The
town of Thanjavur was the seat of the glorious Chola Empire
of Tamilnadu, and was later on the seat of the Nayaks and
the Marathas. True to art historian Fergusson, the Chola artists
conceived like giants and finished like jewellers. The districts
of Thanjavur, Kumbhakonam and Nagappattinam (constituting
the erstwhile Thanjauvr district) boast of hundreds of ancient
temples.
Rajagopala Temple: This shrine dedicated to Rajagopala, is
a vast temple complex with a 1000 year old history. Referred
to as Dakshina Dwaraka and as Champakaranyam, this temple
is located in the town of Mannargudi, and is well connected
by rail and road to Thanjavur, Kumbhakonam, Tiruvarur and
other towns in the erstwhile Thanjavur district. This is a
massive temple with as many as seven prakarams or circumambulatory
paths surrounding the central sanctum. A 154 feet high Rajagopuram
adorns the entrance to the outermost prakaram. There are several
beutiful pillared halls in the temple - such as the Thousand
pillared hall, the Vallala Maharaja Mandapam, the Yaanai Vaahana
Mandapam, Garudavaahana Mandapam, Vennaithaazhi mandapam and
Punnai Vaahana mandapam. The Shrine to Garuda on top of a
50 feet high monolithic pillar in front of the temple, deserves
mention. The saying 'Mannaargudi Madhil Azhagu' (the walls
of the temple of Mannargudi are of great beauty) in Tamil,
testifies to the grandeur of this temple. Several theerthams
(temple tanks) adorn this shrine. The Haridra Nadhi tank is
located located near the temple, and popular belief has it,
that a river was transformed into a big tank, and that Rajagopala
performed the famed Rasa Leela in the tank.
Singaravelavar Temple: Around 80 Kms from Thanjavur situated
in Nagapattinam Tiruvarur Main Road. The ancient history says
here only Lord Murugan got the 'Sakthi Vel' from Parvathi
(refered as Velnedunkanni amman in this temple ) and killed
Suran. This temple is one of the few temples in Tamilnadu
which has both Siva and Vishnu in the same campus. The 'Vel
vankuthal' festival in the Tamil month of Iyappasi is very
famous here.
Vyagrapureeswarar Temple: Around 80 Kms from Thanjavur, situated
3/4 Km North of Ramarmadam Busstop in Nagapattinam - Tiruvarur
Main Road. The ancient history says Kamadhenu, the devalogha
cow prayed to Lord shiva in this shrine to get rid of its
sabam. One more speciality about this temple, on evenings,
Nataraja is worshipped first prior to all other gods. This
is also referred as Dhakshina Chidambaram. chidambaram is
where famous temple of lord Nataraja located. This village
is also called as Vyagrapuri named after the lord.
Brahadeeswara Temple: Brahadeeswara Temple at Tanjore (Thanjavur),
dedicated to Lord Shiva, also called the Big Temple, belongs
to the architecture of the Chola period. Built in the 10th
Century A.D., by Raja Raja Chola, the Temple Tower is capped
by an 81.3 tonnes round monolithic cupola. This enormous piece
of stone is said to have been was moved into position by moving
it along an inclined plane 6 kms. long. [*Maybe, see next
frame] The temple is considered an engineering skill of the
Chola architects who planned its construction in such a way
that the shadow of the cupola never falls on the ground.
