The Temple That Was Nearly Dismantled for a River Weir
In 1836, granite from the Chola temple complex was removed for construction of the Lower Coleroon Anicut. In 1836, work began on the Lower Coleroon Anicut across the Kollidam River in Tamil Nadu. The project needed large quantities of stone. Nearby stood an 800-year-old Chola temple built largely from granite. It became a quarry. A Capital Built in Stone The Brihadisvara Temple at Gangaikondacholapuram was built by Rajendra Chola I as the centrepiece of his new imperial capital. Completed in 1035, its 53-metre vimana rises in a graceful curve, noticeably different from the straighter and more severe tower built by Rajendra’s father at Thanjavur. ( UNESCO World Heritage Centre ) Completed under Rajendra Chola I in 1035, the temple’s 53-metre vimana remains the dominant surviving feature of the former Chola capital. Eight centuries later, that carefully worked granite attracted attention for a very different reason. It could be reused. What the Historical Record ...
