The Thanjai Peruvudaiyar Temple (Big Temple) or Thanjai Periya Koyil (Peruvudayar Temple) (Sanskrit: Brihadeeswarar Temple) is a Shiva temple located in Thanjavur, on the southern bank of the Kaveri River in the Chola region. It is a temple that has received praise in the Tamil devotional hymns known as the "Tiruvicaippa
ChatGPT said: The tower of the Thanjai temple is called "Vimana." It stands at a height of 216 feet and has a single stone-made kalasha weighing 80 tons. Built by the Chola emperor Rajaraja I, this temple is one of the tallest towers in the world.
Thanjai Periya Kovil, is a magnificent architectural masterpiece of the Chola dynasty. Its structure includes a towering Rajagopuram, a Vimana approximately 66 meters high, the Praghadeeswarar Shiva Lingam which stands around 13 feet tall, along with several other gopurams and mandapams. Its area spans around 240 meters × 120 meters, with expansive walls and drainage pathways constructed around the temple. The temple's interior layout, sculpture art, and building materials were designed considering heat exchange and sound reflection.
The Nandi statue in Thanjai Periya Kovil is one of the largest and most significant sculptures. The statue is crafted from a single granite rock. Nandi is positioned in a square arrangement, which means it is designed to face forward in a curved shape.
The length of the Nandi statue is approximately 6 meters (20 feet).
The height is approximately 3 meters (10 feet).
This Nandi statue is made from highly detailed granite stones.
This large sculpture is considered to be one of the largest Nandi statues in India.
The Shiva Lingam (Praghadeeswarar Shiva Lingam) in Thanjai Periya Kovil is regarded as one of the largest Shiva Lingams in the world. This Shiva Lingam serves as the main sacred icon of the temple and is a crucial part of the temple's spiritual significance.
Rajaraja Chola, the second ruler of the Chola Empire. Through the construction of the Thanjai Periya Kovil, Rajaraja Chola brought the temple to the center of respect, fame, and governance of the Chola Empire. He wished to demonstrate his reign and the grace of Lord Shiva to the world.