Chola Architecture- Vijayalaya Temple, Brihadeshwara Temple

When we look at Chola architecture, we primarily look at the over 200 temples constructed at that time: early temples made using bricks and influenced by Pallava architecture, and later temples made in stone and show Chalukya influence.

All the temples constructed by the Cholas are seen to be surrounded by a boundary wall that runs high. 

While the temples of the early period are of modest size, the later ones are massive, and their Gopura / Vimana dominates the landscape. 

The grand architectural structures of the Cholas can be seen mainly at Thanjavur, Gangaikondcholpuram, Darasuram, and Tribhuvanam. 

These temples are perfect examples of the architectural style that existed in this region from 8th Century CE to 12th century CE.  Its influence is amply evident in the temple architecture of Ceylon and other Southeast Asian kingdoms, such as SriVijay (Sumatra) and Chavakam (Java).

It is interesting to know that a temple dedicated to Shiva had been constructed by Raj Raja I at Polanuruva in Sri Lanka. Its architecture was based on the Chola architecture of that period.

In the temple architecture of the Cholas, there is the spire, a stepped pyramid and is commonly referred to as a Vimana. The Pallava influence is visible in the spire or the vimana, much like the Rathas, and an octagon-shaped crowning element called the Shikhara.

It uses the Panchayatan style, but the subsidiary shrines are devoid of the vimana. 

The lion motifs are missing from the base of the pillars, but Kudus decoration is there though different from that which the Pallavas use.

In the temple, there is generally a grabhgriha, and antarala, and a sabhamandapa and the temple complex itself has a water tank located within the temple’s boundary.

The temples are generally constructed by using blocks made of granite and gneiss.

A key example of the architecture of the early group is the Vijayalaya temple, and of the later groups are Gangaikondcholpuram’s Brihadishwar temple and Tanjaur’s Brihadishwar temple.

Let us now take a look at the architecture of some of the temples in a little detail.

Vijayalaya Temple

The Vijayalaya temple is situated in Nartmalai, which is a cluster of hills in the Pudukkotti district.  

It was built in the 9^th century CE by the founder of the Chola dynasty, Vijayalaya Choleshwar.

The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva.

It is located inside a square courtyard and is an East-facing pyramidal-shaped temple. 

It has 4 tires, of which the first 3 are square, and the fourth tier is circular.

The shikhar atop the 4^th tier is oval in shape and is itself topped with a kalasha shaped piece.

In the temple itself, just before the square sanctum, a mandapa has been erected. 

Its entrance is decorated and has carved dwarpalakas on either side that rise up to five feet tall. 

The main temple is surrounded by seven smaller temples, all of which face the main temple.

The kornis in the temple are decorated with kudu patterns. 

Brihadeshwara Temple

It is during the rule of Uttam Chola that we see the rise of the later period of the architecture of the Chola rulers. The Brihdeshwar Temple was built during the time of Raj Raja I in 1010 CE and took 5 years to be complete. It has fortified walls that surround it and were possibly erected in the 16^th century CE.

A sterling example of the architecture of this time is the Brihdeshwar Temple built in Thanjavur or Tanjore.  This temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva, and Brihdeeshwar literally means Lord of the Universe. It has been declared a World Heritage site.

This temple complex is referred to as Raja Rajeshwaram and Peruvudaiyaar

It was known as ‘Dakhina Meru’ and seen to complement the ‘Uttara Meru’, which is the sacred mount Kailash.

It is one of India’s largest temples, is made completely of granite, and is the world’s first granite temple.  For 100 kilometres around this area, there is no granite to be found.   The source of the granite used in the temple is not known. 

The temple has 3 main entrances, which are:

• Keralantakam: built in honour of the victory of Raj Raja over the Chera king, has the main entrance that has a gopuram that is 30 m high
• Rasarasan: it opens onto a large central zone that has the main shrine
• Tiruannukam: it is the complex’s northern entrance and does not have a gopuram.

Keralantakam Entrance

The complex houses several sub-shrines which have been erected during later times. 

This temple has the following features: 

• ardhamandap
• garbhagriha
• mahamandap
• stapana-mahamandap
• vadya-mandapa

It has a 28 m square sanctum where an 8.7m high lingam is placed.   The temple’s srivamana, or the main shikhar is approximately 66 m high.  It comprises 14 stories and niches and images pertaining to saivaism as decorative motifs. 

There is a cupolic dome made from a single granite block that is more than 25 feet square. At the base of the dome, there are two Nandis at each corner. 

The temple’s front also has a big Nandi Mandap that houses a huge monolithic Nandi, which is the second-largest Nandi in all of India, the other being the one in Andhra Pradesh’s Lepakshi Veerbhadra Temple.

The corridor around the ardhamandapa has fresco paintings that cover secular themes.

This temple is considered to have the tallest temple tower across the world, which is made with 1,30,000 tons of granite.

A highly significant fact is that while this region faced several earthquakes, the temple stood firm in the face of 6 massive earthquakes.

Here are some important points to keep in mind while looking at Chola architecture:

The wealth acquired by the Chola kings mostly went into erecting monuments that were all exquisite. This was the time when there was the culmination of the evolution of the architecture of Dravidian temples.   The temples of the Cholas have the following features that make them stand apart and easily identified:

• The inside of the external wall will be exquisitely decorated 
• Sanctums which would be either square or circular
• The upper portion of the sanctum will have special vimanas
• The Gopuram will be topped with a dome-shaped sikhara and kalasa
• The walls of the temples will have inscriptions and sculptures made intricately
• The mandaps will be pillared
• There will be the ardha mandapa, maha mandapa and Nandi mandapa

Dwarapal at Thanjavur Brihadeeswara temple

The changes in architecture during the Chola era compared to the period before the Cholas are clearly visible.   These are:

• Bricks that were used in construction in the early Chola period were replaced by stone
• The structure became more elaborate and huge in size, and the complex it stood in was also massive.
• The Gopurams were more intricate with carvings and sculptures
• The temples have elaborate stories that rose in a pyramidal fashion
• The shikara of the temples was made of a single rock and was monolithic in construction
• The entrance to the mandapa always has dwarapalas on each side
• The carvings were detailed, and every minute detail was put in

Conclusion

The architecture of the Chola period borrowed from both the Pallava and Chalukya architectural forms.  This is the period when the culmination of the evolution of Dravidian temple architecture was reached.  The distinctive features of the architecture of the Chola period make it stand apart from the previous less elaborate constructions.

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