VELUDHARAN TEMPLES VISIT : July 2015

Thursday 30 July 2015

Sri Brihadeeswarar Temple/கங்கைகொண்ட சோழீசுவரர் கோயில்/ பிரகதீஸ்வரர் கோவில், Gangaikonda Chozhapuram / கங்கைகொண்ட சோழபுரம், Ariyalur District, Tamil Nadu.

29^th July 2015.

Every time passing through this temple, I thought of visiting this Shiva temple standing majestically on the high way between Jayankondam to Chennai. Finally I made it on 28^th July 2015. Purposely I planned my travel from Thirukadaiyur to Chennai during day time, so that I can visit this temple. For this I diverted the route via Kumbakonam, instead of Chidambaram, to reach this place.

This temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and a "Thiruvisaipa Paadal Petra Sthalam", sung by "Karuvur Thevar".

அன்னமாய விசும்பு பறந்தயன தேட
அங்ஙனே பெரியநீ சிறிய
என்னையாள் விரும்பி என்மனம் புகந்த
எளிமையை என்றும்நான் மறக்கேன்
முன்னம்மால் அறியா ஒருவனாம் இருவா
முக்கணா நாற்பெருந் தடந்தோன்
கன்னலே தேனே அமுதமே கங்கை
கொண்ட சோளேச்சரத் தானே.

உள்நெகிழ்ந் துடலம் நெக்குமுக் கண்ணா!
ஒலமென்(று) ஓலமிட்(டு) ஒருநாள்
மண்ணினின்று அலறேன் வழிமொழி மாலை
மழலையஞ் சிலம்படி முடிமேல்
பண்ணிநின்(று) உருகேன் பணிசெயேன் எனினும்
பாவியேன் ஆவியுள் புகுந்தென
கண்ணினின்று அகலான் என்கொலோ கங்கை
கொண்ட சோளேச்சரத் தானே
……. கருவூர்த் தேவர்

Front view

Moolavar : Sri Brihadeeswarar

Consort : Sri Brihan Nayaki, Sri Periya Nayaki.

Some of the important features of this temple are……

The temple is facing east with a Rajagopuram ( only pillars are exist now with dwrabalakars at front. Dwajasthamba pedestal, Balipeedam and Big Stucco Rishabam are at the entrance to the temple.

In the outer prakaram ( beautifully maintained lawn ) houses the sannadhis of Vinayagar, Sri Periya Nayaki Amman sannadhi, Chandikeswarar and Mahishasura Mardini Sannadhi. In addition to this there is a shrine with out Deity on the left, a mandapam and Simha well are on the right. Moolavar is not so big like Thanjavur Periya Kovil.

In the koshtam Some of the statues are Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy, Arthanareeswarar, Natarajar, Vishnu, aalingna moorthy, Chandrasekar, Pichadanar, Gajalakshmi, Saraswati, etc.

There are 4 entrances to the sanctum of which 2 are in front and 2 are at the side after mandapam.

There is a small Nandhi when we climbed the stairs at the front. The mandapam with pillars are before sanctum. In the mandapam, Shiva with three faces Urchavars and Saptamatrikas. A huge uninstalled kalash is kept along with urchavas.

There is a passage/ corridor around moolavar sannadhi ( Sivachariyar allowed me to circumambulate through that passage ).

Dwarapalakas in front of Sanctum Sanctorum

The excerpts given below are taken from the display board kept at Archaeological Survey Of India’s Office at Gangaikonda Cholapuram periya temple.

Name : Periya Kovil ( Big temple )

Main Deity : Peruvudaiyar ( Brihadeeswara – Big owner)

Consort : Periyanayaki ( Big Deity)

Established : 1025 C.E.

Place Meaning : Gangai ( Ganges of Himalayas ) konda ( Conquered) Cholapuram ( Chola Place ).

Built by : Rajendra Chola the great, also titled as Parakesari ( supreme furer), Mummudi Cholan ( of 3 crowns), Gangaikonda Cholan, Kadaram Kondan,..etc.

Resemblance : Built as replica of the big temple of Thanjavur, built by his father Raja Raja ( king of kings ).

Height : 182 feet ( 55 meters) and shorter than the Thanjavur temple tower with larger plinth. It is often described as feminine counter part of Thanjavur temple.

Architecture : Dravidian Architecture. ( an engineering marvel as the shadow of the main granite tower never falls on the ground throughout the year).

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

Significance : Was the capital city of South India and South-east Asia Extension.

Background: Rajendra Chola-I (1012 to 1044 CE) the son of the great Rajaraja Chola-I, Considered one of the greatest emperors and military leaders of India, established this temple after his great victorious march to Himalayan river Ganges in northern India. He defeated Mahipala, the Pala King of Bengal and Bihar and commemorate his victory he built a new city called Gangaikonda Cholapuram. The triumphant Chola armies brought back waters from the river Ganges in golden vessels to consecrate the new found land.

Gangaikonda Cholapuram was established as the capital of Chola Empire by Rajendra Chola-I, shifting the traditional capital from Thanjavur ( Tanjore). It occupies an important place in the history of India. As the capital of the Cholas from about 1025 C.E, for about 250 years, the city controlled the affairs of entire south India and also South-East Asian Countries, including Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Coastal Burma, Kadaram ( Kedah in Malaysia) and Indonesia.

The Cholos became one of the most powerful dynasties in Asia during Rajendra’s reign and Bay of Bengal became virtually a Chola lake. Rajendra’s territories extended to coastal Burma, the Andaman Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Maldives, conquered the Kings of Sri Vijaya ( Sumatra, Java and Malay Peninsula in south east Asia) and the Pegu islands with his vast fleet of ships. The Tamil Chozha armies exacted tribute from Thailand and Khmer Kingdom of Cambodia. Tanjore inscriptions also state that Suryavarman, the king of Kambhojia ( Cambodia ) requesting Rajendra’s help in defeating enemies of his Khmer kingdom, where the state emblem and world’s largest non-functioning Hindu Angkor Wat temple still stands today ( Srirangam is currently the largest functioning temple).

Rajendra Chola- I, under took several expeditions to occupy territories outside Indian shores. In-fact Rajendra Chola I, was the Indian King to take his armies overseas and make conquests of these territories, even though there is epigraphical evidence of Deccan Dynasty of Pallava’s presence and their Tamil scribes in these South-east areas, but it is not known that Burma and Indo-China were subordinate to them as they were under Rajendra and his successor Rajadhi Raja up to Kulothunga-I. When the capital of Chozhas moved to Chidambaram, until then all the Chozha emperor’s coronation took place at Gangaikonda Cholapuram.

The temple and it’s property belongs to Archaeological Survey of India and UNESCO.