Raja Raja Chola's contribution to india's pride

Raja Raja Chola's Contribution to India's Pride

V. Shanmuganathan

One thousand years ago, Great Emperor, Raja Raja Chola, built a temple
dedicated to Lord Shiva in Tamil Nadu. It=92s millennium celebrations
are going on in Tanjore.

Tamil Nadu government is organising a five day cultural festival
involving thousands of artists to commemorate its consecration.
Thousand folk artists are participating in the cultural functions. A
host of events including special exhibition, cultural shows, seminars
and deliberations are being organised to mark the occassion. To this
day, the Big temple is a remainder of our great culture, art,
architecture, religion and language.

The construction work of the temple begun in 1003 A.D. and completed
six years later, during the reign of the renowned emperor Raja Raja
Chola. The unique archaeological feature of the temple is that the
Vimana. It is 216 feet tall. The topmost stone weighing about eighty
tons was dragged on to the top through a slope path from a distant
Village, called =91Sarapallam=92. The Vimana of this temple, which rises
over the sanctum on a square base of about a hundred feet, dominates
the whole structure. The shadow never falls on the ground.

A gigantic stone "Lingam" in sanctum sanctorium, gives darshan to
lakhs of people. This main deity is called as Sri Brihadeeshwara, the
Lord of universe.

The distinct feature of this temple is the magnificient construction
of the monolithic Nandi, the bull which lord Shiva rides, located in
front of the temple tower.

The shrine of goddess Brihanayaki, Ganapati, Subrmanya, Dakshinamurty,
Nataraja are all finest examples of true devotion, dedication, art and
architecture. The gigantic Dhwarapalakas, guardian deities of twelve
feet tall are situated at the entry point of the temple. Perhaps these
tallest statues can be seen only in Tanjore Temple. There is a
corridor surrounding the sanctum. This is the treasure house of Chola
painting and sculpture. The walls of this cave like corridor were
plastered with lime and used as a large canvas for the paintings. The
paintings, which have survived time and a seventeenth century coat of
paint, are very beautiful in detail and colour and accuracy.
Dakshinamurthy, Nataraja surrounded by saints are master pieces of
chola paintings. The story of Sundarmurthy nayanar reaching Kailash on
a white elephant is depicted on another wall. Karuvur Thevar, the Guru
of Raja Raja is portrayed in an impressive manner. While the
sculptures of Shiva in this corridor are imposing and colossal, the
series of eighty one dance poses are superb illustrations of the Natya
Sastra.

There is an interesting and popular story about the deep personal
interest that the King evinced in the construction of the temple. It
is said that one day, when the chief sculptor was deeply absorbed in
chiseling the huge Nandi, King Raja Raja Chola went and stood by his
side. The sculptor, thinking that it was his boy attendent standing by
his side ordered him to prepare a pan (betel leaf with araca nut and
lime). The king calmly obliged, folded a couple of betel leaves and
handed it over to the sculptor who received it without seeing the
hands that supplied them. Chewing the pan in his mouth, the sculptor
started uttering words of praise, appreciating the king who planned
this unique monument. Later he asked his attendant to bring the
spitton near him. The king silently obeyed. When the sculptor raised
his head after spitting the chewed betel leaves, he was terribly
shocked to see the great Raja Raja Chola standing in front of him
Immediately he touched the feet of the king with tears and made an
apology to the emperor, in a voice choked with emotion. The king, with
a smiling face, lifted him up and consoled him by telling that it was
a rare privilege for him to serve the sculptor whose hands chiseled
the sculptures of the magnificent temple. Raja Raja Chola, though a
worshiper of Shiva, at the same time, was tolerant to other religions.
He endowed and built temple of Maha Vishnu. He granted a village to
the Buiddhist Vihara at Nagappattinam.

Raja Raja Chola was not merely a patron of art and architecture but
also of literature. He has written many books He was courageous with
conviction.

He was an extra ordinarily powerful king and a grand monrch of
southern India. His army crossed the ocean by ships and conquered many
islands. His was a versatile personality. It is a matter of pride that
Tanjore temple attracted the appreciation of UNESCO for its art and
architecture. Brihadeeswara Temple, is the shining Jewel in the crown
of Bharatmata. Nodout, it is, Tamilnadu=92s contribution to the pride of
India. Let us all celebrate this one thousand years architectural
wonder.