Brihadishwara Temple- Tamil Nadu

Situated at Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu, the Brihadishwara temple is very sacred to the Hindus all over the world. It is devoted to Lord Shiva and holds a Lingam. The temple is one of the most impressive in South India.

It features a temple tower that is 65.4m high and possesses a colossal cup at top that weighs around 80 tonne. It is believed that the temple was built in the 10^th century, during the Chola rule in southern India. In the present times, it is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site “Great Living Chola Temples” (Important Hindu Temples built during the 10^th through 12^th century).

The temple turned 1000 years old in 2010. It is constructed using granite. The temple tower is among the tallest of its kind in the world and the apex of the temple is carved out of single stone.

There is a huge statue of Nandi (sacred bull of Lord Shiva) at the entrance of the temple that is believed to guard the temple area. The Nandi (16 feet long and 13 feet high) is second largest its kind that is present in the country.

The temple possesses many structures those could be seen allied axially. The main temple structure exists in the center of quadrangle that includes a sanctuary, Nandi statue, hall and many sub- shrines. There is an inner platform, presumed to be very important structure in the temple complex. It is surrounded by massive walls. The walls are divided into sharply cut structures further increasing the beauty of the design.

The size of the main pillar in the complex is around 60 m in height and it dominates the quadrangle. The pillar is surrounded by piers and columns all sides. The walls in the temple are segregated by plasters into bays. The lower parts of the walls in this famous religious monument are carved with a series of outstanding lions further adding glory to the temple architecture.