Brihadeshwara Temple

News:The consecration(Kumbhabhishekam) ceremony was recently held at the Brihadisvara Temple after 23 years in Thanjavur,Tamil Nadu.

Facts:

Background:

• The ceremony was held after the Madras High Court settled argument over the ritual purification process by addressing the struggle for supremacy between the Sanskrit and Tamil traditions.
• The court allowed the consecration to be performed in both Tamil and Sanskrit.

About Brihadisvara Temple:

• Brihadeshwara Temple (Raja Rajeswara Temple) is dedicated to Shiva and is located in Thanjavur,Tamil Nadu.
• The temple is an example of Dravidian architecture built during the Chola period by emperor Raja Raja Chola I.
• The temple is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the Great Living Chola Temples with the other two being the Brihadeeswarar Temple, Gangaikonda Cholapuram and Airavatesvara temple.

Characteristics of the temple:

• The temple consists of a pyramidal spire and is adorned with sculptures and paintings inside as well as outside.
• The entire temple structure is made out of granite.The Vimanam(temple tower) is 216 ft high and is said to be the tallest in the world.
• The Kumbam(the apex or the bulbous structure on the top) of the temple is carved out of a single rock.