The
Brihadeeswara Temple in Thanjavur is an architectural wonder and reflects
the artistic skills of the erstwhile Chola rulers who ruled peninsular India
in the early medieval period. Built by the Chola king Rajaraja I in the 11th
century, it is one of the tallest temples in the world. It was so designed
that the Vimana never casts a shadow at noon at any part of the year.
About The Temple :
The origin of the magnificent Brihadeeswara temple goes back to the late
10th and the early 11th century, when Rajaraja Chola, the great Chola ruler,
ruled a kingdom that spread through a large part of peninsular India.
Rajaraja Chola, like other Chola rulers, was a great patron of art and
architecture. During the time of the Cholas, most of the magnificent temples
as well as exquisite bronze sculptures in South India were created. The
style and grace of these sculptures and temples, and an eye for the minutest
of the details, till today, is without parallel.
Festivities :
Every month, the day on which the ruling star is Satabhishag is treated as
a festival as that was the ruling star at the time of Rajaraja's birth. The
other festival is Krittika day in the month of Karttika (also spelt as
Kartik).
The annual festival for 9 days is celebrated in the month of 'Visaka'
(May-June), during which the drama of Raja Rajeswara is also enacted. The
deity is daily bathed with fragrant water in which the buds of big Champaka
flowers have been soaked. Ghee is used in place of oil for keeping the
temple lamps burning. On festival days, the offering consists of eight
varieties of cooked rice (mixed with tamarind, coconut, lime, juice,
jaggery, gingelly, curd, etc.). Other items include cake made with Dal,
rice, pepper and mustard; vegetable dishes, fried vegetables, sugar,
plantain fruits, tamarind, curd and ghee, and other items.
How to get there ?
Air - The nearest airport is at Trichy (65-km).
Rail - There is a railway junction in Thanjavur. It is
well connected with Trichy, Chennai, Madurai and Nagore.
Road - Thanjavur is well connected by road with all the
major towns and cities in Tamil Nadu nd also with Kochi, Ernakulam, and
Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala and Bangalore in Karnataka. There are regular
bus services for visiting all places of interest in and around Thanjavur.
Tourist taxis are also available.
Situated
in Tiruchirappalli district, on the banks of the River Kaveri (also spelt as
Cauvery) is Tiruchirappalli, a city known for its educational institutions,
industries, and temples. It is shortly called as "Tiruchi" or "Trichy".
Trichy is the district headquarters of the district of Tiruchirappalli and
has its name for tourist attraction. The city is a thriving commercial
centre in Tamil Nadu and is famous for artificial diamonds, cigars, handloom
cloth, glass bangles and wooden and clay toys.
History Of Tiruchirappalli :
Tiruchi itself has a long history dating back to the centuries before the
Christian era when it was a Chola citadel. During the first millennium AD,
it changed hands between the Pallavas and Pandyas many times before being
taken by the Cholas in the 10th century AD. When the Chola Empire finally
declined, Tiruchi passed into the hands of the Vijayanagar kings of Hampi
and remained with them until their defeat, in 1565 AD by the forces of the
Deccan Sultans.
The city and its fort, as they stand today, were built by the Nayaks of
Madurai. It was one of the main centers around which the wars of the
Carnatic were fought in the 18th century during the British-French struggle
for supremacy in India.
Prime Attractions :
Government Museum - Situated at Thirukokarnam, the museum
is located near the Pudukkottai station, at a distance of 40 km from Trichy.
The rare collections in the sections of Geology, Zoology, Paintings,
Anthropology, Epigraphy,Historical Records, etc., are very interesting. The
museum is open on all days except Mondays.
Viralimalai Sanctuary - Viralimalai is a small town
situated at a distance of 30-km from Tiruchirappalli and 40-km from
Pudukkottai. It is famous for its Murugan temple and the Peacock sanctuary.
The town is bestowed with a large number of wild peacocks, which roam around
the Murugan temple.
Rock Fort Temple - The Rock Fort temple complex in
Tiruchirappalli is a collection of three temples - the Manikka Vinayakar
temple at the foot of the hill, the Uchhi Pillayar Koyil at the top of the
hill and the Taayumaanavar Koyil (Shivastalam) on the hill. This Shivastalam
is a rock cut temple on a hill and is the most prominent landmark in
Tiruchirappalli that can be reached by a flight of steps on the way to the
famous Ucchi Pillayar temple.
Sri Ranganathaswami Temple At Srirangam - Located 7-km
from Trichy is Srirangam, the abode of the Supreme Lord, Sri Ranganatha, the
reclining form of Lord Vishnu. The temple of Ranganatha, the largest in
India, is of particular reverence to all Hindus. Srirangam is also listed as
one of the Nava Graha Sthalas, or temples representing the planets.
Tiruvanaikkaval or Jambukeswara Temple - Situated 2-km
east of Srirangam, this beautiful Shiva temple steals the show from the
larger Ranganathaswami temple due to its excellent architectural design. The
temple is named after the elephant, which is believed to have worshipped
Lord Shiva here. Installed under an ancient Jambu tree, the lingam is
partially submerged by water and meant to represent God incarnate as Water.
How to get there ?
Air - Tiruchirappalli has an airport (5-km) from the
city. Various airlines connect Tiruchi with Chennai, Sharjah, Kuwait and
Colombo.
Rail - Tiruchi is an important junction on the Southern
Railway. It connects Chennai, Thanjavur, Madurai, Tirupati, Tuticorin and
Rameshwaram on the metre gauge, and Bangalore, Coimbatore, Mysore, Kochi ,
Kannyakumarai and Mangalore on the broad gauge.
Road - Tiruchi is well connected by road with important
places of South India. City bus service, tourist taxis, auto rickshaws and
cycle rickshaws are available for local transportation.
Nearby Cities
» Dindigul - 93-km
» Karur - 69-km
» Manapparai - 37-km
» Pudukkottai - 50-km
» Thanjavur - 48-km
