The document provides information about Chola temples with a focus on the Brihadisvara Temple in Tanjore. It discusses the rise of the powerful Chola dynasty in the 9th century CE and their achievements in various fields including art and architecture. It describes the key features of early Chola temples from 850-985 CE that showed Pallava influences and innovations. It then focuses on the major later period temples commissioned by kings like Rajaraja I from 985-1122 CE including the Brihadisvara Temple in Tanjore, the Gangaikonda Cholapuram Temple, and the Airavatesvara Temple in Darasuram. It provides details about the architectural elements,

1. Chola Temple with
special reference to
Tanjavur
Dr.Virag Sontakke
Assistant Professor
A.I.H.C. & Archaeology
Banaras Hindu University,Varanasi
B.A. III
Semester IV

2. Chola Temples

3. Introduction
• The great Cholas established a powerful monarchy in the
9th CE at Thanjavur and in its surroundings.
• The Chola period is a very significant span of time in that
the south Indian art and architecture.
• Chola enjoyed a long, eventful rule lasting for four and a
half centuries.
• Achievements in all fields such as military conquest,
efficient administration, cultural assimilation and
promotion of art.
• All three temples, the Brihadishvara at Thanjavur, the
Gangaikonda Cholapuram and Airavatesvara at
Darasuram are significant.
• Shaivite in belive

4. Imperial Chola
Vijayalaya (850-871)
Aditya(871-907)Parantaka I (907-
953)Parantaka II/SundarChola (973-
973)Uttam Chola(973-985)
RajrajaI (985-1014)RajendraI (1014-
1044)Rajadhiraj (1044-1052)

5. Chola Architecture
•Early Temples
• (Vijayalaya c.850 CE to Uttama Chola 973-985 CE)
•Later Temples
• (Rajaraja I c.985-1014 CE to Kullotunga I (c.1072-
1122 CE)

6. Early Temples (850-985 CE)
a) Influence of Pallava Architecture
b) Innovations in plan and designs
c) Niches of walls are small as compare to Pallavas
d) “Kudu” of shikhara are different than the Pallavas temple
e) Pillars are different than Pallava
f) Dwarpalas are similar to Pallava (two handed)
g) Before the Rajaraja (c.985—1014 CE) Chola temples usually
consists Vimana, Ardhmandapa and group of eight Parivara
shrines surrounded by prakara.
h) Also has small gopuram at the entrance
i) Vimana are normally squares
j) Adhisthanans show variety of ornate forms including
narratives from Epics, Puranas and regional religious
traditions.
k) Pilasters of the wall are tetragonal, octagonal or circular

7. Early Temples
1. Vijayalaya Cholisvara Temple, Narttamalai
• Constructed in 850 CE
• Sandhara, three-storied building
• Square on Plan, Garbhgriha and Mandapa
• Garbhagriha: Circular
• Vimana is square; third tala is circular
• Walls of the Mandapa and vimana are plain
• Strings of kuta, sala and panjara are faced by sculptures
• Temple has 8 Parivara shrine, all with circular shikhara
• Pillars are tetragonal at base and octagonal at middle
• Murvkoil group of temples at Kodumbelur and Korangnath
temple at Trichanapalli are other Early Temples

8. a. Panjara
b. Kuta
c. sala

9. Vijayalaya Cholisvara Temple, Narttamalai

10. Vijayalaya Cholisvara Temple,
Narttamalai

11. Vijayalaya Cholisvara Temple, Narttamalai

12. Later Chola Temples
1. Brihadeshwar
2. Gangaikonda Cholapuram
3. Eravateshwar

13. Later Temples (985-1122 CE)
1. Architecture style reached its apogee
2. Influence of Challukyan art and Architecture
3. Shikras are similar to Chalukyans
4. These temples are huge, enclosed in wall and all elements
of temples are big in size.
5. Dwarpalas are big and four handed
6. Single storied vimana are extended to multi storied
7. The brackets of the pillar and pilasters get tenon-like
projections
8. Big temples show greater variety in sculptural
embellishment.
9. Big Gopuram
10. Temples reflecting glory of Imperial Chola.

14. Brihadisvara Temple, Tanjore

15. Brihadiswara Temple
• Rajaraja, who commissioned the temple, called it Rajarajeshvaram
literally “the temple of the god of Rajaraja”.
• Brihadisvara : Brihad means Big, and Ishvara means lord, “Shiva”,
The name means the “Great lord, big Shiva” temple.
• An exemplary example of a fully realized Dravida style temple
architecture.
• The Brihadisvara Temple is located in Tanjavur, lies 350 kilometres
southwest from Tamil Nadu.
• The temple is within a spacious inner prakara of 240.9 m long (east-
west) and 122 m. broad (north-south).
• A gopuram at the east.
• The temple with its massive proportions and simplicity of design
provided inspiration for future designs in constructions not only in
south India but also in south-east Asia.

16. Brihadiswara Temple, Tanjore
• Bult by Rajraja I
• Aptly called “Dakhina Meru”
• Enclosed in huge Prakara
• Rectangular on Plan
• Elements: Garbhbriha, Antarala, Mahamandap, ardhmandapa
and Nandimandap (separate)
• 9 feet wide Pradakshina path
• Vimana is 16 story’s structure (58 meters/ 190 ft)
• Whole temple stands on a bold ornate basement (plinth),
covered with inscriptions.
• Two storied Garbhagriha
• Constructed large blocks of Granite
• It is one of the largest South Indian temples

19. Elements of temple
• Garbhagriha: Main component (two storied)
• Antarala: flight of steps on either side (North and
South)
• Mahamandapa: Bigger than mandapa
• Ardhmandapa: opening face of temple
• Nandimandapa: separate, monolithic bull on a
pedestal
• Prakara: whole rectangular premises of temple is
enclosed by prakara wall with a pair of gopura
gateways.
• Vimana: Two storied pradakshina path separates the
outer wall of Vimana from inner wall of
garbhagriha.

20. Elements of temple
• Garbhagriha:
a) The garbhagriha is square on plan
b) Stand on on a plinth with up-pitha and adhisthana
c) Colossal Shivlinga is 8.7 m high.
d) Each side of the Garbhagriha depict image of
Shiva,
e) Sarvotabhadra (opening from four cardinal sides)
f) Sandhara: at two lowest talas
g) It is 8.7 m (29 ft) high, occupying two storeys of
the sanctum.
h) 16 storeys tower of which 13 are tapering squares
i) 108 images of Shiva in dancing form
j) Sculpture of Rajraja I and Queen Lok Mahadevi

21. Mandapa
• Two Mandapa
• Mukhmandapa (front)
• Mahamandapa (middle)
• square plan, axially aligned
between the sanctum and
the Nandi mandapa.
• Closed by walls
• Numerous pillars
• mandapa have big
dwarapala image at front

22. Viman
1. Base: square on plan, 82 x 82
feet, 50 feet Hight
2. Pyramidical: 16 storied, 1st is
bigger and 1st smaller,
decorated with vertical and
horizontal lines
3. Ovel stupica: huge approx. 80
ton stupica, has nandi on 4
corners,
4. 190 ft. Hight
5. Each story carries a hara of
kutas, sala and panjara
6. Whole shikhara is decorated
7. Tallest shikra in India

23. Elevation of the Temple

29. The moulded plinth is extensively engraved with inscriptions by its royal builder who refers to
his many endowments, pious acts and organisational events connected to the temple.

30. Garbhagriha rest upon pitha
This is moulded and 0.5 metres (1 ft 8 in) thick.
It consists of upapitham 140 cm and adhishthanam 360 cm thick.

32. Decoration

34. Decoration
1. Moldings divides the lower part of vimana into two
storied.
2. Ground floor (aaditala) of the vimana portray various
form of Shiva: Lingodbhava, Bhikshatana, Natraja,
Gangadhara, Ardhnarishwara, Harihara and
Chandrasekhar etc.
3. Entire interior of the of the ground floor ambulatory,
has been covered with paintings
4. Second tala shows 108 panels (27 uncarved) shiva
demonstrating the 108 dance poses according to
Natyashashtra.
5. Door-guardians are colossal

35. Sculptures on the Mahamandap walls
North side South side
Bhairava (Shiva) Ganesha
Mahishasuramardini
(Durga)
Vishnu
Saraswati Gajalakshmi
Sculptures on the Garbhagriha
GROUND FLOOR
East West
Lingodbhav Harihara
Pashupat Lingodbhav
2 dwarpala Chandrashekhar
Sculptures on the Garbhagriha
GROUND FLOOR
North South
Ardhnarishwar Virbhadra
Gangadhar Dakshinamurti
Pashupat Natraja

36. • The mural paintings on the
walls of the lower
ambulatory inside are finest
examples of Chola and later
periods.
• These frescoes on the
sanctum walls along the
circumambulatory pathway.
• These frescoes discovered
in 1931.
• Painting depicts the
contemporaneous scenes
with legendary ones.
• Most frescoes are related to
Shiva

37. Rajaraja
Chola

38. Gangaikonda Cholpuram,
Brihadisvara temple

39. Gangaikonda Cholpuram,
Brihadisvara temple
• This temple was constructed by Rajendra Chola (c.1014-1044
CE) in his new capital Gangaikonda Cholpuram.
• It is situated 70 km from Tanjore
• Plan of the temple is same as Brihadisvara temple, Tanjore
• Enclosed in prakara
• Elements :
1. Garbhagriha,
2. Antarala,
3. Mahamandapa
4. Ardhmandapa and
5. Vimana

40. Elements
• Rectangular plan,
1. Garbhagriha:
2. Antarala:
3. Mahamndapa: 150 pillars, assembly hall,
4. Vimana: Curved, smaller than Brihadeshwara, but
beautifully decorated. (no paintings and Nataraja images)
sculptures of Shiva and others. Natraja, Saraswati,
5. Cloister: two storied
6. Gopuram: facing east
7. Inside are shrines, most of which are aligned on an east-
west axis

42. Garbhgriha
1. Similar to
Brihadeshwar,
Tanjavore
2. The sanctum
doorway is flanked
by life size
Dwarapalas
3. The sanctum
contains Shiva-Linga

44. Antarala
1. Between Mandapa and
Sanctum
2. Has two gateway on
north-south
3. On high platform
4. Eight huge square
pillars

45. Mahamandap
1. Size: 175 ft. x 95 ft.
2. Lower than Garbhgruha and
Antarala
3. Total 150 Pillars
4. Height of the pillars are 4 feet,
placed over plinth
5. Pillars are devoid of
ornamentation
6. Two row of pillars (75 x 2)
make a passage in the middle
7. This is one of the earliest
evidence of large pillared halls,
which became a common
feature in subsequent temples.
8. Nandi in front of Mandap

46. Vimana/ Shikara
1. Base of the shikara is square
2. Thanjavur temple, which has straight contours,
Gangaikonda temple has a curvilinear contour, slightly
concave towards the top
3. It is divided into nine storey
4. Each storey has moulded horizontal projections (cornices)
and ornamentation.
5. The upper storey follows the lower level design in a
rhythmic shrinking way.
6. As like Tanjore four Nandi placed on four corners but
smaller in size.

52. Decoration
• Pillars are without much ornamentation
• This hall is nucleus of “thousand pillared mandapas” of later temples
• The temple has sculptures of exceptional quality
• South Wall: dancing Ganesa, Ardhanari, Dakshinamurthi, Harihara,
Adavallan (Nataraja)
• West Wall: Gangadhara, Lingodhbhava, Vishnu, Subrahmanya,
Vishnu-anugrahmurthi
• North Wall: Kalanthakamurthi, Durga, Brahma, Bairava, Kamantaka
• But the most outstanding sculptures are found in the niches by the side
of the northern entrance steps to the sanctum. They are the
Chandesanugrahamurti and Sarasvati.
• The bronzes of Bhogasakti and Subrahmanya are masterpieces of
Chola metal icons.

54. Airavatesvara Temple

55. Airavatesvara Temple, Darasuram
• Airavatesvara Temple is a part of Great Living Chola
Temples
• UNESCO world heritage sits
• The Airavatesvara temple is square plan structure completed in
1166 CE by Rajraja II.
• measuring a total of about 107 metres (351 ft) by 70 metres
(230 ft).
• This temple incorporates some innovations in design.

56. Elements
•Garbhgriha
•Antarala
•Manadapa
•Mahamandapa
•Mukhmandapa
•Vimana: 5 storied
•Plinth of the vimana depicted 63 shiva
Nyanmars (saints)

57. Plan of Airavatesvara Temple

59. Airavatesvara Temple
• Much smaller in size than Brihadsvara temple at Tanjavur
and Gangaikonda cholapuram.
• This temple is different as it is highly ornate in execution.
• It consists a sanctum without a circumambulatory path and
axial mandapas.
• The front mandapa known in the inscriptions as
Rajagambhiran tirumandapam.
• Is unique as it was conceptualised as a chariot with wheels.
• The pillars of this mandapa are highly ornate.
• The elevation of all the units is elegant with sculptures
dominating the architecture.

62. Sculptures
• A number of sculptures like Nagaraja, Agastya, dancing
Martanda Bhairava, Sarabhamurti, Ganesa etc., are placed.
• The labelled miniature friezes extolling the events that
happened to the 63 nayanmars (Saiva saints) are
noteworthy and reflect the deep roots of Saivism in this
region.

70. Thank You