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Brihadishvara Temple, Thanjavur
Photo by: Lapping |
The Brihadishvara Temple stands as a supreme example of Chola architecture. Built on a scale appropriate enough to house the presiding deity, Sri Brihadishvara, or the Lord of the Universe, the temple continues to excite wonder at its many unique architectural features and living presence as a centre of Saiva devotion. During the period when Chola power was in the ascendant, (around 850-1350 AD) architecture in the Tamil country went through dramatic changes. Indeed before the time of the most famous Chola king, Rajaraja I, gopurams in temple complexes were not built on a very grand scale. During the reign of Rajaraja I, the temple at Tanjore was built not only as a monument to the sway of Chola power over many southern lands but as a living sign of Saiva concepts and beliefs. It was called ‘Dakdhina Meru’ as a complement to the ‘Uttara Meru’ or the sacred mount of Kailasa, thought of as the spine of the universe.
FACTS AND FEATURES
• Built by Raja Chola
• One of tallest (210 fts high) and largest tower in India
• Temple was built per ancient texts called Vaastu Shastras and Agamas
• Axial and Symmetrical geometry rules temple layout
• The Kumbam (Kalasha or Chikharam) (apex or the bulbous structure on the top) of the temple is carved out of a single stone and it weighs around 80 tons
• Kumbam raised to its present height by dragging on an inclined plane of 6.44 km
• Inner mandapa which is surrounded by massive walls that are divided into levels by sharply cut sculptures and pilasters providing deep bays and recesses
TERMINOLOGY
• Gopuram
o an elaborate gateway of south Indian temples, in the form of a tower
• Jagati
o the platform on which the temple is erected
• Mandapa
o a pillared hall for public rituals
• Antarala
o an antechamber between the garbhagriha and the mandapa in north Indian temples
• Garbhagriha
o the sanctum sanctorum where the presiding deity is kept
• Shikhara or Vimana
o the tower over the garbhagriha
DISTINCT FEATURES
• The two large gopuras in line are first introduced here in Dravidian architecture
• The vimana is dvitala (double storied)
• In the Dravida style, the Karuvarai takes the form of a miniature vimana with other features exclusive to southern Indian temple architecture such as the inner wall together with the outer wall creating a pradakshina around the garbhagriha for pradakshina. The entrance is highly decorated.
• The inside chamber housing the image of the god is the sanctum sanctorum, the garbhagriha The garbhagriha is square and sits on a plinth, its location calculated to be a point of total equilibrium and harmony as it is representative of a microcosm of the universe. In the center is placed the image of the deity.
KNOWLEDGE SYSTEMS
• Vaastu Sastra
o Floor Plan and Cosmic Being
o Vastupurushamandala derived from 3 words:
Vastu refers to physical
Purusha refers to cosmic being
Mandala refers to diagram
o Square is a very fundamental form in Hindu philosophy
o Mandala is actually a square subdivided into smaller squares in the form of a grid with each unit clearly making area of Gods.
Brihadishvara Temple as Padmagarbhamandala (16*16)
o Most common mandalas are 64 and 81, these are common in Dravidian temples.
• Trigonometry
o Placing of Kumbam on top of the pyramidal tower
It is hypothesized that the kumbam which weighs over 80 tonnes is of single rock and was rised to its present height by dragging on an inclined plane of 6.44km.
A temporary inclined plane has been constructed and demolished after construction.
Elephants have been used to drag the stone up this slope.
o Mathematical Calculations
F=m*g*sina
F=72574.8*9.81*0.010
Sina=66/6440
a= 0.01
m=72574.8 kg
g=9.81
F=7296.4N approx. 7.3kN
Force the inclined plane has to withstand:
No: of elephants*mass*g*sina+ Weight of kumbam
Weight a normal elephant can lift 300kg-500kg
No of elephants used: 7300/400=19
19*5000*9.81*0.01+7300=16619.5 N= 16.7kN
o INFERENCES
This shows how much force the temporary inclined plane must withstand
Cholas should have taken huge amount of pain in constructing this.
Creating a temporary structure that could withstand this much Force is a big deal.
This clearly shows how Cholas were distinctly ahead in architecture and practical use of mathematics.
• Astronomy
o Shadow of gopuram never falls on the ground
They should have had a decent knowledge about path of the sun.
Combining this knowledge with their expertise in architecture they created a marvel.
Vimana doesn’t cast a shadow on temple premises.
This not only shows their skill set but also the planning Cholas possessed.
The architect Kunjara Mallan Raja Raja Perunthachan should have thought of all these before hand and then executed it.
Patterns in South Indian Temples
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