Great Living Chola Temples

Coordinates: 10°46′59″N 79°07′57″E / 10.78306°N 79.13250°E / 10.78306; 79.13250
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Great Living Chola Temples
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Scenes from the three temples
LocationTamil Nadu, India
IncludesThe Brihadisvara Temple Complex, Thanjavur
The Brihadisvara Temple Complex, Gangaikondacholapuram
The Airavatesvara Temple Complex, Kumbakonam
CriteriaCultural: (ii), (iii)
Reference250bis
Inscription1986 (10th Session)
Extensions2004
Area21.88 ha (54.1 acres)
Buffer zone16.715 ha (41.30 acres)
Coordinates10°46′59″N 79°07′57″E / 10.78306°N 79.13250°E / 10.78306; 79.13250
Great Living Chola Temples is located in India
Great Living Chola Temples
Location of Great Living Chola Temples in India
Great Living Chola Temples is located in Tamil Nadu
Great Living Chola Temples
Great Living Chola Temples (Tamil Nadu)

The Great Living Chola Temples is a UNESCO World Heritage Site designation for a group of Chola dynasty era Hindu temples in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The temple at Thanjavur was added in the list in 1987, while the other two temples were added in 2004.[1]

Completed between early 11th and the 12th century CE, the monuments include:[2]

World Heritage Site recognition

The Temple Complex at Thanjavur was recognised in 1987. The Temple Complex at Gangaikonda Cholapuram and the Airavatesvara Temple Complex were added as extensions to the site in 2004. The criteria for inclusion in the "Great Living Chola Temples" site are:

  • Criterion (i): The three
    Chola
    temples of Southern India represent an outstanding creative achievement in the architectural conception of the pure form of the Dravidan type of temple.
  • Criterion (ii): The Brihadisvara Temple at Thanjavur became the first great example of the Chola temples, followed by a development of which the other two properties also bear witness.
  • Criterion (iii): The three Great Chola Temples are an exceptional and the most outstanding testimony to the development of the architecture of the Chola Empire and the
    Tamil civilization
    in Southern India.
  • Criterion (iv): The Great Chola temples at Thanjavur, at Gangaikondacholapuram and Kumbakonam are outstanding examples of the architecture and the representation of the Chola ideology.

Temples

Thanjavur is about 340 kilometres (210 mi) southwest of Chennai. Gangaikonda Cholapuram and Darasuram are respectively about 70 kilometres (43 mi) and about 40 kilometres (25 mi) to its northeast.

Great Living Chola Temples is located in Tamil Nadu
Thanjavur
Thanjavur
Gangaikonda Cholapuram
Gangaikonda Cholapuram
Kumbakonam
Kumbakonam
Chennai
Chennai
Madurai
Madurai
Bengaluru
Bengaluru
Coimbatore
Coimbatore
class=notpageimage|
Location of Chola temples in the UNESCO world heritage site.

Brihadisvara Temple in Thanjavur

Main article:
Brihadisvara Temple, Thanjavur
Thanjavur temple

The

Vaishnvaism and Shaktism traditions of Hinduism. The temple was damaged in its history and some artwork is now missing. Additional mandapam and monuments were added in centuries that followed. The temple now stands amidst fortified walls that were added after the 16th century.[6][7]

Built out of granite, the

Nandi, Amman, Subrahmanyar, Ganesha, Sabhapati, Dakshinamurti, Chandesrvarar, Varahi and others.[9] The temple is one of the most visited tourist attractions in Tamil Nadu.[10]

Brihadisvara Temple in Gangaikonda Cholapuram

Main article: Brihadisvara Temple, Gangaikonda Cholapuram
A low angle of the Gangaikonda Cholapuram Temple

The

Rajendra Chola I as a part of his new capital, this Chola dynasty era temple is similar in design and has a similar name as the 11th century, and sometimes just called the Gangaikondacholapuram temple.[11][12][13]

It is dedicated to Shiva and based on a square plan, but the temple reverentially displays Vaishnavism, Shaktism and syncretic equivalence themes of Hinduism with statues of Vishnu, Durga, Surya, Harihara, Ardhanishvara, and others.[12][14][15] In addition to the main shrine with linga, the temple complex has a number of smaller shrines, gopura, and other monuments, with some partially ruined or restored in later centuries. The temple is famed for its bronze sculptures, artwork on its walls, the Nandi and the scale of its curvilinear tower.[12][16][17]

Airavatesvara Temple

Main article: Airavatesvara Temple
Airavatesvara Temple

The Airavatesvara Temple is in the city of Kumbakonam, South India, completed in 1166 AD.[18] It is one among a cluster of eighteen medieval era large Hindu temples in the Kumbakonam area.[19] The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. It also reverentially displays Vaishnavism and Shaktism traditions of Hinduism, along with the legends associated with sixty three Nayanars – the Bhakti movement saints of Shaivism.[20][21][22]

Named after the White Elephant of Indra, this temple is a testimony to the grand temple architecture of the Cholan Empire. It is the last of the three great Cholan temples built by successive generations of kings starting from Rajaraja I. Airavateswara temple was built by Rajaraja II around 1150 AD. One of the striking features of this temple is Rajagambhira Thirumandapam - Royal Courtyard, with intricately carved pillars, long steps made of granite stones and elegant chariots drawn by horse - again hewn out of stone. You will see finer workmanship in this temple than the earlier temples. Darasuram is literally a stone's throw away from Kumbakonam.

The stone temple incorporates a chariot structure, and includes major Vedic and Puranic deities such as Indra, Agni, Varuna, Vayu, Brahma, Surya, Vishnu, Saptamtrikas, Durga, Saraswati, Sri Devi (Lakshmi), Ganga, Yamuna, Subrahmanya, Ganesha, Kama, Rati and others.[23] The temple was much larger and once had seven courtyards according to inscriptions. Only one courtyard survives; parts of the temple such as the gopuram are in ruins, and the main temple and the main temple and associated shrines stand alone.[24] The temple continues to attract large gatherings of Hindu pilgrims every year.[25][23][26]

Kailasnather Temple

The '

Pallava-era historic Hindu temple in Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu, India. Dedicated to Shiva, it is one of the oldest surviving monuments in Kanchipuram.[27] It reflects a Dravidian architecture and was built about 700 CE by Narasimhavarman II with additions by Mahendravarman III.[28] A square-plan temple, it has a mukha-mandapa (entrance hall), a maha-mandapa (gathering hall) and a primary garbha-griya (sanctum) topped with a four-storey vimana. The main sanctum is surrounded by nine shrines, seven outside and two inside flanking the entrance of the sanctum, all with forms of Shiva. The outer walls of the temple's prakara (courtyard) is also surrounded by cells.[28]

The Kailasanathar temple is notable for its intricately carved galaxy of Hindu art in the late 7th- and early 8th-century Tamil tradition. These largely relate to Shaivism, yet also include significant number of themes from Vaishnavism, Shaktism and Vedic deities.[29] The temple is also notable for one of the early and best specimens of Hindu mural art in Tamil Nadu. This is found in the inner walls of the courtyard cells. The murals are in a style that is also found in the Ajanta Caves, as well as in the historic paintings in the 8th-century Vaikunthaperumal temple, also in Kanchipuram.[30] The temple walls have many inscriptions in early scripts, important to the epigraphical study of regional history and Tamil temple traditions.[31]

The structure contains 58 small shrines which are dedicated to various forms of Shiva. These are built into niches on the inner face of the high compound wall of the circumambulatory passage.[32][33] The temple is one of the most prominent tourist attractions of the city.[34]

Gallery

  • View of the Śrī Vimāna of the Thanjavur Temple
    View of the Śrī Vimāna of the Thanjavur Temple
  • The granite gopuram (tower) of the Thanjavur Temple
    The granite gopuram (tower) of the Thanjavur Temple
  • Temple at Thanjavur
    Temple at Thanjavur
  • Temple entrance gopurams at Thanjavur
    Temple entrance gopurams at Thanjavur
  • An elephant relief on the Thanjavur temple
    An elephant relief on the Thanjavur temple
  • Tamil written on the Thanjavur Temple
    Tamil written on the Thanjavur Temple
  • The pyramidal structure above the sanctum at the Gangaikonda Cholapuram Temple
    The pyramidal structure above the sanctum at the Gangaikonda Cholapuram Temple
  • Ardhanarishvara (half Shiva, half Parvati): sculpture at Gangaikonda Cholapuram
    Ardhanarishvara (half Shiva, half Parvati): sculpture at Gangaikonda Cholapuram
  • Stone sculpture at Gangaikonda Cholapuram
    Stone sculpture at Gangaikonda Cholapuram
  • A pillar in Dravidian architectural-style in Airavatesvara Temple
    A pillar in Dravidian architectural-style in Airavatesvara Temple
  • Chariot detail of the Airavatesvara Temple
    Chariot detail of the Airavatesvara Temple
  • Altar
    Altar
  • Pillars
    Pillars

References

  1. ^ "Great Living Chola Temples". World Heritage: Unesco.org. Retrieved 6 November 2010.
  2. ^ "Great Living Chola Temples" (PDF). UNESCO. Retrieved 6 November 2010.
  3. ^ Thanjavur, Encyclopaedia Britannica
  4. ^ a b c "The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)".
  5. ISBN 0-00-638784-5
    .
  6. ^ S.R. Balasubrahmanyam 1975, pp. 1–21.
  7. ^ Michell, George (2008). Architecture and art of Southern India. Cambridge University Press. pp. 16–21, 89–91.
  8. ^ S.R. Balasubrahmanyam 1975, pp. 20–21.
  9. ^ S.R. Balasubrahmanyam 1975, pp. 1–26.
  10. ^ Gopal, Madan (1990). K.S. Gautam (ed.). India through the ages. Publication Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India. p. 185.
  11. ^ S.R. Balasubrahmanyam 1975, pp. 241–245.
  12. ^ a b c Great Living Chola Temples, Archaeological Survey of India, Government of India
  13. ^ Michell 1988, p. 4, 51-53, 145.
  14. ISBN 81-206-0151-3
    , pages 291-295
  15. ^ S.R. Balasubrahmanyam 1975, pp. 241–249.
  16. ^ S.R. Balasubrahmanyam 1975, pp. 243–249.
  17. ^ "Great Living Chola Temples". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. 2004.
  18. ISBN 978-81-321-0981-5
    .
  19. ^ Ayyar 1992, pp. 349-350
  20. ^ S.R. Balasubrahmanyam 1979, pp. 225–245.
  21. ISBN 978-0-300-06217-5
    .
  22. ISBN 978-0-231-51524-5
    .
  23. ^ a b S.R. Balasubrahmanyam 1979, pp. 225–234.
  24. ^ Ayyar 1993, p. 351
  25. ^ Ayyar 1992, pp. 350-351
  26. ISBN 978-0-520-28847-8
    .
  27. ^ Emma Stein (2017), All Streets Lead to Temples: Mapping Monumental Histories in Kanchipuram, Yale University Press, pp. 23–25, 41–44
  28. ^ a b K.R. Srinivasan (1972), Temples of South India (Editor: B.V. Keskar), National Book Trust, p. 115–116
  29. ^ Emma Stein (2017), All Streets Lead to Temples: Mapping Monumental Histories in Kanchipuram, Yale University Press, pp. 47–51
  30. ^ S Paramasivan (1938), Technique of the Painting Process in the Kailasanatha and Vaikunthaperumal Temples at Kanchipuram, Nature, No. 3599 (October 22), Nature Publishing Group, p. 757
  31. ISBN 978-0-295-74778-1
    .
  32. ^ "Kailasanathar Temple". National Informatics Centre of Government of India. Archived from the original on 30 July 2013. Retrieved 27 July 2013.
  33. ISBN 978-81-87952-12-1
    .
  34. ^ Gopal, Madan (1990). K.S. Gautam (ed.). India through the ages. Publication Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India. p. 175.

Sources

External links


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