Gangaikonda Cholapuram Temple

Gangaikonda Cholapuram is today a small village in the Jayankondam circle of Ariyalur district. Emperor Rajendra Chola conquered most of South Asia a thousand years ago by sea with his navy up to the ghats.

Built this city Gangaikonda Cholapuram The capital of the Cholas was invaded as far east as the Ganges and created to commemorate the victory. Danayan Rajendra Cholan guarding Cholagangam Lake as a result of the dry land and spring earth. The beauty and personality of the assembly together triumphed.

Now we can see information about Gangaikonda Cholapuram temple. It is built in a style that blends Dravidian  construction with the temple. In Dravidian style the karbakraham is square in shape The Arthamandapam is rectangular in shape.

This temple reflects the cholas architecture knowledge when the construction seen in the aerial part of the temple. The main temple may have been divided into three parts Karuvarai Arthamandapam Mahamandapam.

Gangaikonda Temple

There are 150 pillars in this great hall The edge of the gopuram system of this temple may be 6 parts. Atistanam patam pirastaram kaṇṭam cikaram stupi Patam pirastaram kaṇṭam cikaram stupi. That means atistanam is a good foundation The second part refers to the body part of the temple Patam. The third part which is the shoulder area or parts of the  temple pirastaram.

Fouth parth is kantam which reprsent the neck The fifth part is the head part is cikaram  by the peak arrow This is what is called the sixth part  Stupi or kalacam. The temple was built in the shape of a zinga according to the architectural tradition and was built with a woman in the body. The height of the temple plane is 182 feet or 55 meters.

There are a total of 9 area in this temple. That would be wide four area and the   remaining area sites will have a narrower layout. From second part to eight parts there will be haram and in ninth part there wont be haram. Height of the lingam in the sanctum sanctorum is 13.5 feet.

It is the largest lingam in Tamil Nadu.  In the sanctuary  Chandrakantha  stone is placed.  Because of that in summer season it will in cold condition and in winter rainy season it will be hot in karuvarai. One of the uniqueness of this temple is the single stone Navagraha statue in the northeast corner of the Mahamandapam.

The sculpture depicts a lotus flower on a square pedestal with the sun in the center for two heads. On the surface there will be a system that looks like eight directions. It is designed to be a chariot drawn by seven horses on the ground floor. These horses represent seven days a week.

Nandhi Fore Head light in Gangaikonda Temple

Their is 12 lots of frame structure like this with the lotus flower at the beginning These twelve frames represent 12 months. naandhi statue is located at the entrance of the temple 200 meters away from the sanctum sanctorum. Sunlight at 90 degrees at exactly 12 o’clock on this small forehead.

This light will reflect on the lingam because of that if their is no light in the karuvarai we can able to see the lingam. Next, the portraits of the Dwarapalakars are very majestic and a kind of awe-inspiring to behold. There are twelve gatekeepers sculpted in different places throughout the temple.

Each of these sculptures was made of individual stone The height of this statue is 4 meters i.e. 16 feet high. These sculptures one hand shows the way to gods karpakraham other hand this is dhachina mudra. Below the foot is a figure of a large snake swallowing an elephant.

These sculptures says that they are protecting the whole world The name of this sculpture is Gangalamurthy. In the upper left hand hold the bag containing the skeleton called the Stone Age That is why this name have evolved. The sculpture has a total of six arms and is modeled after a snake in the upper right hand.

The sculpture is modeled after a slightly damaged hand with a deer on the right and a bhudagana sculpture on the left. The next sculpture is Lakshmi, Lakshmi sitting on a lotus flower.

sculpture details in Gangaikonda Temple

The model made here is carved to hold a lotus flower in both hands. There is a dancing Ganesha sculpture on the south side wall .The sculpture is made of musical stone with a vein and sounds of every kind from every part.

Only this sculpture can be seen in white here Next is arthanariswaran sculpture There is another name to this sculpture as umayalpakam  for a total of three arms for the sculpture. The left hand is designed to attract the full-blown blue flower and to eat the pollen of flower by parrot.

The next image of Shiva on the right side and the image of Shakti on the left side are here. On the left head is a patriotic adorned boyfriend girlfriend this sculpture  is designed to look and feel like you have a smile on face.

This sculpture is a mixture of male and female. Shows mutual understanding between husband and wife.

The name of next sculpture is Hariharar on the right side Shiva image on the left side Vishnu. The sculpture has a leopard skin dress on the right side and a yellow stripe on the left side. The model where the forehead is only half the size  eye on the forehead. This sculpture is one of the finest sculptures in the temple.

Natarajar Sculpture Thiruvalankadu

Gangaikonda Cholapuram Temple has Natarajar Sculpture The place where this dance scene takes place is Thiruvalankadu. This alamara branch is said to have carved the model idol which has changed the verdict of Rudratsa  as well.

The sun lotus flower on the top left side is designed to come with the moon lily flower on the right side. Below the sun Lord murugan arraiving on peacock and ganesha coming on rat to see the dancing of lord nataraja. Below that is the name Kudamuzha with a tool designed to make the Manam leather tool.

An image of Umamageswari standing on the right side holding a blue flower on the right hand side is carved. If we look at the image with Shiva it has the skull is decorated with dumb flowers and snakes.

The left ear is adorned  right ear with a kundalini This sculpture is very well designed with a smiling face. Five braids for each of the two parts The cooking model is also designed with the left rear arm carrying the fire. The model sculpture above the right leg on muyalagan is carved.  There are 4 sculptures in the lower part of Muyalagan.

The first sculpture is by Karaikal Ammaiyar. Below the sculpture of Lord Shiva is carved a fast-dancing structure with Goddess Kali armed in eight hands. On the left side is the bringu sage there is a small sculpture that is dancing. The next name of the sculpture is Gangadhar. This sculpture has another name Nirmali Veniyan.

Linkoppar sculpture

Next Linkoppar Aruvuruvat Thirumeni This sculpture will have another name. A sculpture of Lord Shiva coming out of a fire is made here. According to mythology, the head and the feet are covered and the sculpture is made up of the upper part and the lower part. But where the Annam sculpture is not at the top, there is only the pig sculpture at the bottom.

Here is a four-armed statue of Lord Vishnu with Sri Lakshmi on the right and Bhudevi on the left. The next of the sculpture is Subramaniam. The idol has a total of four arms. The statue is designed with a power weapon and a vajrayaudam weapon in both hands. The sculpture is specially carved in a pattern adorned with flowers on the left.

The name of next sculpture is Vishnu Anukiraka Murthy This sculpture has another name Chakradhana Murthy. The sculpture has a total of four arms and a statue of the Goddess with a lily flower in the right hand. The sculpture is also slightly damaged.

The another sculpture in the Gangaikonda Cholapuram Temple has a name Kala Samharar murthy. The sculpture with Emano under his feet was specially designed in a design similar to the one that fought for life.

Sculpture with Durga

Sculpture with Durga The sculpture with prayer is modeled on an eight-armed. The head of the buffalo is carved under the foot of the durga and a lion is carved on the back.In the temples built in the early days of Tamil Nadu, it is not customary to place a bearded idol of Brahma. This custom originated in northern India and after conquering northern India, bearded idols of Brahman were developed in the temples here.The sculpture on the right is a model of the Saraswati sculpture with a handwritten manuscript. The name Savitri with the sound of being on the left side.

The name of this sculpture is Bhairav The sculpture is carved like a skull garland. There is a large snake scroll around the thighs The sculpture is seen with a weapon in eight hands. The next sculpture is Kanaka seated sculpture with four arms. In the lower part, there is a sculpture of manmathan and rathi  sculpture. Found in the Gangaikonda Cholapuram Temple

Chandikeswar

This sculpture is one of the finest sculptures in the temple for Chandikeswar. Next is The name Jatamakudam has a parachute weapon and a deer seal on the back. The left side of the head is in the form of a screen. The hair is individually carved in a civic style. The lion face is engraved in the center with this statue modeled after one eye representing the sun and the other eye moon. The  eyes on the forehead Know the skin area for the carvings.

There are two bracelets on the front and 3 bracelets on the back. There is a model sculpture that holds the garland with the left hand while the model is designed to wear a killer flower garland with the right hand.

This evening means that Shiva Sundeswarar will be conferred the title of Guardian of the Atanala Temple. The temple is specially designed with a sculpture of Umadevi on the left side of Shiva. This is a sculpture by Chandigarh sculptor Rajendra Cholan.

Gangaikonda Cholapuram Temple