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Tag: Brahadeeswara temple

  • 1000 Year Tomb Of Rajaraja Chola Mudikondan?

    Tamil King Rajarajan and his son Rajendra Chozha were great rulers of Tamil Nadu during 10th Century AD.

    Raja Rajan bulit the famous Thnjavur Brihdeeswara temple, also called as the Big Temple in Thanjavur

    Tanjore Big Temple.image.jpg
    Thanjavur Big Temple

    It is architectural marvel and the logistics of building it is mind boggling.

    Thanjavur Big Temple How it was Built Logistics

    King Rajarajan’s tomb has been located in Mudikondan,Tamil Nadu..

    ‘

    Recently the half buried slanted Shiva Lingam figured in the midst of plantain field and just behind the hut of Pakirisamy’s (a farmer) in Mudikondan river bed in Udayalur, Kumbakonam taluk. (Ref. Picture and You Tube video) The site and Shiva Lingam are being claimed as Raja Raja Cholan’s ashes’ burial place.
    King Rajarajan Burial Place in Mudikondan
    Tamil King Rajarajan Burial Place
    Both the Shiva Lingam and the inscription lead many people to link and believe the site as the pallippadai of Raja Raja Cholan – I. Pallipadai means a Shiva temple constructed on the cemetery of a king. Pallipadai is the Tamil name for sepulchral shrine. Raising sepulchral shrine on the burial / cremation ground was found common during later Cholas period (10th and 11th century). Inscriptions would point out with details about the construction of sepulchral temples over the remains of kings and princes.

    Historian Kudanthai Sethuraman (of Raman & Raman Bus Services) published a paper Aaivukk Katturaikal – vol 2 on this subject during `1980s. In this paper he has reported about his field study and about the inscription and he could not establish any link regarding pallipadai.

    According to Dr Kudavayil Balasubramanian, well known epigraphist and historian from Thanjavur district, the inscription speaks about some structures built in memory of Raja Raja Cholan I. The structure mentioned therein was renovated by Kulothunga Cholan I (1070 – 1120 A.D.). The pallipadai figured on the bed of River Mudikondan (a tributary of Cauvery) could be the part of pallipadai. The historian also related the pallipadai of Panchavan Madevi (one of the wives Raja Raja Cholan I) located at Pateeswaram (nearer to Udayalur). He also strongly believe that there could be the pallipadai of Raja Raja Cholan I located in the near by area since the emperor spent his last days at the palace in Pazahayarai.
    The state Department of Archaeology (DoA) could not establish any such conclusion since they could not find any reliable evidence to prove it. Some people continued to claim that the Shiva Lingam site on the bed of River Mudikondan, being nearer to the erstwhile Chola capital Pazhayarai,  could possibly be the sepulchral shrine since Raja Raja Chola I was buried about 1,000 years ago.
    Dr. R. Kalaikkovan, Director of the Dr. M. Rajamanickanar Center for Historical Research visited both Paalkulaththu Amman Temple and the site at Mudikondan river bed in Udayalur along with his team and conducted the field study and analyzed the inscriptions. The article, ‘Udayaloril Pallippadaya?’ was posted in Varalaru.com (http://www.varalaru.com) – A Monthly Web Magazine dealing with history, culture and heritage of South India. http://www.varalaaru.com/design/article.aspx?ArticleID=11. The conclusion arrived by him indicate that nothing in the inscription could be related to pallipadai.
    Reference and citation.
    1. Brihadishwara Temple, Tanjore, Tamil Nadu. Skyscrapper city http://www.skyscrapercity.com/archive/index.php/t-179815.html
    2. Kailasanatha Sivan temple. Wikimapia. http://wikimapia.org/2157538/Kailasanatha-Sivan-Temple
    3. Monument sought for Rajaraja at his burial place. The Hindu. Saturday, Sep 25, 2010
    4. Pazhayarai. Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pazhayarai
    5. Rajaraja Chola – 1’s Pallipadai Temple or Palace Memorial. Vira Rajendra. http://www.mayyam.com/talk/showthread.php?8770-Rajaraja-Chola-1-s-Pallippadai-Temple-or-Palace-Memorial
    6. Udaiyalur. Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Udaiyalur
    7. உடையாளூரில் பள்ளிப்படையா? இரா. கலைக்கோவன். varalaaru.com. http://www.varalaaru.com/design/article.aspx?ArticleID=11

  • Micro Drilling Technology Less Than 3 mm Thanjavur Temple

    The wonders of ancient Indian architecture is awe inspiring.

    Temples built aligned to solstices,shadows falling on the Idols here there is no source for light to peep in,idols changing colors,holes drilled, in the ears of the idol’s ears, coming out through the other ear,temples built at slanted angles……..

    I have written on these and on the Thanjavur Big Temple built in 1010 AD with Granite where there was/is no mountain nearby.

    Tanjore Big Temple.image.jpg
    Thanjavur Big Temple

    I have written on the logistics involved in building it.

    I have written on the Micro Drilling Technology in Mahabalipuram,Tamil Nadu.

    If a Pallava King, Narasimhavarma could do it why not Rajaraja Chola, who built the Thanjavur Big Temple?

    I found that Micro Drilling Technology was used in the construction of Thanjavur Big Temple to carve out a hole less than 3 mm!

    “This is the Thanjavur Brahadeeswarar temple in India which was built between 1004 and 1009 A.D. So it was built over a 1000 years ago. Found some amazing drilling technology with precision holes less than 3 millimeters wide. These holes are so small that nobody has noticed them and has been a secret for 1000 years.

    These rocks look like mere decoration, but if you look closely, there are very small holes cut into them. I will put a small twig to show you how small the hole is. I tried to put my pen through the hole and it would not go through.

    Another fascinating thing about these holes is that it is not even straight drilling, but is done at an angle. I put the twig on top and it comes out almost at a right angle.

    The temple walls are completely made of granite, one of the hardest materials on earth. In modern days, we use diamond tipped tools to make these kind of holes. How did the people carve such minute holes on these granite rocks a thousand years ago?

    This technology is older than other ancient cultures like Mayas and Incas. The hole is also much smaller than any other ancient drills I have seen. It is also interesting to think about What were these holes used for? Whatever went inside must have been very thin and flexible because of the size and angle. Why would they need such minute holes anyway?

    Citation and reference.

     

  • Ancient French Chinese Kings In Thanjavur Big Temple

    I have been trying to date Indian Legends, Mythology, Epics and the Vedas through Archaeology,Culture, Language,literary sources and Astronomy.

    Tanjore Big Temple.image.jpg
    Thanjavur Big Temple

    I did not think of looking into architecture in the Temples of India.

    I did not bother to check whether the Temples had any reference to other cultures of the world.

    It looks they do.

    Sculpture of French King in Thanjavur Temple.image.jpg Sculpture of French King in Thanjavur Temple.

    Yesterday I received an interesting Video from my brother’s daughter through Whatsup

    This post is a follow up of this information.

    Scroll down for Video.

    In the Thanjavur Brahadeeswara Temple, also known as the Big Temple, one come across cultures which do not represent Indians,

    Early Indians did not wear shirts.Nor did the keep their hair long, they were clean-shaven.

    And they definitely did not wear hats.

    Women did not wear high heels shoes/footwear.

    Present History tells us that there were no modes of Travel to reach foreign lands, especially through land, save the Horses.

    We find, in The Thanjavur Big Temple a sculpture showing an Image carved in the Gopuram  ( Temple Tower)of a distinctively western looking Man with Hair flowing, wearing a hat.

    And he is seen wearing a short-sleeved shirt.

    The Big Temple was built in the year 1010 AD.

    There was Robert , of the same period, King of France during that time.

    The sculpture bears an uncanny resemblance to him.

    There is another sculpture which is definitely Chinese, which shows a Man with a flowing beard and this is a mirror split image of a Chinese Emperor.

    I have written post on the name of Lord Rama’s name being found in Sumerian King’s List.

    That the Tamils were the ancestors of the Chinese and the Chinese  worshiped Shiva.

    And Lord Nataraja was the  Guardian of Chinese Buddhism.

    I have also traced the origins of Sumerians, Aztecs and Mayans to Sanatana Dharma and Tamils.

    Possible explanations.

    1.The world was well-connected, despite History’s assertions that only by 1500 AD India, then called Bharatvarsha was connected to the west.

    In the absence of swift mode of transport fo which I am yet to get evidence , I am inclined to discard this theory.

    2.That Tamil Kings carved sculpture of Foreign Kings in the Temple.

    Carvings in Temples are usually of,

    Gods,

    Kings who built the temple or ancestors,

    Events from the Puranas and Ithihasas and

    in exceptional cases Natya(dance) poses in Chidambaram Nataraja temple and elsewhere  and life situations as found in Khajuraho.

    It is also customary to sculpt the Devotees of Gods, like Nayanmars or Azhwaras, Rishis.

    But never a Foreign King or a commoner who does not have an important role in building the temple.

    I surmise that the people of India were present throughout the world as the ancestors of world races and these images were a representation of these ancestors, whose exploits could have reached the Indian shores over a period of time because, as of now, we have no evidence to suggest the people could have traveled in the same period from one end of the world to another.

    I shall change my theory when I come across irrefutable evidence that ancient Indians/Tamils had a faster mode of Transport than Horses and ships.

     

     

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  • Thanjavur Big Temple How It Was Built Logistics

    The Brhadeewara Temple, Thanjavur ,Tamil Nadu is a UNESCO World Heritage Monument.

     

    It was completed by the year 1010 AD by Raja Raja Chozhan I, the great Chozha King.

     

    An engineering marvel, it is built with sandstone and Granite in an area where no mountains exist!

     

    This temple has withstood six powerful earthquakes.

     

    It’s one of the most amazing buildings in India. It’s 10 times taller than anything built before it, and not only is it huge, but it’s made of granite, one of the hardest stones in the world.

     

    Due to the temples’ size, the U.S. Senate, Versailles, the Houses of Parliament, and St. Paul’s Basilica in Rome could all fit within a single Prakara.

    Scroll down for Video.

    Brahadeewsara Temple.Thanjavur.jpg
    Thanjavur Brahadeewsara Temple.

     

    Brahadeeswara Tmple lay out Thanjavur.jpg
    Brahadeeswara Tmple lay out Thanjavur.

    It was completed in Five Years, 1005-1010 AD!

    Thanjavur Nandi.jpg
    Thanjavur Nandi.

    The standard measures used in construction come from the ancient Vastu shastras which measures 1 3/8-inch and is used even today. Other units of measure include hasta, muzam, or kishku with 24 units equalling to 33 inches. Similar measurementprinciples are observed in the ancient structures of Indus valley Civilisation some 4000-6000 years ago. Though different units of measurements are used in modern construction, the base comes from Vastu Shastras, given its ancient value.

    Bathing Shiva Linga with Milk.jpg.
    Bathing of Shiiva Linga,Thanjavur

    This temple has the unique record of being constructed with granite stones andcompleting within short span of five years (beginning from 1004 AD). The temple rests on a solid base of 16 feet (about 5 metres in height). The deities made of stone are placed on this along with other idols of Shiva dance. The Kalasam, the top most portion of the shrine weighs very heavily approximately 81 tonnes of single stone block. Apparently, lack of machines in those times, this stone was believed to have been dragged using an inclined plane having length of 6.44 km. The Nandi and presiding deity Lingam weighs about 20 tonnes and height of 3.7 metres respectively. There is not much place in the prakarana area and measures approximately 125m by 240 m. The exterior wall isdecorated with 81 carvings of various postures of Bharatanatyam, a classical dance belonging to Tamil Nadu State.

    It is also famous as Raja Rajeswara Temple and Peruvudaiyaar Temple amongst the people. It is so wide and so large that one has to take rest while visiting the temple and seeing its lovely ancient carving on the gigantic walls. The tower of the temple (Vimana) is of 216 feet high. It is the tallest temple in the world. The weight of the Kalasha (kumbam) on the temple is of 80 tones.

    The marvelous statue of Nandi (sacred bull) on the entrance of the temple mesmerizes the tourists as it is 16 feet long and 13 feet high. Brihadeeswarar temple was built applying the knowledge of ancient construction called Vastu Shastra. Its geographicalcoordinates are 10-46’50”N 79-08’30”E.

    How It was built, logistics.

    The quarry that supplied the granite was over 50 miles away from the temple site. Most of the stones were moved with boats, but some much heavier stones, like the 81.3-ton capstone at the summit of the tower, were moved with a combination of ramps and elephants. The remains of the original ramps still exist today after a thousand years, indicating a gentle 6-degree slope pointing toward the top of the temple. The ramp began 1 mile from the temple, and gradually intersected with the top of the tower 216 feet in the air. Stones were moved from the quarry to the ramp, and up the ramp, with elephants pulling the stones over wooden rollers, much the same as the way ancient Egyptians built the pyramids.

    Height 60 Meters.

    Area of the temple-80 acres.

    15 Floors.

    Weight of Stone at the Apex of the Building 80 Tons.

    Size of the nandi, Bull 16 feet by 13 feet.

    Has a Moat surrounding the temple.

    The sanctum has pyramid shape inside and covered with Flooring.

    The Shiva Linga  is 16 feet.( 5 feet under the ground),single stone.

    4,000 cows, 7,000 goats, and 30 buffalos  to supply the butter required for the lamps were granted by Raja Raja to the temple.

    Raja Raja appointed 192 administrative staff.

    400 veli or  about 2500acres were given as a Gift to the temple.

    • 1 Veļi = 7 kāni = 6.43 acres = 2.6 hectares ( 1 Veli = 20 Ma = 5 kani only not 7 kani)

    How To Reach.

    Airport.Tiruchi.

    Railway Station/Bus stand-Thanjavur,Tiruchi.

    Bus service is available to Thanjavur from all the major cities like Trichy, Chennai, Kumbakonam, Pudukkottai, Pattukkottai, Tirunelveli, Karur, Nagapattinam, Coimbatore, Erode and many other cities in the state. Trains run from many cities across India including Chennai, Trichy, Coimbatore, Erode, Tirunelveli, Madurai and Nagore. The train station is Thanjavur Junction. Tiruchirapalli Airport is the nearest airport, located 65 km away.

    Citation.

    Facts about Thanjavur Temple.

    Brahadeeswarar Temple.

    Thanjavur Temple Thosand Year wonder

    http://www.mysteryofindia.com/2014/07/the-lost-temple-of-india.html

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