Brihadeeswara Temple, Thanjavur

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The Divya Darshan 360 app has 2 videos of Brihadeeswara Temple, Thanjavur, 1 of them in 360°.

360°Brihadeeswara Temple 360 TourBrihadeeswara Temple, Thanjavur

Why devotees come here

Rajaraja Chola I built this temple between 1003 and 1010 CE, and Tamil Nadu Tourism says the work took about seven years. It was first called Rajarajesvaram. Today it is also called Peruvudaiyar Kovil and, simply, the Big Temple. It turned 1,000 years old in 2010.

Shiva is worshipped here as one of the largest lingas in the country. The vimana, the tower over the sanctum, rises more than 200 feet; Tamil Nadu Tourism gives 216 feet. Incredible India says the great stone at its top weighs close to 80 tonnes. The Nandi facing the shrine is carved from a single rock and is the second largest in India.

The temple is one of the three Great Living Chola Temples, with Gangaikonda Cholapuram and Airavatesvara at Darasuram. Together they are a UNESCO World Heritage Site, first listed in 1987 and extended in 2004.

Getting there

• By air

  Tiruchirappalli (Trichy) airport is about 55 to 61 km away. Madurai airport is another option; buses and trains run on to Thanjavur.

• By train

  Thanjavur Junction is about 1.5 km from the temple, a short auto ride.

• By road

  The Thanjavur old bus stand is about 0.5 km from the temple. Buses run from Chennai, about 350 km away, and from Madurai, Trichy and Coimbatore.

Rules to know

• Men should wear a dhoti, or trousers with a shirt.
• Women should wear a saree, half saree or churidar with dupatta.
• Half trousers and leggings are not allowed, and children should be fully covered.
• Remove footwear before you enter the temple complex.

Festivals

• Maha ShivaratriFebruary or March

  The main Shiva festival of the year.

• Brahan NatyanjaliAround February

  A 10-day dance festival hosted at the temple.

• Sadhaya VizhaAippasi month, October to November

  Rajaraja Chola's birth star, marked with a maha abhishekam; a state function since 2022.

Tips for your visit

• Darshan closes from about 12:30 PM to 4 PM, so plan a morning or late afternoon visit.
• Summer days can reach 35°C to 40°C, so go early in the morning between March and June.
• Thanjavur Palace and the Saraswathi Mahal Library are close by in the town.
• Airavatesvara Temple at Darasuram, another of the Great Living Chola Temples, makes a good second visit.

Questions people ask

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