 The districts of Thanjavur, Kumbhakonam and
Nagappattinam (constituting the erstwhile Thanjauvr district)
boast of hundreds of ancient temples. 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.
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. 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.
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.
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. |
