ARUN JAIN'S DIARY

I visited the Brihadeeswarar Temple or the Tanjore Temple near Trichy. Normally, we go on a temple from temple visit but this temple was more of an architectural marvel. In my perspective, it can match the architectural creation of the Taj Mahal since it was created six hundred years before the Taj Mahal.

A few observations

1. The largest Siva Temple with integrated Brahma and Vishnu structures. The lingam is a monolithic and 29 ft. tall.
2. Fully constructed without any binding material like cement or its equivalent.
3. 1000 year structure built by granite slabs, cut and interlocked to create this masterpiece.
4. The nearest quarry of granite stones is over 80 kms. Thus, all granite was transported 1000 years back at that time with the available transportation technologies.
5. The structure is vertically aligned i.e. the center of the Lingam is perfectly aligned to the center of the top stone, a perfect zero degree. The stone at the very top at 200 ft. weighs 80 tons.
6. This structure was created in just 6 years in 1010 by Raja Raja Cholan.
7. Tanjore is famous for its unique gold leaf paintings, music and dance and bronze sculptures.