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Gangaikonda Cholapuram
Shiva (Brihadeeswarar) · Great Living Chola Temple · Tamil Nadu
॥ ॐ नमः शिवाय ॥
The Brihadeeswarar Temple of Gangaikonda Cholapuram was raised in the 11th century by Rajendra Chola I to mark his conquest of the Ganga lands, in a new capital whose very name means “the city of the Chola who took the Ganga.” One of the Great Living Chola Temples honoured by UNESCO, it is a graceful echo of the Thanjavur temple of his father, set in the quiet Ariyalur countryside.
The city of the Ganga conqueror
When Rajendra Chola I led his armies north to the Ganga and brought back its sacred water in vessels carried by defeated kings, he founded a new capital, Gangaikonda Cholapuram, and crowned it with a great temple to Shiva to rival his father’s at Thanjavur. A stepped well, the Cholagangam tank, was filled with the Ganga water he had won, that his capital might hold the holy river.
A softer grandeur
The temple’s vimana rises some fifty-five metres, a little shorter than Thanjavur’s but more curved and graceful in its line, and its sculpture — a famous panel of Shiva blessing the saint Chandikeswara, dancing figures and guardian deities — is among the finest of the Chola age. A great Nandi and a lion-mouthed well stand in the spacious court.
A Great Living Chola Temple
Though the Chola capital that once surrounded it has vanished, the temple endures as one of the three Great Living Chola Temples inscribed by UNESCO, worship continuing at the Shiva shrine. Maha Shivaratri keeps the old sanctuary alive, and the monument draws those who follow the trail of Chola greatness across the delta.
How to reach the temple
- By road: Gangaikonda Cholapuram is in Ariyalur district, about 35 km from Kumbakonam and Jayankondam.
- By train: Kumbakonam and Ariyalur are the nearer railheads.
- By air: Tiruchirapalli (Trichy) airport is about 100 km away.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who built Gangaikonda Cholapuram?
It was built in the 11th century by the Chola emperor Rajendra Chola I to mark his conquest of the Ganga lands, in a new capital named for the deed.
What does the name mean?
Gangaikonda Cholapuram means “the city of the Chola who took the Ganga,” for Rajendra Chola brought back the sacred Ganga water after his northern campaign.
How does it compare to the Thanjavur temple?
Its vimana is a little shorter (about fifty-five metres) but more curved and graceful, and its sculpture is among the finest of the Chola age; it was conceived as a successor to his father’s temple at Thanjavur.
Is it a UNESCO site?
Yes — it is one of the three Great Living Chola Temples inscribed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
How do I reach the temple?
It is in Ariyalur district, about 35 km from Kumbakonam; Kumbakonam and Ariyalur are the nearer railheads, and Trichy airport about 100 km away.
What is the Cholagangam tank?
It is a great stepped tank Rajendra Chola filled with the Ganga water he won in the north, so his capital might hold the holy river.
॥ हर हर महादेव ॥ • Bhaktiras.net Temple Guide
| Deity | Shiva as Brihadeeswarar |
| Built | 11th c, Rajendra Chola I |
| Significance | Great Living Chola Temple (UNESCO); Ganga-victory capital |
| Tower | Graceful vimana ~55 m |
| Special | Cholagangam tank of Ganga water |
| Main Festival | Maha Shivaratri |