The Forgotten Massive Empire - THE CHOLAS

DEEP in the south of India lie the spectacular remains of one of the world's most remarkable and most forgotten civilisations. In its heyday it was one of the half-dozen greatest powers on Earth. It controlled half a million square miles - more than five times the size of Britain. And under its wing literacy and the arts flourished.

Yet today, 1,000 years later, the Chola Empire is remembered only by a handful of specialist historians. If it had been European, or had given its name to some still-surviving nation, things might be different. But despite 400 years of glory, the Chola Empire disappeared from history; a sad fate for a civilisation which was among the most remarkable produced by the medieval world.

In some ways, it was the most significant of the dozen or so empires which rose and fell during India's long, tumultuous history. It lasted some 460 years, longer than any of them. The Chola was also the only Asian empire (bar the Japanese) to have indulged, albeit briefly, in overseas expansion. It conquered Sri Lanka, the Andaman and Nicobar islands and, temporarily, parts of south- east Asia - the islands of Sumatra, Java and Bali, and the southern part of the Malay peninsula.

Most of these overseas conquests are shrouded in mystery. All that is known is that, in 1025, the Chola emperor Rajendra I dispatched an army, presumably on a large fleet, across 2,000 miles of ocean to conquer the southern half of south-east Asia. The records show that he succeeded and received the submission of large numbers of cities. Some historians believe that the Cholas then simply sailed back to India, but others suspect that Chola power persisted in some form in south- east Asia for two or three generations.

Certainly, the Chola conquest contributed to a long process that had already started and which linked southern India and south-east Asia together in terms of trade and religion. The Indonesia/Malay region was a pivotal point in trade between China and India (and, indeed, the West), and both Java and Bali were largely Hindu. Rajendra's conquest was perhaps the first military expression of a more general connection which had been developing for centuries.

Closer to home, in Sri Lanka, the Cholas' overseas expansion is better documented - both in text, and in stone. Tourists today can still explore the great ruined city of Polonnaruva, founded by the Cholas as a capital for their newly conquered island territory.

But the emperor's armies didn't only head southwards. In the early 11th century, Chola forces marched almost 1,000 miles through India to the banks of the Ganges. Like the south-east Asian conquest, this epic 'long march' is also shrouded in mystery. Whether the emperor's objectives in marching an army to the sacred river were political or purely religious is unknown. Certainly, the north of India, though temporarily subdued, was not incorporated into the empire - although holy Ganges water was carried back to a great new capital named in honour of the sacred river, and the ruler who had conquered it.

This capital was called Gangaikondacholapuram - literally 'the City to which the Chola emperor brought the Ganges'. At the centre of their new metropolis, the Cholas built a magnificent temple and a vast three mile-long reservoir symbolically to hold the 'captured' waters of the Ganges. Both have survived. Under Chola rule, religion and politics grew ever closer together, with the emperor projecting himself as the representative, almost a manifestation, of God on Earth. Large temples were built, for the first time, as royal establishments. The Cholas probably built more temples than any other Indian kingdom or empire. Each temple was a masterpiece. Even today, the Chola heartland - along the Kaveri River in the state of Tamil Nadu - is full of beautiful, delicately carved temples, some the size of tiny chapels, others as big as European cathedrals. In the very centre of what was the empire, there are still 40 Chola temples in an area half the size of greater London. The most spectacular structure is the 63m-high pyramid- shaped central shrine in the city of Thanjavur, the Chola capital before Gangaikondacholapuram.

Chola art and architecture were among the finest in the world. Indeed, in cast bronze sculpture and hard-stone sculpture, Chola art is unsurpassed. Millions of figures, deftly carved in granite, can still be seen on their temples, while in museums, in Thanjavur and Madras, visitors can marvel at the artistry and craftsmanship of the bronze figurines and statues.

The Cholas not only nurtured an artistic boom; they also fostered a massive expansion in education. Political stability and imperial grants - both to the temples which ran education and to the students themselves - led to the expansion of local schools and elite colleges for higher castes. The education system - which operated from a religious perspective but also promoted literacy, mathematics and astronomy - was probably, at least in part, responsible for the development of a competent imperial administration and broadened international horizons. Some estimates suggest that literacy rose to around 20 per cent - perhaps the highest in the medieval world.

An unplanned result of this high level of education was an increase in intellectual dissidence. One of the greatest Indian religious thinkers - the 11th-century philosopher Ramanuja - was a product of the Chola empire, although he was ultimately expelled for his views. In many ways, he can be seen as the founder of Hindu monotheism with his belief in a unitary personal god, the ultimate font of love and compassion.

In the 12th century there flourished an even more dissident religious movement. The Lingayats professed a sort of cynical humanism which questioned the very fundamentals of religion - the authority of India's holy books, the Vedas (the equivalent of the Bible), and reincarnation itself. Socially, they were also radical, challenging the taboo on widows re-marrying, and condemning child marriages. This dissident movement derived much support from the lower castes.

The empire also increased the importance and institutionalisation of local government. Each group of five to 10 villages had an elected district council, which in turn had endless subcommittees dealing with everything from land rights to irrigation, law and order to food storage. Every household in a district had the right to vote - and the councils enjoyed considerable power. The Chola emperors encouraged their development, probably as a counter-balance to the power of local vassal rulers, who owed obedience to the empire.

Although the Cholas ruled for more than four centuries, they did so with a remarkable light touch. Local responsibility for local affairs was encouraged, and newly conquered local rulers were allowed to keep their titles and lands, though under ultimate Chola control.

The light touch was brought even to waging war. The Cholas exemplified the Indian principle of war - the dharma yuddha, literally, the principle of the fair fight. Battles were normally pre- arranged and fought in daylight on a level field between equal numbers of troops. Defeated princes could carry on living and prospering, but had to pay homage and cough up tribute for the emperor's treasury and women to act as concubines and courtiers.

Presiding over this mixture of autocracy and democracy, a cocktail of religious orthodoxy and dissidence, and a surge of artistic creativity - not to mention their concubines - the Chola emperors considered themselves the rulers of the world. They did, of course, look on India as the Continent of the Cosmos.

Yet now they are forgotten, their achievements ignored by the world. There is not one book in print on the Chola Empire; nor a travel-company tour to most of their extraordinary temples.

1.Thillai Nataraja Temple, Chidambaram

Spectacular Chola temple with rich sculpture, a magnificent pavilion with 984 pillars, and a shrine to the sun god complete with stone chariot wheels. Here, one of the Hindu trinity of gods, Siva, is said to have performed his cosmic dance of joy. A delightful story has it that Siva's wife, Parvati, challenged him to a dance contest, which took place where the temple now stands. Siva won by way of a clever ruse. He contrived to drop his earring so that he could pick it up and put it back with his toe; his spouse was, however, too modest to raise her leg - and lost.

Chidambaram temple embodies the following characteristics :

1) This temple is located at the Center Point of world 's Magnetic Equator.

2) Of the "Pancha bootha" i.e. 5 temples, Chidambaram denotes the Skies. Kalahasthi denotes Wind. Kanchi Ekambareswar denotes land. All these 3 temples are located in a straight line at 79 degrees 41 minutes Longitude. This can be verified using Google. An amazing fact & astronomical miracle !

3) Chidambaram temple is based on the Human Body having 9 Entrances denoting 9 Entrances or Openings of the body.

4) Temple roof is made of 21600 gold sheets which denotes the 21600 breaths taken by a human being every day (15 x 60 x 24 = 21600)

5) These 21600 gold sheets are fixed on the Gopuram using 72000 gold nails which denote the total no. of Nadis (Nerves) in the human body. These transfer energy to certain body parts that are invisible.

6) Thirumoolar states that man represents the shape of Shivalingam, which represents Chidambaram which represents Sadashivam which represents HIS dance !

7) "Ponnambalam " is placed slightly tilted towards the left. This represents our Heart. To reach this, we need to climb 5 steps called "Panchatshara padi " "Si, Va, Ya, Na, Ma " are the 5 Panchatshara mantras.

There are 4 pillars holding the Kanagasabha representing the 4 Vedas.

8) Ponnambalam has 28 pillars denoting the 28 "Ahamas "as well as the 28 methods to worship Lord Shiva. These 28 pillars support 64 +64 Roof Beams which denote the 64 Arts. The cross beams represent the Blood Vessels running across the Human body.

9) 9 Kalasas on the Golden Roof represent the 9 types of Sakthi or Energies.

The 6 pillars at the Artha Mantapa represent the 6 types of Sashtras.

The 18 pillars in the adjacant Mantapa represents 18 Puranams.

10) The dance of Lord Nataraja is described as Cosmic Dance by Western Scientists.

Whatever Science is propounding now has been stated by Hinduism thousands of years ago

Apart from Thillai Nataraja Temple, you can visit 100s of temples build by cholas in Chidambaram.

2. Shri Airavatesvara Temple, Darasuram

Marvellous temple built by the Chola Emperor Rajaraja II in the mid- 12th century. One beautiful pavilion - in imitation of a war chariot - has wheels and rearing horses. See also relief portraying the lives of the 63 saints of the god Siva.

3. Brihadisvara temple, Gangaikondacholapuram

The magnificent and richly sculpted Brihadisvara temple, built of granite as the centrepiece of a new Chola capital in circa AD1025. The main shrine is 160ft (50m) high. The three-mile 11th-century Cholaganga reservoir (for sacred water) also survives.

4. Sivan Kovil, Kaliyapatti, Pudukottai

The 'Place of Stone'. Small temple, c 900. This temple was ruined with the time.

5. Twin Temples, Keezhaiyur, Nagapattinam

Double shrine, c 900.

As the name suggests, the complex consists of two temples. The temple in the north is called Vadavaayil Sirikoil or Chozheecharam and the one in the south is called Thenvaaayil Sirikoil or Agatheeswaram. The temples were constructed by the Paluvettaraiyar chieftains Kumaran Maravan and Kumaran Kandan, sub-ordinates to Cholas.

6. Moovar Kovil, Kodumbalur, Pudukottai

Triple shrine, c 900.

Muvar Koil in Tamil means ‘temple for three deities/persons’. This complex is known by this name probably because it has three temples inside. Only two out of these three have survived fully while the third one has only the basement remaining now. Local traditions and folklore give some interesting interpretations of the term ‘Muvar’. As per one belief, Shiva saints (Nayanar-s) Appar, Sundarar and Manikkavachakar built one shrine each. Another belief states that kings of three major dynasties Chera, Chola and Pandya constructed one shrine each. One another tradition states that these three shrines were constructed to house Hindu Trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. As per a foundation inscription on south wall of the north-most temple, these temples were constructed by Kodumbalur Velir chief Bhuti Vikramakesari on behalf of himself and his two wives, Karrali and Varaguna. Bhuti Vikramakesari was a contemporary of the Chola ruler Aditya I hence these temples would have been constructed in middle of 10th century CE. This complex can be assigned to the early phase of the Chola architectural activities.

The complex has three main temples standing in middle and face west. There are remains of about sixteen sub-shrines around the main temples. The complex with such sub-shrines is called parivara complex housing various deities belonging to Lord Shiva and his family. Such complexes were probably originated during the Chola rule. There is a common maha-mandapa constructed in front of these main temples. It measures 91 feet by 41 feet however now only basement of this remains. Beyond this mandapa are the remains of a Nandi-mandapa and a bali-pitha. The feeling on the first look on this complex is that of witnessing a splendid composition with serene surroundings. The feeling culminates into an impression which is awestruck with the grandeur and beauty of the sculptures adorning these temples.

Two surviving temples of Muvar Koil complex

7. Nageswaraswamy Temple, Kumbakonam

Beautiful sculptures of female dancers and musicians, the sun god and the god Siva - in the form of a divine young ascetic - adorn the Nageswaraswamy Temple, built c 870. According to legend, this riverside temple was built where a pot was washed ashore containing the seed of creation and the Hindu bible.

The temple is incarnated by the hymns of Thevaram and is classified as Paadal Petra Sthalam. Shiva in the guise of Nagaraja, the serpent king and is located in the centre of Kumbakonam.

Aditya Chola constructed this temple during the 9th century. It is great marvel of Chola architecture, building technology and astronomy. The orientation is structured in such a way that it allows sunlight inside the temple, right on the sanctum only during the Tamil month of Chithirai (April/May). It bears another name called Surya Kottam or Keezha Kottam. The Karuvarai (Sanctum Sanctorum) of Nageswaran temple is similar to Sarangapani Temple, as it is made in the form of a Chariot. The temple consists of three gopurams in the eastern, western and southern directions. The temple is designed in such a way that during the first three days of Tamil month Chittirai (April - May), the rays of the Sun falls directly in the base of the presiding deity in sanctum sanctorum.

8. Amritaghateshvara Temple, Melakkadambur

This small temple occupies a unique place in the history of South Indian temple architecture. It is situated in the village of Melakkadambur, some 32 km. S.W. from Chidambaram and 4 km. from Kattumannargudi, in Cuddalore district, Tamil Nadu. Near the southern tip of the Viranam Eri, a large irrigation reservoir constructed by the Chola king Parantaka I (907-955). Two inscriptions engraved on the walls of the temple belonging to the 41st and the 43rd year of the reign of the Chola king Kulottunga I (1070-1120) indicate the temple existed in this form by the early 12th century. But the existence of a hymn composed by the saint-poet (Nayanmar) Appar dedicated to the presiding deity of this temple shows it was already a renowned sacred place in the 7th century CE.

It is a very interesting temple from an architectural, iconographical, and art-historical point of view. It is believed to be the earliest shrine constructed in the form of a ratha or chariot. This architectural concept was applied in many temples constructed during the later phases of the Chola empire, and also by later South Indian dynasties. It reached its pinnacle in the grand Sun temple of Konarak in Orissa, build by Narasimha Deva, a king belonging to the Ganga dynasty around the year 1278. The sculptural work of the Amritaghatesvara temple is very rich, elaborate and detailed. Chola sculptors have left us many master pieces and the sculpture of this temple is some of the best from their hands.

9. Vijayalaya Choleeswaram, Narthamalai, Pudukottai

Constructed c 870, the Vijayalaya Cholesvara Temple is said to have been built by the first Chola emperor, Vijayalaya.

Temple dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. Constructed in the Dravida style and rock cut architecture, the temple is believed to have been built during the 9th century by Muttaraiyar kings, the cardinals of Pallavas, with later expansion from the Cholas. The rock-cut architecture is an early example of Cholan Art, continuing the tradition of the Pallavas. The other portions of Narthamalai houses the 8th century Jaina Abode, the Aluruttimalai Jain Caves. There are also two rock-cut caves, one of which houses twelve life size sculptures of Vishnu. The temple is considered one of the oldest stone temples in South India.

10. Agastisvara Siva Temple, Panangudi, Pudukottai

Chola temple built c 900.

This east facing temple has a sanctum and a small mandapa in front. The sanctum is constructed with a square base of nine feet side on exterior and five feet in interior. On this sanctum a square vimana rises above. Vimana has a single story with bhutagana frieze below cornice with yali-row on corners. Above this storey rests a square griva (neck). On top of this griva is a square shikhara (cupola). The shikhara has maha-nasika (big arches) in middle on all four sides. Below these maha-nasika-s, on first and only storey of vimana, are niches carved in. These niches have Shiva as Dakshinamurti on south, Vishnu on west and Brahma on north and Indra (Subramanya) on east, confirming to the regular arrangement of their placement. An image of Nandi is placed on all the four corners on this vimana story. These Nandi-s either face east or west but no north and south.

11. Vanavan Mahadevisvaram, Polonnaruva, Sri Lanka

Ruins of a great city founded as a new capital for the island by the Chola emperor Rajaraja following his conquest of Sri Lanka in 993. Visit the many medieval buildings, including two Chola temples. Because they are not functioning temples, it is possible to visit the sacred innner sanctums, where one can see examples of that most important of Hindu symbols, the stone obelisk called the lingam. It represents the creativity and fertility of the human phallus and the safety and shade of the archetypal tree.

12. Thiru Alandurai Mahadevar Kovil, Pullamangai, Thanjavur

One of the most beautiful of all Chola temples, c 910. Perfectly preserved, with miniature relief.

The local history is that this town was known as Pullamangai and the temple name was known as “Alandhurai”. However, in present days the town name has become Pasupathi Koil.

When Devas were trying get nectar by churning the milky ocean, the snake they were using spewed poison, and it is said the God abode here took that poison and settled here. Hence the name Alandurai or Alanthurai.

13. Koranganatha Temple, Srinivasanallur, Kumbakonnam

The 10th-century temple of Koranganatha - the Lord of the Monkey. Beautiful sculptures of medieval worshippers in their aristocratic clothes.

14. Ranganathaswamy Temple, Srirangam, Trichy

This most important temple to the god Vishnu in southern India has exquisite carvings of female musicians. It is dedicated to a young girl called Andal who became enraptured with Vishnu.

The temple is enclosed by 7 concentric enclosures with courtyards (termed prakarams or mathil suvar). Each layer has walls and gopurams, which were built or fortified in and after the 16th century. These walls total 32,592 feet (9,934 m) or over six miles. The temple has 17 major gopurams (towers, 21 total), 39 pavilions, 50 shrines, 9 sacred water pools, Ayiram kaal mandapam (a hall of 1000 pillars) and several small water bodies inside. A 239.501 feet Rajagopuram of this temple is the tallest of its kind.

15. Swaminathaswamy Temple, Swamimalai

Regarded, mythologically, as a sort of divine weapons store, this Chola temple is dedicated to the war god Murugan.

16. Brishadisvara Temple, Thanjavur (also spelt Tanjore or Tanjavur)

Once the capital of the Chola empire, this town is home to the greatest of all Chola buildings - the Rajarajesvara (or Brihadishvara) temple. Built in AD1010 by the emperor Rajaraja the Great, it is 210ft (63m) high - the tallest temple in all India. On top of its sumptuously sculpted pyramid-shaped tower is an 80-ton cupola, said to be fashioned out of a single block of granite placed there with the aid of a four-mile temporary ramp.

Some of the facts about the temple are:

# When ever we say the periya nandhi (Big nandhi) or the “Otrai Kal Nandhi”(A sculpture of nandhi carved from one single rock), All we think is the one which is now seen on the entrance of Thanjavoor Periya Kovil(Big Temple). But, only few knows that, the nandhi we see now in the Thanjavoor periya kovil is not that “Otrai Kal Nandhi” which was installed during the time Raja Raja I’s reign or the during those olden age.

The present, big Nandhi situated on the entrance of the Thanjavoor Periya Kovil is not the one which was created during the Raja Raja I’s reign or the time when the Temple was built. It was the new sculpture which was kept more recently, said to be the gift to the temple from the Maratha rulers during the Maratha’s reign(Late 17th to 19th Centuries) . The original “otrai kal nandhi” was removed from the place where it was before for various unaccounted reasons and kept at the praharam(the side path) of the temple. It is said to be the Nandi which keeps growing in the size(no one knows there reason, may be because of weathering), and in order to control the growth, they have bolted or nailed it to the ground on the legs of the sculpture. Since, it was not known by many about this nandhi, it is less maintained and due to that, it has seen some deterioration in them.

Original Otrai Kal Nandhi

# A structure of such a massive architecture, needs intense planning and execution in order to have a safe construction zone with minimal accident incidents, the Temple walls have inscriptions which shows the records of every works performed daily and have recorded few minor accidents where few workers were wounded and only one fatal accident was recorded. Where, a sculptor, who lost his life while raising a stone column, which accidentally fell on him and crushed him to death. The inscription also says that Raja Raja I mourned for that unfortunate incident and he gave compensation to the dead person’s family. He gave lands near river for agriculture, official job to a family member, and they were even waived off of their taxes for next 7 generations. Can you imagine? a monarch, who was the greatest king of that time, ruling almost all the southern India, taking care of their citizen with such a great care and gesture. There is a reason for people calling his reign as the Golden Era of Tamilagam.

#Every damn thing was recorded as an inscription on the walls of the temple. Built by Raja Raja Chola (who ruled from 985 -1014 Common Era), the Big Temple is not only a magnificent edifice with its majestic vimana, sculptures, architecture and frescoes, but also has a wealth and richness of Tamil inscriptions engraved on stone in superb calligraphy.

#These rock carvings look like mere decoration, but if you look closely, there are very small holes cut into them. These holes are drilled vertically, probably to hold something very slender. Primitive tools like iron or copper chisels can not accomplish this, even today.

#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. Today's archaeologists and historians are baffled at how he could construct such a gigantic temple in a very short time.

#This temple was not only a religious place, but was also designed as defensive fort to withstand any attack. The satellite view of the temple and the nearby places, where the palace was situated, shows a water drainage layout flowing around the temple’s outer walls which are clearly looking like a fort’s wall and extending through the main city region and covering the main areas like one long MOAT. The Anaicut’s Cauvery water flowing in between Thnajavoor keeps providing water to this moat. This giving it a great advantage for defending the city if it was under attack. This the reason for the Periya Koil to have many secret hidden passages leading into the temple from various other parts of the city.

The MOAT in the Thanjavur City

#The hollow interior of the vimana, a view from below. Built of interlocking stones without any binding material, the vimana has not developed a crack or tilted even a few centimetres in all these years despite six earthquakes.(And a normal tower in one place just tilts 5.5 degrees due to the blunder in construction and it got named as World’s wonder, sigh.

17. Brahmasirakandeesar Temple, Tirukkandiyur

Small Chola temple.

Thirukandiyur or Kandiyur is the site where Shiva curbed the ego of Brahma by cutting off his fifth head. It is believed that, at the beginning of creation, Brahma had 5 heads, and as he created one form of life after another, his ego grew, until he felt that he was the greatest of the gods. Shiva decided to teach him a lesson, and cut off Brahma's fifth head, which stood on top of the other four. Brahma at once realized his error, and prayed to Shiva, asking for forgiveness. This temple also figures among the Saptha Sthaanam temples.

The main deity here is the Brahma Shira Kandeeswarar. There is no bronze idol depicting the story of this temple. The goddess is Mangalambigai. There is a statue of Brahma and Saraswati to the left of the lingam, facing it, in a separate sanctum.

18. Astha Parivara Shrine, Thirukkattalai, Pudukottai

The 'temple of the holy command', c 900. The name Thirukkattalai comes from the name Thirukkatrazhi, which means sacred stone temple. This is one of the early structural temples. It has a small sanctum sanctorum and 7 shrines in all directions. These shrines are attached to the outer wall of the temple which is unusual architecturally. This was built but the 1st Adithya Chola in the 9th C. The Lord Shiva here is called Sundareshwara. The separate shrine for Ambal was built during the Late Pandya Era. he shrines in the side are of Surya, Chandra, Saptha Madha, Vinayaka, Karhtikeya, Jyeshta devi, and the 7th shrines is empty. Inscriptions of both Aditya Chola Period and also Nayak period are there.

The Vimana (the tall pyramid shaped structure atop the sanctum sanctorum) has some important sculptural details on all 4 sides. In the eastern side, that's the entrance, right atop is Alinganamurthy - that's Lord Shiva with his consort on his lap. However in this sculpture, his consort is broken!!!

The southern side has Thripuranthaka at the bottom, Bhikshadana in the middle and Veenadhara Dakshinamurthy atop. The western side has Vishnu in standing posture at the bottom, Seated Vishnu in the middle, Bhoovaragava atop. The northern side has Standing Brahma at the bottom, seated Brahma in the middle and the structure atop is unidentifiable. However a pattern seems to have been followed. The southern side was completely Shiva, the western side was Vishnu and so the northern side must be completely Brahma. So the unidentified sculpture atop must be Brahma!!!

19. Sakshinatheswarar Temple, Thiruppurambiyam, Kumbakonam

Templae, c 900

Thiruppurambiyam was the fierce battlefield in the 9th century deciding the bright future of Cholas. Chola king Aditya I built a temple in sweet remembrance of the turn of the tide in his favour and named it Aditeswaram. The present name of the presiding deity is Sakshinathar and the consort, Kuraivialla Azhagi(beauty unsurpassed). The sanctum of the consort was built by Rajaraja Chola I. The sanctum wall contains beautiful sculptures of Parivara devatas(other deities of Siva temple). Lord Ganesa, the elephant god is performed honey ablution on the day of Vinayagar Chaturthi and all honey passed is absorbed

20. Aiyarappur Temple, Thiruvaiyaru, Thanjavur

By uttering the mystical (and apparently meaningless) word ohm, the Chola poet Sundarar succeeded in parting the waters, Red Sea style, of the Chola heartland's great river, Kaveri, so that he and a visiting king could praise the god Siva at the temple of Tiruvaiyaru on the other side.

Aiyarappar temple (also called Panchanadeeswarar temple) is a Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva located in the village of Tiruvaiyaru, Tamil Nadu, India. The Five Rivers are Vadavaru, Vennaaru, Vettaaru, Kudamuruttiyaaru and Kaaviriyaaru. Shiva is worshiped as Aiyarappar, and is represented by the lingam and his consort Parvati is depicted as Dharmasamvardhini. The presiding deity is revered in the 7th century Tamil Saiva canonical work, the Tevaram, written by Tamil poet saints known as the nayanars and classified as Paadal Petra Sthalam.

21. Arunachalesvara Temple, Thiruvanamalai

This temple - with stone sculptures depicting 108 classical Indian dance poses - was built in the place where Siva turned himself into what he claimed was an eternal unending pillar of fire. It is significant to the Hindu sect of Saivism as one of the temples associated with the five elements, the Pancha Bhoota Stalas, and specifically the element of fire, or Agni.

22. Thyagaraja Temple, Thiruvarur

The temple is built at the legendary scene of a great Chola miracle of death and resurrection. The son of a Chola king - out joyriding, as princes will, in one of the royal chariots - ran over and killed a calf. A somewhat distraught cow - the calf's mother - complained to the king, who was furious and decided to punish his son by killing him. Understandably he found this difficult, indeed morally impossible. So, obligingly, the king's prime minister carried out the execution. Filled with sadness, both prime minister and king committed suicide. But all was not lost, for the god Siva decided to resurrect them all.

Tiruvarur temple car, the largest (chariot) temple car in the world, it weighing 300 tonnes (295 long tons; 331 short tons) with a height of 90 feet (27.43 m).

23. Kalyanasundareswarar Kovil, Tiruvelvikkudi, Kumbakonam

The temple of Manavalesvara.Parvathi who was in the form of cow got redressed from the curse and born to Sage Bharatha and married Lord Shiva. Mother Parvathi was born to Sage Bharatha in Kuthalam near Tiruvelvikudi. She performed penance for 16 Mondays on Lord Shiva to have His hand as Her Lord. Mother made a Linga of sand for the penance. On the 17th Monday, Lord appeared before Parvathi as Manavaleswarar and promised to marry Her. Accordingly, the rituals (Velvi in Tamil) were conducted with Brahmma being the head priest for this divine marriage. Hence, the place is named Tiru Velvikudi.

24. Kampaharesvara temple, Tribhuvanem, Thanjavur

The Kampaharesvara temple, built by the Chola emperor Kulottunga III in c 1200. As per Hindu legend, Shiva is believed to have relieved Kampa (quaking) of a king haunted by evil spirits on account of the king killing a Brahmin by mistake. This led to the name of Kampahareshvara.

25. Bhumisvara Temple, Viralur, Pudukottai

Abandoned Temple

26. Vasukisvaramudaiya Mahadeva Temple, Visalur, Kumbakonam

The temple is constructed with a square base on which a square vimana rises above. Vimana has a single story above which square griva (neck) rises. On top of this griva is a square shikhara (cupola). The shikhara has maha-nasika (big arches) in middle on all four sides. Below these maha-nasika-s, on first and only storey of vimana, are niches carved in. These niches have Shiva as Dakshinamurti on south, Vishnu on west and Brahma on north, confirming to the regular arrangement of their placement.