SREE BRAHADHEESWARAR, GANGAIKONDACHOZHAPURAM

SREE BRAHADHEESWARAR, GANGAIKONDACHOZHAPURAM

Gangaikondachozhapuram, is one of the three massive architectural marvels of the chozha period, the premier being the Brahadheeswarar-Thanjavur, aptly called as Periya Koil in Tamil (Big Temple) and the other is the Sree Airavatheswarar temple at Darasuram.  The deity at Gangaikonda Chozhapuram too is called as Sree Brahadheeswarar and the consort is Goddess Periyanayaki. The temple was built by Rajendra Chozhan (1012-1044 AD), a great warrior, son and successor of King Rajaraja Chozhan.  Gangaikondachozhapuram was the headquarters for Chola Dynasty for about 250 years.  The Chozhas ruled over the entire region of south india from Thungabhadra in the North to Srilanka in the South.  The victories of Rajendra Chozhan and conquering of entire south india, part of Bangladesh, Kedah and Kadaram- Part of Malaysia/Indonesia and part of Cambodia culminated in a new capital at Gangaikondachozhapuram and the King himself was named as "Gangaikondan".   He also made a lake "Chola Gangam" spreading 22km for drinking and irrigation purposes.  

Sree Brahadheeswarar

Sree Periyanayaki

Sree Brahadheeswarar temple at Gangaikondachozhapuram can be reached from Kumbakonam and is 30 kms away.  This highway is to reach Jayangondam in Perambalur District and on the way is Thirupanathal and Anaikarai.  The buses from Kumbakonam to Chennai take this route and take a different route just before Gangaikondachozhapuram.   Gangaikondachozhapuram lies on the northern bank of river Kollidam and can be approached from Ariyalur also and at a distance of 47kms from there.   Even from a distance, the majestic side walls with gigantic Nandhi can be seen and one more of the UNESCO heritage site. Sree Brahadheeswarar idol is about 13 ft tall and can be seen even from a distance of 200 metres and during day time, no lighting of lamps are required to view the Lord, as the sun falls on the Nandhi and reflects on the Lord on day-to-day.  The entrance of the Gangaikonda chozhapuram Nandhi as photographed by me is shown below:

The shadow of the Khalasam does not fall on the ground and the vimana has been designed and constructed for that.   Goddess Periyanayaki is around 9 ft tall and is facing South.   His Holiness Sree Chandrasekara Saraswathi of Kanchi Mutt had installed a Srichakra at the feet of the Goddess.  Goddess Saraswathi and Mahalakshmi are known as Gnana Saraswathi and GnanaLakshmi and appear in a meditation posture.  The massive size of the deities require 25 metres of dhoti for the Lord and garland of 14 feet and 9 yards saree for the Goddess.   The sculptures of the temple on the pillars and prakara walls in this temple too are from the stories of periyapuranam, epics ramayana and mahabhratham apart from dance forms.   

Durga in the temple with 20 hands graces the devotees and is seen as a young girl killing the Mahishasuran.

When the temple was under construction, King Rajendra Chozhan asked for the accounts from his minister.  He fell at the feet of the Vinayaka here and got back his memory and started telling the accounts to the King. Hence the Vinayagar here is called "Kanakku Vinayagar".

Annabhishekam in this temple is performed on Full Moon day (Pournami- பௌர்ணமி) in the month October-November (tamil month ஐப்பசி) by Sree Kanchi Kamakoti Mutt.   Hundreds of bags of rice are cooked for this purpose and annabhishekam is performed from 9 AM to about 4 PM.  Fruits and vegetables are also offered as Nivedhanas.   The rice on the linga is later immersed in the river and not offered to devotees, as it is said that the humans cannot bear the power of it.  Rice, only on the part of Avudaiyar are offered as Prasadahm in this temple.   

 Some of the photographs taken during my trip at Gangaikondachozhapuram are shown below:

Lion well (Singa Kinaru) is believed to be an addition in the 19th century, in outside prakara and the lawns of the temple.

It is said that the British destroyed the fortified wall of this temple and took the stones for the construction of Lower Anaicut across River Kollidam, in the year 1896.

Temple timings:

6 AM- 12PM

4 PM-   8 PM

Sree AIRAVATHESWARAR, Darasuram

SREE AIRAVATHESWARAR TEMPLE, Darasuram

Sree AIRAVATHESWARAR temple is in Darasuram, which is 5kms from Kumbakonam and is in Kumbakonam-Thanjavur route.  Transportation by means of bus can be had upto Darasuram Bus Stand and further half a km by walk which will lead to Sree Periyanayaki Amman shrine, which is a separate temple by the side of the Lord Sree Airavatheswarar temple.  Deva Nayaki Amman sannidhi is in Airavatheswarar temple.    With own vehicle arrangements can reach the temple upto entrance.  The temple has an excellent garden around which is used by the people of Darasuram for the morning walk.


                                                SREE AIRAVATHESWARAR

                                                Sree Periyanayaki Amman

This temple is a UNESCO heritage site declared in the year 2004 and is full of sculptures so to say it is an "Sculptors Dream".   This was built by King Raja Rajan II (1146-1172 A.D.) and is on the lines of Periya Koil at Thanjavur.  The Chola dynasty had built large stone built temples during their rule at Thanjavur-Periya Koil, Darasuram- Airavatheswarar temple, Gangaikonda Chozhapuram-Brahadheeswarar temple. All these temples are marvels of temple architecture and larger in size and also famous for the intricate sculptures of Bharatha Natyam poses, accompanying musicians, Periya puranam stories and other great epics of Ramayana and Mahabhratham etc., on Pillars and prakara walls.  This temple also has the features of Herbal paintings.The white elephant Airavatham of Indra, incurred the curse of Sage Durvasa and thus became black.  To overcome the curse, Airavatham prayed here to the Lord and thus came out of the curse.  Thus the Lord came to be known as Airvatheswarar.  The sanctum is in a mandapam known as "Raja Gambiram" at a raised level with wheels as of a Chariot (Ratham) and looks as if elephant/horses draw it.  In this mandapam itself is the sannidhi of Goddess Deva Nayaki.  Lord Airvatheswarar's consort Sree Periyanayaki has a separate temple itself on the northern side.

The temple has raised and lower levels and one has to climb up and down several times to see the entire temple.   The massiveness of the temple can be seen by the temple meant for Chandikeswarar.   The main deity's gopuram is a 5 tiered one and is around 85 ft high.                                                      Sree Dakshinamurthy

On the outer walls of this mandapam is Dakshinamurthy.   Around the outer prakara can be seen lot of sculptures or smaller sannidhis meant for other deities totally destroyed in wars.  The actual era in which the destruction took place is not clear.

Even as you enter the temple, the Nandhi and Bali Peetam outside the temple is at a lower level and the steps foming to approach the Nandhi is of muscial steps similar to musical pillars in some of the temples.  Presently they do not make the sounds expected and is in closed enclosure.Some of the photographs taken by me are shown below.

It is said that Yama Dharmaraja had burning sensation all over his body due to a curse and he took bath in the temple tank and thus this is known as Yama Theertham. There was an Asuran by name Dharan who prayed here and got powers to defeat the Devas, thus the place came to be known as Darasuram. The temple has to be in the intinerary of those who plan to visit Kumbakonam for having darshan of Airvatheswarar and also the massive structures built during the Chola Dynasty which are marvels in construction and architecture. The sculptors would have spent years to bring it to shape with fine arts in every corner of the temple.

Temple timings:
6.30 AM to 12 PM
5.00 PM to 08.00 PM