Mann Singh mesmerizing the audience with her Odissi [traditional dance form of Odisha]...It was MAGICAL!!!)

Yes, it is the Brihadeeswara Temple, also called the Peruvudiar Kovil or the Periya Kovil (Big Temple) built by Raja Raja Chola 1 of the Chola Dynasty and was built in just 5 years from 1004 to 1009...considering that there were no cranes or any of the hi-fi modern machinery!!! Some interesting factors about this temple are that the Shikharam or the top most part of the tower seen as the circular part of the gopuram or the tower is supposed to be built in single stone weighing 60 tonnes and just imagine how the skilled labourers would have positioned it on top of 216 feet tall tower!!! It is believed that the temple doesn't cast it's shadow inside the temple premises as well and that is SOME kind of engineering and expertise which even the 21st century hi-tech engineers fail to present.

Acrylics, Texture base & Pen

Winsor & Newton Acrylic pad, 300gsm

This mammoth temple was built on the behest of Raja Raja Chola 1 by Kunjara Mallan Raja Raja Perunthachan. I have noticed that we are unaware of the creators of the many marvels surrounding us. According to Wikipedia he is the ancestor of  Dr.V.Ganapati Sthapati, (Founder of the Vastu Vedic Research Foundation) who was a renowned architect who adhered to the Vastu Shastra tradition. He built the famous 133' granite statue of Thiruvalluvar (of SOC week 1) near the Swami Vivekananda Memorial.

Dr.V.Ganapati Sthapati receiving Shilpaguru Award from the then President of India, Dr.A.P.J.Abdul Kalam

Dr.Ganapati is the brain behind the initiation of The American University of Mayonic Science and Technology. He is also the recipient of the prestigious Padma Bhushan Award.

The chief deity is Lord Shiva, however the Goddess, Lord Subramania & Lord Ganesha shrines were added on in the later periods by different rulers of different dynasty.

A unique kind of painting style evolved during this period...may be that was what later on transformed into the exquisite Tanjavur Paintings.

 Mural found in the temple

 Painting on the roof of the temple

A Few other exemplary murals that has stood the test of time :)

Linking it to PPF & SOC...to drool over the variety of artworks, please hop over :D 

In case you would like to own this piece - Brihadeeswara Temple, you can drop me a mail...for details please write in to mail.huesnshades@gmail.com

PS: Please do not forget to leave a comment...I would like to know what and how you feel :)

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Disclaimer: All the information and the images other than my paintings are the result of research in the Net. In case there is any erroneous info please do let me know and I will rectify it. Thanks!

Please do not use/reproduce the content (words as well as images) without the written consent of the author.