Many distinctive features that we find in the architecture today developed throughout the long period of indian history. Sutherland the great living chola temples were built by powerful kings of the chola empire, which stretched across the southern india. Read this article to learn about the history of chola empire in india. The temple testifies the brilliant achievements of the chola rajakesafi architecture, sculpture, painting, the architect and engineer of the temple was raja raja rama as stated in inscriptions found at the temple. This era is frequently referred to as the chola period, after the dynasty that ruled from the region of the kaveri. Files are available under licenses specified on their description page. In this megaarticle, we shall discuss about the indian temple architecture and sculpture in detail.
Temple architecture in india ncert notes pdf download 1. The size of the temple was huge and the tower itself 190ft high. The temple architecture evolved from the early cave temples and monolith temples of mamallapuram to the kailasanatha and vaikuntaperumal temples of kanchipuram. Chola architecture represents a high watermark in the evolution of temple architecture. He constructed brihadiswara temple with huge architecture. About the book the encyclopaedia of indian temple architecture comprises a vast research on the architectural features of indian temples spread all over the indian subcontinent. The best example of chola temple architecture is the.
Rajendra chola built a temple at gangaikonda cholapuram which is also equally famous. Containing two separate sanctuaries one dedicated to sundareswara and the other to his consort, meenakshi, the temple is a massive structure and is enclosed by four walls with four large gopurams. Pdf the art and architectures along the tamil nadu coast. Built on a scale appropriate enough to house the presiding deity, sri brihadeesvara, or the lord of the universe, the temple continues to excite wonder at its many unique architectural features and living presence as a centre of saiva devotion. The chola school of art also spread to southeast asia and influenced the architecture and art of southeast asia. Thanjavur, gangaikondacholapuram and darasuram on 22nd april 1010, the 25th regnal year of the chola king arunmolivarmanbetter known by his title rajaraja, the king of kingsinstalled a goldplated potfinial on the summit of a monumental new temple in the city of thanjavur, consecrating one of the grandest temples ever built in india. Place where great illustrous tamil emperor raja raja chozhan. Among the kings of chola dynasty, rajaraja chola was a great ruler, who gave the great boost to the chola sculptures and architecture. Chola art and style of architecture india the destiny. D the son of sundara chola parantakaaii and vanavanmahadevi built this magnificent temple named brihadisvaram at tanjore the capital of chola dynasty. It literally means wombhouse and is a cave like sanctum. Upsc questions related to the topic culture are not so easy to prepare. Pdf cholas, pandyas, and imperial temple culture in medieval.
So we have chola bronzes and chola temples and the establishment by the cholas of a royal siva cult which was, in burton steins words, the keystone of. The main reason being lack of quality study materials which explain the same in simple language. It was commissioned by parantaka chola ii or one of his feudatories. Let us now turn to a region where the north indian style of temple architecture developed in an interesting direction. It consists primarily of temples with pyramid shaped towers and are constructed of sandstone, soapstone or granite. Middle chola temples rajaraja i to kulottunga i ignca. The gallery has images conveying the beauty and grandeur of the chola temples. The great living chola temples were built by kings of the chola empire, which stretched over all of south india and the neighbouring islands. More than 100 temples of the chola period are preserved. The chola temple architecture has been appreciated for its magnificence as well as delicate workmanship. Temple architecture and sculpture hindu, buddhist and. Its founders, administration and socioeconomic life during the rule of chola empire.
Gangaikonda cholapuram temple is known for its architectural work of genius. The art and architectures along the tamil nadu coast. This post is a part of the indian culture compilation based on the ncert text book an introduction to indian art part 1. Temple architecture in india ncert notes pdf download. The temple shiva at gangaikonda cholapuram built by rajendra 1 chola 1018 to 1033 a.
This chola temple is bigger than any of the previous pallava, chalukya or pandya structures. Chola architecture brihadeeswara temple thanjavur ad the brihadeeswara temple at tanjavur was. Muvarkovil, pudukkottai muvarkovil literally means temple of three. The great living chola temples is a unesco world heritage site designation for a group of chola dynasty era hindu temples in the indian state of tamil nadu. Yazhi is a recurring pattern and unique feature of chola architecture. It is only after this date that each began to evolve in its own different direction.
The site includes three great 11th and 12thcentury temples. The magnificent siva temple of thanjavur built by raja raja i. The original chola paintings, so far brought to surface, are mainly in the corridors of the ambulatory around the sanctum. The muktesvara temple the muktesvara temple is regarded as a gem of orissan architecture. Thanjavur chola temples brihadisvara temple gangaikondacholapuram airavatesvara temple darasuram temple architecture temple sculptures. Great living chola temples unesco world heritage centre. It is the greatest step taken by rajaraja chola in the evolution of temple architecture in the south. Thanjavur temple, big temple thanjavur, thanjavur tour packages, tanjore temple architecture, places to visit in thanjavur thanjavur brihadeeswara temple is the best tour place to visit in thanjavuur which is one of indias most prized temples architectural. Gangaikondan cholapuram temple is another such example. In this article, we shall see the details of the chola temple architecture, which is an important part of dravidian temple architecture. Chola period are in a good state of preservation, and many. The base of this temple has the sculpted mythical animals yazhi. Cholan craftsmenship extended beyond temple architecture to include bronze image making.
The meenakshi temple at madurai built by the nayak rulers is the most beautiful example of 17th century style of temple architecture. From the epigraphical evidence it is known about rajarajai started. The brihadeshwara temple rajrajeshwara temple at tanjore is classic example of dravida style of architecture under chola empire. The khajuraho shikhara like those of most northern temples is curvilinear but differs from the types of orissa. Gone gopinatha rao 1910 nilakantha l eslie c orr 109 cholas, pandyas, a nd i mperial temple culture in m. The chola dynasty administration, art, architecture. Gangaikonda cholapuram brihadisvara temple source in the calm district of ariyalur, in tamil nadu, another of the great living chola temples, gangaikonda cholapuram brihadisvara temple is located. Dravidian style of architecture reached its zenith under the chola kings. The first seeds of dravidian temple architecture in tamil nadu were possibly sown during this period. This encyclopaedic study is divided into forty five chapters which delineate the various characteristics of temple architecture starting from the gupta period 4th c. The magnificent siva temple of thanjavur, completed around 1009, is a fitting memorial to the material achievements of the time of rajaraja. King rajendra chola added credit to the chola art and architecture.
Massive grandeur and huge structures decorated with minute sculptures are characteristics of chola art. Chera chola pandya history in tamil pdf download 156c1n. The brihadeesvara temple stands as a supreme example of chola architecture. Tn scert school text books online pdf free download class 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th std 5th, 4th, 3rd, 2nd, 1st. Madura style or the art and architecture of the nayaks.
Architecture is an important area inside the culture topic. Chola temple architecture is an important part of dravidian temple architecture. Further, unlike in south india it does not usually have elaborate boundary walls or. It is the largest and tallest of all indian temples. Encyclopaedia of indian temple architecture set of 3 volumes. Even though the original chola kingdom was based on the alluvial delta plains of the river kaveri. Chola, temple, architecture collection opensource language english. In the earliest temples, it was a small cubical structure with a single entrance. Cholan temple architectures hallmark is the vimana tower surrounded by a richly ornamented gopuram gateway constructed out of granite stones. Middle chola temples rajaraja i to kulottunga i ad 985 1070. They are on the south, north and western walls of the sanctum. Chola architecture 900 1150 ad prepared by roopa chikkalgi. The standard type of khajuraho temple contains a shrine room or sanctuary, an assembly hall and an entrance portico. In whatever sphere, whether of social institutions, religion, or the arts, the.
This temple was constructed by shri rajendra chola, the son of sri raja rajeshwara. This great living chola temple was a result of a dream that raja raja chola had while visiting sri lanka. The style of temple architecture that became popular in northern india is known as nagara. It is a located at thanjavur tanjore in tamil nadu, in the early 11th century, the temple got built by rajendra chola, who was the son and successor of rajaraja chola. This was a commemorative temple constructed after the victory of the cholas over the gangas. Architecture the chitrolekha journal on art and design. This temple a saivite temple known as khandariyamahadeo was built about a.
At the same site, the king also constructed a lake like a tank that spreads over 22 km, which was also known as the jalmay vijaystambh literally meaning the victory. The maturity and grandeur to which the chola architecture had evolved found expression in the two temples of thanjavur and gangaikondacholapuram. The magnificent temple of brihadisvara at thanjavur is a splendorous jewel of indian temple art and architecture. Chola architecture 900 1150 adthe capital of the chola dynasty was the city of thanjavur from 836 1267 ad the great temple of thanjavur was founded by rajaraja i. In the previous articles we have discussed about the later mural traditions, post mauryan trends in indian art and architecture, arts of the mauryan period, arts of indus. Temple building received great impetus from the conquests and the genius of rajaraja chola and his son rajendra. The earliest and most remarkable evidence of indian architecture is found in the cities of the harappan civilization which boast of a unique town planning. Gangikonda cholapuram temple thanjavur, indian gangikonda. Pdf this study focuses on coastal regions of tamil nadu art and architecture.
Temple architecture south india pdf download culture notes dravidian architecture was an architectural idiom that emerged in the southern part of the indian subcontinent or south india. All structured data from the file and property namespaces is available under the creative commons cc0 license. Temple architecture south india pdf download culture notes. A lot of temples were constructed during the chola period.
Completed between early 11th and the 12th century ce, the monuments include the brihadisvara temple at thanjavur, the temple of gangaikonda cholapuram and the airavatesvara temple at darasuram. A low enclosure wall embellished with sculptured niches surrounds it. The temple construction and architecture is still a surprise to the present engineers. In north india it is common for an entire temple to be built on a stone platform with steps leading up to it. Conclusion an intoduction to cholas patronage the ascendancy of the south was due not solely to the power of the cholas but also to the fact that this period saw the crystallization of tamil culture. He was a great patron of tamil literature as during his reign the texts of the famous tamil poets. The cholas ruled the deccan and emerged victorious among many other kingdoms such as pallavas, pandyas, chalukyas, rashtrakutas. An imposing structure the temple is the finest creation of chola craftsmen. The cholas the founder of the chola empire was vijayalaya, who was first feudatory of the pallavas of kanchi. In later period maratta and nayaks rulers constructed various shrines and gopurams of the temple. Pallavas were the first recognisable south indian dynasty who indulged in the pursuit of architectural innovations.
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