Brihadeeswarar Temple, Gangaikonda Cholapuram Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Brihadeeswarar Temple

Brihadeeswarar Temple Location in Tamil Nadu
Name
Other names	Gangaikonda Cholapuram temple
Geography
Coordinates	ACoordinates: Unknown argument format
Country	India
State	Tamil Nadu
District	Ariyalur
Location	Gangaikonda Cholapuram
Culture
Primary deity	Shiva
Important festivals	Maha Shivaratri
Architecture
Architectural styles	Dravidian Architecture
History and governance
Date built	11th century AD
Creator	Rajendra Chola I

The Brihadeeswarar Temple (also called Gangaikonda Cholapuram temple) is a very old and important Hindu temple in India. It is dedicated to the god Shiva. This amazing temple is located in Gangaikonda Cholapuram, in the Ariyalur district of Tamil Nadu. It is a famous example of ancient Indian architecture.

A Temple Built by a King
- Who Built This Amazing Place?
- Why Was It Built?
What Makes the Temple Special?
Images for kids
See also

A Temple Built by a King

Who Built This Amazing Place?

This grand temple was built by a powerful king named Rajendra Chola I. He was a ruler from the Chola dynasty. The Chola kings were very important in South India. They ruled a large area for many centuries.

Rajendra Chola I built this temple in the 11th century AD. He built it to celebrate his victories. He had conquered many lands, even reaching the Ganges River in North India. The name "Gangaikonda Cholapuram" means "the city of the Chola who brought the Ganges".

Why Was It Built?

The temple was built to be the main temple of his new capital city. Rajendra Chola I wanted a capital that was as grand as his father's. His father, Rajaraja Chola I, built the famous Brihadeeswarar Temple in Thanjavur. Rajendra's temple was meant to be a symbol of his power and devotion.

What Makes the Temple Special?

Amazing Architecture

The Brihadeeswarar Temple is a fantastic example of Dravidian Architecture. This is a style of building temples that is common in South India. The temple has a huge tower called a vimana. This tower is about 55 meters (180 feet) tall. It is one of the tallest vimanas in India.

Unlike the temple in Thanjavur, the vimana here has a curved shape. This makes it look very unique. The temple is built mostly from granite stone. It shows how skilled the builders and artists were back then.

Cool Sculptures and Art

The temple is covered with many beautiful sculptures. These carvings tell stories from Hindu myths. You can see many forms of Shiva here. There are also sculptures of other gods and goddesses.

You might see Nataraja, who is Shiva as the lord of dance.
There are also carvings of Ganesha, Shiva's son.
Look for dvarapalas, who are fierce gatekeepers.
Many panels show scenes of daily life and dancers.

These sculptures teach us about the beliefs and culture of the people who lived long ago.

Important Festivals

The temple is still an active place of worship today. One of the most important festivals celebrated here is Maha Shivaratri. This festival honors Shiva. Many people visit the temple during this time.

Images for kids

Gangaikonda Cholapuram Temple by the highway.
The vimana traces a curve, unlike Thanjavur temple.
The Ganesha shrine with the main Shiva temple
Shiva shown garlanding king Rajendra I
The Nandi facing the sanctum.
Nataraja dancing over the demon of ignorance.
Another depiction of Nataraja, surrounded by Parvati and other deities dancing.
Kalantaka legend, signifying the dance of time and eternity by Shiva
Shiva inside linga - Lingodbhava
Shiva with Parvati in an amorous pose, dancer panels surround them.
Shiva with Parvati in abhaya mudra, warrior panels below them.
Ganesha, son of Parvati and Shiva, with a pen and sweetmeat food in his hands.
Dakshinamurti portrayed as the teacher of yoga, dance and sciences stepping over demon of ignorance.
Dvarapalaka (Gatekeeper)
Kali is angry, ferocious form of Durga, a Shaktism deity
Brahma, a Vedic deity and one of the Hindu trinity
Vishnu of Vaishnavism tradition
Gajalakshmi, a goddess of the Vaishnavism tradition
Vishnu Durga sculpture showing Vaishnavism-Shaktism fusion and the belief that Durga is Vishnu's sister.
Apsara, gana and secular scenes of people are shown in numerous reliefs
A desecrated deity relief (likely Narada)
Another desecrated relief (likely Dakshinamurti)
The statues recovered from the ruins
Lion in the water well in the temple, added in 19th century