Temple Travelogues – Brihadeeswara Temple at GKC

GKC is none other than our own Gangai Konda Cholapuram. Gangai Konda Cholapuram is located in Kumbakonam – Sethiathope – Minsuruti – Tanjore route. This can be accessed by road either from Kumbakonam or from Ariyalur or from Sethiathope.

Here is where one of the greatest monument of Chola times resides. Once a capital city which buzzed with various activity during the regime of Rajendra – I (son of Raja Raja Chola) is a small village today, with four or five shops and few houses around this fortified temple.

This city was consecrated by Rajendra—I (1012-1044) during 1035 AD and remained his capital city as well as rulers who followed uptil better part of 13th Century. Rajendra – I - was one of the most talked about king in the Chola dynasty who had seen and won many battles and have names like Gangai Kondan, Panditha Cholan. The Legend says he travelled upto Lakshadweep to conquer this Island.

It is said that due to frequent flooding of Kaveri river which hampered his to travel to Chidhambaram to pray before Lord Nataraja as well the proximity of Pandya territory to the Tanjore were the main reasons for him to have this another Capital city be established. This fortified city and its surroundings had been attacked by every other Pandya King after the death of Kulothunga Cholan – III ( 13th Century), which started with the down fall of Chola empire. The current condition of this temple was due to the French and English invasion and subsequent removal most of the stone blocks from the fortified walls to build the nearby Lower Anaicut Dam and few other water reservoirs by the British engineers.

Gangai Konda Cholapuram was raised as a capital city by Rajendra to mark his victorious march up to Ganges in the north and bringing of the holy Ganges water down south. The water which was brought from Ganges were poured in the Ponneri which is three kilometre west of today’s Gangai Konda Cholapuram and during the peak administrative period, this was the main water reservoir. This is local folklore that the water was poured in this lake; however, the current Ponneri is completely dry and remains in ruin.

There are few other villages in and around Gangai Konda Cholapuram like the ones, Vanadipattam which supplied fireworks for the temple, Meikavalputhur from where the temple guards hailed and performed their duty.

The outer wall which is in a dilapidated condition and with a missing gopura gives the similarity of Tanjore especially the dwarapalas on the either side of this entrance. Though this temple looks very similar to Tanjore Brihadeeswara temple there are very subtle differences. For example when you enter the temple through the main gopura, after the pali petem resides a very big Nandi. Very similar to the Tanjore temple, however, this Nandi is not monolithic unlike its counterpart. This temple which had stood so many attacks from Pandyas, Vijayanagara empire then the French and British seems to be attacked with new breed of soldiers from our own land. Sadly speaking this Nandi even now is facing too many attacks on it by unscrupulous elements who are defacing it by writing their names and numbers and also uses this as their message board to broadcast their love. So much to our love for keeping the Tamil history alive.

There is a flight of steps that leads us to the maha-mandapam and garbagriham from both north and south of the main entrance. When you climb up this steps the first thing that strikes you is the gigantic dwarabalakas (please see the pics) on either side of the entrance which is in monolithic sculpture like in Tanjore.

Once you climb these steps and enter the temple you are greeted with a big mukha mandapam which houses pillars on both sides which has Siva in different postures as well few other Gods on certain pillars. You can see carving of Siva blessing Maha Vishnu, even Ravanaa. When you enter into this mandapam, immediately one your right side is where the Navagraha Sannadhi is located. There is something special about this Navagraham which I will cover in the later part of this post.

Some facts :about this temple ;

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  The village Chunambu Kuzhi is the place where the Chunambu was prepared for building this city as well the fort.
  
  
  
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  Rajendra Chola – I when built this city, also built a big palace in a nearby place. Even today this place exists, though in ruins is known as Maalilkai Medu (where the quarters of royal was supposedly existed). Actually the fort was called as Utkottai and the place where they stored the weapons was known as Ayyeerakalam.
  
  
  
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  The singakeni (Singa Kinaru – picture attached), is said to have been built by a local Jamindhar; however the research claims that this should have been built during Rajendra’s period only.
  
  
  
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  The Pandya King Sadiya Varman Sundara Pandian, who won the Chola did destroy the City of Gangai Konda Cholapuram, however, his troops did not do any damage to the temple. The Legend says that he ordered a daily pooja in his name after this victory.
  
  
  
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  This temple comes under the 9th Thirumurai – Thiruvisai Pa. Hence known as Thiruvisaipa thalam. The song (thiruvisai pa) was sung by Karvoor thevar. If you go to Periya Kovil you can see his statue on the West side of the temple.
  
  
  
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  This city had other names like Gangaima Nagar, Gangapuri and Gangapuram existed.
  Kalingathu Parani, Kulothungan Ula, Vikrama Cholan Ula all were sung from here.
  
  
  
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  The Sri Vimana of the temple is of 180 ft high and can be seen from far away while approaching this village.
  
  
  
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  The 180 ft Sri Vimana sits on a 100 Sq ft base. The Sri Vimana has 8 stages. The 3 lower most stages look similar in size. The top of shiva lingam can be viewed from 2nd stage. There are four similar Nandhi's on the neck of the Sri Vimana. The Kalasam (Copper bowl on top of Vimana) is of 7 feet in height. The shadow of the Kalasam is made to fall on the Sri Vimana itself and does not appear on the ground during noon time, during the dawn and dusk the shadow disappears to horizon.
  
  
  
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  The moolavar (Brihadeeswarar) is made of single stone. The Peruruvam or Bana is of 16 ft high and 13 feet in circumference. The Avudayar(base of the Lingam – circular outer structure) is of 60 ft in circumference. This type of Lingam is known as Ratsha (Giant lingam).
  
  
  
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  Even though there is no electricity light inside the moolasthanam, the sunlight reflected by the Nandi pours on the Moolavar and you are able to see the Lord without any difficulty.
  One of the speciality of this temple is the way the Cholas have used their knowledge and understanding of material properties which even today not known to any one. They have used Chandra Gantha Stone ( a precious gem) and have installed this beneath the moolavar. Due to this, the stone which has the material property of controlling the environment of the moolasthanam based on the outside temperature. For example during summer season even though you have scorching sun outside, this stone is said to be emitting cool waves which causes the inside environment to remain cool, similarly during winter months it emits hot waves which keeps the moolasthanam warm. This shows how the Cholas used the contemporary knowledge of Air-conditioning just by using material properties of some stones.
  
  
  
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  Around the Garbhagraha, on the outer perimeter, you can see the statues of Bitchadanar, Gajalakshmi, Ardhanareeswarar, Gajasamhara moorthy, Sandeshwarar, Dhakshinamoorthy, Suhasanar and Gnyana Saraswathi.
  
  
  
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  There is a temple of Mahishasoora Marthini on the left side of the temple. This temple houses the statue of Ma Durga deity with 20 hands of which 18 hands hold weapons and two are extended for blessing the devotees.
  
  
  
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  The thalavirutcham, Vanni tree exists on the Northern side of the Temple, near the Chandigeswarar Sannithi.
  
  
  
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  There is another spectacular statue of Navagraham which I mentioned earlier. This navagraham has been installed and carved on single stone as per sana sasthiram. The Navagrapeetam looks like a lotus with Sun being in the centre and the other eight planets looks like the lotus petals. Just below that you can notice a chariot with 7 horses driven by the Sun and accompanied by musical party going around the earth.
  
  
  
  

Temple Details :
Lord Name : Brihadeeswarar, Peruvudayar
Gangai Konda Chozheswarar
Devi’s Name : Brihan Nayagi, Periya Nayagi
Noted for : Thiruvisai Pa
Thala virutcham : Vanni tree

How to Reach :
Location : GKC is located in Udayar Palayam Taluk of Perambalur Distrcit of Tamil Nadu, India.

If you are travelling from Chennai, then you can either reach Kumbakonam (245 Km from Chennai) or Tanjore (294 Km) which has decent accommodation facilities.

From Kumbakonam GKC is 34 km by road and from Thanjavur it is 74 km by road.
It can also be reached from Tiruchi.