Brihadisvara Temple / Sri Brihadeeswarar Temple / Thanjavur Periya Kovil, the known and Unknown facts, of Sri Rajarajecharam, a Ponniyin Selvan Meet 2017, Thanjavur 2017. Thanjavur District, Tamil Nadu.

25^th September 2017.

Whenever I go to the temples, apart from worshipping Lords Shiva and Vishnu,  I used to look at the temples from historical and heritage points of view.  This  Thanjavur Periya Kovil has its own myths and facts, since this 11th-century Temple built by the Chozha dynasty King Rajarajan I, is still in worship. The temple has witnessed both the rise and fall of the Chozha dynasty, the invasion by Malik Kafur, taken care of by Pandya Kings, the maintenance by Danish Kings, the Vijayanagara kings' contributions, and the maintenance of Maratha Kings to date. The temple was also used as a bunker by the British during World War. Some of the statues and Mandapams were destroyed during the Muslim invasion. Due to the nonavailability of stones, the damages were rectified to some extent, In spite of the renovations the temple looks unfinished. For reconstruction some of the old temples near villages were dismantled stones & pillars were used. Some of the Myths and Facts are written in my last year's post. 

  

This year Mr Venkatesh took us to the front mandapam where a squatting lion pillar was installed. He pointed out the nails of the lion and told him this pillar may belong to the Pallava period. Since there was no Pallava period living temple nearby, from where this pillar was brought, is not known.

 

Mr Venkatesh also showed us a relief chiseled on the mandapam wall. The identity of the relief is also not known... but can we guess it is Raraja Chozha...?

Who could it be?.. Rajaraja Chozha...?

Mrs R K Lakshmi showed us the relief of Kuda Koothu, a form of dance posture of Lord Shiva, a kudam ( pot ) on the head and another on the hand without holding and she also spared her lens to take photographs.  

Kuda Koothu.

Mr. Sadasivam & Mr. Srinivasan pointed out that the letters written on the north side exist of Shiva's sannidhi. It is written as ARP. - பாதுகாப்பிடம் ( Air Raid Protection ). It was said that this temple was used as a bunker or a safe zone for army personnel to hide during World War II.

The north side exists where ARF is written  

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---