Sri Pragadeeswarar temple

Overview

The Gangaikonda Cholapuram Temple is arranged close to the Thanjavur city of Tamil Nadu. The temple was established in the year 1020 and it took pretty nearly nine years to completely finish the development work. Gangaikondacholapuram Temple of Tanjore is committed to Lord Shiva, one of the Hindu Trinity of Gods.

About the Temple

The temple of Gangaikondacholisvara is drawn closer through the northern passageway from the street. The entry goes through the fenced in area divider and leads on to the inward court. As one stages in, the colossal Vimana captures the guest's sight. The Vimana with its recessed corners and upward development introduces a striking differentiation to the straight-sided pyramidal tower of Tanjavur. As it ascends to a tallness of 160 feet and is shorter than the Tanjavur tower, it is frequently depicted as the female partner of the Tanjavur temple. The vimanas of the sanctuaries are embellished with dazzling carvings and mirror a substantial impact of the Northern styles. The Vimana is flanked on either side by little sanctuaries; the one in the north now lodging the Goddess is genuinely very much safeguarded. The little shire of Chandikesvara is close to the progressions in the north. In the north-east are a shire lodging Durga, an all around called lion-well (simhakeni) with a lion figure guarding its strides and a late mandapa lodging the workplace. Nandi is in the east-bound the primary sanctum. In the same bearing is the destroyed gopura, the passageway tower. The principle tower encompassed by little hallowed places genuinely displays the presence of an extraordinary Chakravarti (head) encompassed by chieftains and vassals. One can see radiant carvings on the hard southern rock stones of the temple. The models of the temple are very normal for the sanctuaries developed by the Cholas.

The fenced in area: Though the temple of Gangaikondacholapuram takes after the arrangement of the considerable temple of Tanjavur in many points of interest it has a distinction its could call its own. From the remaining parts it might be seen that it had one and only fenced in area divider and a gopura while the Tanjavur temple has two gopuras and nooks. The prakara takes after the Tanjavur lay-out in that it had a two storeyed shelter running all around. Just a piece of this has made due in the north. The stones from alternate segments were used to fabricate the Lower Anaicut over the Kollidam. The mainstays of cut stone are seriously plain all through as in Tanjavur. They have no engraving not at all like at Tanjavur. The yard in 566'9' in the length and 318'6? width and has a transept at the west in accordance with the primary sanctum. The order has a raised stage, 18? in tallness. At consistent interims, bases for places of worship are taken note. These holy places ought to have looked like the prakara sanctuaries of Tanjavur and no doubt housed the pictures of the eight directional gods, in their fitting quarters as in Tanjavur. However none of the pictures have survived. Clearly the prakara has been laid out in the customary Vastu lattice framework called Vastupadavinyasa.'

About the Deity

God Shiva offers darshan to his aficionados as linga in the Gangaikondacholapuram temple. The Shiva Linga in the temple is greater than the one at Thanjavur temple. Thanjavur Linga is 12.5 feet tall on an Avudayar of an outline of 55 feet. The Linga in Gangaikonda Cholapuram temple is 13.5 feet tall set on an Avudayar of 60 feet outline.

Legend and Stories

The remarkably named however generally unexceptional town of Gangaikondacholapuram is home to the heavenly demolishes of the Brihadeesvara Temple, another UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is right around a precise reproduction of the temple of Thanjavur. Ruler Rajendra Chola I (1012-1044 CE) manufactured this temple to commend his triumph of terrains up to present-day Bangladesh. He brought back the waters of the sacrosanct Ganga and emptied it into the totally huge tank here. He accepted the title Gangaikondachola (the Chola who vanquished the Ganga) and fabricated the town as his capital. Ponneri navigates basically the whole land south of the temple, covering limitless territories of cultivable area. It had stone channel gulfs and outlets secured on all sides, put by lime mortar, of such great gauges that not a drop of water could enter from outside. Along these lines, a conveyance framework for unadulterated and safe water effectively existed in 1020. Amid the British guideline, a street was developed over the Ponneri, the channels were permitted to be infringed upon, and littered with neglect. Where waters once lapped similarly as the eye could see, all that now remains is dry earth and a couple of became scarce bushes.

The temple is pretty much a definite reproduction of the Big Temple of Thanjavur, the tribute of a child to his dad Raja I's grandiose temple building norms, and deferentially only a shade littler in scale. The tower is 55m tall, and is topped by a 80 ton dome. The lingam is 4 ft tall and the Nandi is practically as substantial as the one in the Big Temple. The temple likewise has a thousand pillared lobby and the friezes on the dividers are genuinely worth seeing. There is additionally a simha mukha (lion confronted) well in the complex. Despite the fact that the god is still worshipped, the temple at Gangaikondacholapuram is more an incredible archeological site than a religious one. It will take at any rate a large portion of a day to arrive and back.'

Rare Facts

The Gangaikonda Cholapuram Temple Is a definite reproduction of the Tanjor Brihadeeshwara Temple and is famous for having the greatest Shivalingam in the Southern piece of India. This celebrated enticing temple remains beside the popular Brihadisvara temple at Tanjore. Gangaikonda Cholapuram has been viewed as the generation of Brihadisvara Temple that was been manufactured by Rajaraja Chola, father of Rajendra Chola. Gangai Konda Cholapuram was raised to regard his dad.

Significance

People approach this temple with prayers for salvation, wealth, relief from infections, purchase of vehicles and to gain knowledge.

Festival

Maha Shivrathri in February-March; Aipasi Poornima-full moon day in October-November; Panguni Utsav in March-April and Margazhi Tiruvadhirai in December-January are the festivals celebrated in the temple.

Opening Time

The temple is open from 6.00 a.m. to 12.00 a.m. and 4.00 p.m. to 8.00 pm.

Prasad and Offering

Devotees pray to Mother Durga for wedding, child boons, for promotion in jobs, transfers to a place of choice offering archanas. Upon fulfilling their wishes, devotees offer 25 meter long dhoti with a 14 ft. garland to Lord and 9 yards Sari to mother.

Accessibility

The Gangaikonda Cholapuram is 35 Kms far from Kumbakonam on the Chennai road. The closest railway station is in Ariyalur, and the closest airport is in Chennai.

Address

Sri Bragadeeswarar Temple,
Gangaikonda Chola Puram,
Ariyalur district.