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

Brihadeshwara Temple (also called Gangaikonda Cholapuram temple and Gangaikondacholeeswaram) is a Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva located in Gangaikonda Cholapuram, Ariyalur district, in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu.

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