Planning and Construction of the Temple

Rajaraja selected a site in Thanjavur called ‘Siriya Kottai’ (Small Fort) for the construction of the temple. This raised area of land was ideal as it afforded adequate open space for the envisioned large temple, provided a strong base with several layers of dense limestone and laterite, and the moat surrounding the fort supplied plenty of water from the nearby canal of Vadavaru.

Rajaraja commissioned Kunjaramallan to be the master architect (sthapati) to design and build the Brihadishwara temple. Kunjaramallan was a legendary figure, whose engineering expertise is credited with creating this lasting architectural marvel in the Kaveri delta's soft soil. Rajaraja was so pleased with his work that he gave him the title of Rajaraja Perunthachchan and had his name is inscribed as such on the temple walls. Other architects who contributed to the temple design include Kandaraditta Perunthachan and Nithavinoda Perunthachan.
 

The temple's construction is believed to have taken a mere seven years, from 1003 AD to 1010 AD, a feat accomplished by meticulous advance planning. Rajaraja had the temple plan, material sourcing, labor and every small detail sorted out ahead of time such that he was able to finish this spectacular architectural marvel in a such a short time span!
 

Rajaraja employed a vast workforce of skilled artisans, sculptors, and craftsmen. Groups of workers worked simultaneously in order to finish the temple in such a short period. Outer corridor work was given to his army chief Krishna Raman Mummudichola Brahmadirajan, while the Sthapati, Kunjaramallan, designed and supervised the building of the inner temple structures. Rajaraja also relied on Karuvur Siddhar, his mentor and spiritual guru, to lead the planning and supervise the construction of the temple.

 

It is said that during the building of the temple, crown prince Rajendra, a great warrior and administrator, took care of the kingdom, ensuring that his father had a peaceful time to focus on temple construction.
 

130,000 tons of granite that were used to build the temple were carefully selected and sourced from the famed granite quarries of Pudukkottai, approximately 62 km from Thanjavur. It is speculated that the Cholas used low, wheeled carts drawn by elephants to bring large stones to Thanjavur, where they were dressed and then carved to create the temple's intricate structure.

Rajaraja undertook the major part of the expense for building the temple, with funds coming from his various conquests. Other members of the royal family such as his sister Kundavai, courtiers, merchants and even the common people donated funds and labor for the temple’s construction. All these donations were recorded in the inscriptions that cover the walls of the temple. Skilled craftsmen, sculptors and carpenters contributed their time, often living at the temple site for several months or even years at a time. The townspeople fed and housed them and even laundered their clothes! One hairdresser stayed for 6 years and took care of workers’ needs, and Rajaraja in appreciation called him Rajaraja Perum Navidan!
 

The temple was consecrated on Saturday, April 22nd, 1010, in the month of Chitra, under the auspices of the Punarvasu star!

 

Among some of ingenious construction features are:

•The temple is renowned for its remarkable architecture, characterized by its towering vimana (temple tower) that is still one of the tallest of its kind in the world. The foundation supporting the 216-foot Vimana is only 5.5-foot deep, but the construction is such that the tower, built without mortar or concrete, has withstood at least 6 known major earthquakes (1807, 1816, 1864, 1866, and 1900) and has not shifted or inclined a single degree in over 1000 years. 

 

•: The temple is constructed in a precise square that is aligned to the position of the sun showcasing the Chola’s superior understanding of solar positioning. While many sources say that the shadow of the vimana never falls on the ground at noon at any time of the year, this has been proven to be a myth.

 

• The Vimana is topped with a single-piece, 80-ton, granite capstone that was raised to the top of the 216-foot tower without modern cranes. Historians conjecture that a 4-mile-long mud ramp was constructed to drag the stone up to the top of the tower.

 

• The primary deity, a Shiva Lingam (abstract representation of Shiva) is a monolithic statue 54-foot in circumference and 13-foot tall, made of black granite from Jabalpur, 1,100 miles from Thanjavur.

 

• The temple incorporates an integrated water management system that is designed to harvest rainwater from multiple locations such as the temple roofs and courtyard, and channel it through carved stone gutters and rainspouts to underground cisterns where it was stored for use in temple rituals. Rainwater from the underground cisterns was also diverted to the nearby Shivaganga Kulam (tank/pond) for use by the entire town. The temple’s 1000-year-old water management system is still functional today, providing fresh water for temple activities and thousands of visitors.