In the golden era of the Chola Empire, thousands of Bharatanatyam dancers and hundreds of priests walked the temple grounds in the Brihadeeswara Temple, also known as Peruvudaiyar Kovil. Located in Tanjavur, the center of South Indian art and culture, the Brihadeeswara Temple in Tamil Nadu is known for its exceptional Dravidian architecture and intricate craftsmanship — particularly its large Shiva Linga housed within the sanctum, the towering vimana, and the massive Nandi statue. This magnificent structure, also known as the “Big Temple,” is renowned for its impressive scale and the fact that it was built using granite — a material that was not locally available at the time. The paintings on its walls narrate stories from thousands of years ago. Built by the Chola king Raja Raja Chola I in the 11th century, it’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a testament to the architectural prowess of the Chola dynasty.
The temple was a center for almost everything — from festivals to performances like Bharatanatyam. It is dedicated to Lord Shiva, represented by a large ‘Lingam’. The 108 smaller Shiva Lingams installed along the pillared corridors add to the temple’s spiritual and artistic ambience. The intricate sculptures on the temple’s walls depict various Hindu deities, mythological stories, and scenes from the reign of Raja Raja Chola I.
The Magnificent Towering Vimana and the 80-Tonne Stone at the Top of It
The towering vimana of the Brihadeeswara Temple is a magnificent structure, standing over 200 feet tall, making it one of the tallest temple towers in India. It is a thirteen-story structure with a pyramidal shape. The vimana, also known as Dakshina Meru, is believed to be a representation of Mount Kailasa, the abode of Lord Shiva. A fascinating aspect of the vimana is that it is said to cast no shadow at noon, especially during the equinoxes — showcasing the architectural precision of the Chola period.
The vimana is constructed from granite, with the massive cupolic dome alone weighing 80 tonnes. The ‘granite kumbam’ sits atop a 200-foot structure, making it a remarkable feat of engineering for its time. The weight of the kumbam is said to be that of 25 elephants. The method used to lift such a heavy stone to such a height without modern technology remains a subject of discussion and theories, with some suggesting a long ramp system. This ramp would have allowed elephants to pull the stone upwards using ropes and pulleys.
The Nandi Mandap of the Brihadeeswara Temple
The Nandi Mandap of the Brihadeeswara Temple houses a massive, monolithic Nandi statue — the sacred bull of Lord Shiva. This Nandi is a later addition to the temple by the Nayakas, replacing the original, smaller Nandi. It is one of the largest monolithic Nandi statues in India, carved from a single stone and weighing around 25 tons.
The Nandi Mandap is situated in front of the main temple’s sanctum, facing the deity. It is carved from a single block of black granite.
Destucco Technique on the Chola Paintings
In the 15th and 17th centuries, during the decline of the Vijayanagara Empire in early pre-modern India, the Nayaks transitioned from Vijayanagara deputies to independent rulers of provinces like Thanjavur and Madurai. As great patrons of art and architecture, the Nayaks encouraged temple renovations and introduced a new painting style. It is not entirely clear whether the Nayaks intended to preserve the murals when they painted over the Chola frescoes in the Brihadeeswara Temple.
The later creations, crafted with tempera using man-made glue as the binding medium, posed a significant threat to the underlying ancient murals. Fortunately, the upper layer of the Nayak paintings protected the Chola frescoes underneath, preventing further damage.
The discovery of the Chola frescoes in 1931 led to the Archaeological Survey of India’s chemical branch developing a revolutionary technique for preserving the murals. They used an Italian conservation technique called ‘destucco’. They cleaned the exposed portions, which revealed the scientific Chola paintings while retaining intact layers on which the Nayak paintings were drawn. Around 16 paintings have been restored since the early 2000s. This stands as a testament to the interdisciplinary achievement of history and science, which traced the artistic legacy of Chola frescoes in the Brihadeeswara Temple, Thanjavur, and the Thanjavur paintings of the Nayak period.
Did Narendra Modi Break the Age-Old Curse of the Brihadeeswara Temple?
Brihadeeswara Temple is believed to be a cursed temple, with wishes unfulfilled and rulers losing power. The temple, built using war loot from multiple kingdoms — among which the Keralanthakan Thiruvasal (the Destroyer of Kerala), the eastern gateway of the Brihadeeswara Temple — adds power to the urban myth.
The Brihadeeswara Temple is the subject of a legend claiming a curse by Karuvurar, the guru of Raja Raja Chola, the temple’s builder. The curse is said to befall any ruler or politician in power or with arrogance who enters the temple through the main entrance. Some accounts state that King Raja Raja Chola I died under unclear circumstances, and a curse was placed upon those who try to usurp his power through the main gate of the temple.
The belief is linked to the deaths or misfortunes of prominent figures, including Indira Gandhi and M.G. Ramachandran (MGR), after they visited the temple. Indira Gandhi was assassinated, and MGR suffered a stroke shortly after the visit. Since then, politicians have avoided entering the temple through the main entrance and refrained from participating in rituals due to this belief.
The Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, visited the Brihadeeswara Temple on July 27, 2025, during the Aadi Thiruvathirai festival. The PM, clad in traditional attire, circumambulated the inner corridor of the temple and offered prayers. This marks a new feat for the temple, as politicians had refrained from entering it out of fear. He released a commemorative coin celebrating the 1000 years of Raja Raja Chola I’s naval expedition to Southeast Asia.
The Brihadeeswara Temple is an engineering marvel that stands as one of the finest specimens of architectural manifestation from the Chola period, connecting the cultural heritage of India to its glorious past. With its unique granite construction, monumental vimana, and sacred ambience, the temple continues to be a wonder and mystery to the modern world.