181-507: Brihadishvara Temple , called Rajarajesvaram ( lit. ' Lord of Rajaraja ' ) by its builder, and known locally as Thanjai Periya Kovil ( lit. ' Thanjavur Big Temple ' ) and Peruvudaiyar Kovil , is a Shaivite Hindu temple built in a Chola architectural style located on the south bank of the Cauvery river in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu , India. It is one of
362-419: A Meikeerthi , an inscription recording great accomplishments, follows: Hail Prosperity! In the 21st year of (the reign of) the illustrious Ko Raja Rajakesari Varma, alias the illustrious Rajaraja Deva, who, while both the goddess of fortune and the great goddess of the earth, who had become his exclusive property, gave him pleasure, was pleased to destroy the kalam at Kandalur and conquered by his army, which
543-531: A Buddhist monastery, was constructed in the 11th century CE in Nagapattinam . It was named Chudamani or Chulamani Vihara after King Sri Mara's father. The monastery was built by the Sailendra king of Srivijaya, Sri Mara Vijayattungavarman, with the support of Rajaraja I. According to the small Leyden grant, this Vihara was known as Rajaraja-perumpalli during the reign of Kulottunga I. Rajaraja dedicated
724-587: A fertility goddess is known. Jainism too was a prominent religion during this period. The kings of the dynasty were however secular and actively encouraged Jainism . One of the Badami Cave temples is dedicated to the Jain faith. Jain temples were also erected in the Aihole complex, the temple at Maguti being one such example. Ravikirti, the court poet of Pulakeshin II was a Jain. Queen Vinayavati consecrated
905-620: A 100 metres (330 ft) ahead is the inner courtyard gopuram called the Rajarajan tiruvasal . This is more decorated than the Keralantakan tiruvasal , such as with its adhishthanam relief work narrating scenes from the Puranas and other Hindu texts. The inner eastern gopuram leads to a vast courtyard, in which the shrines are all signed to east–west and north-west cardinal directions. The complex can be entered either on one axis through
1086-406: A 30.18 metres (99.0 ft) sided square. The tower is elaborately articulated with Pilaster , piers (a raised structure), and attached columns which are placed rhythmically covering every surface of the vimana. The temple is dedicated to Shiva in the form of a huge linga , his abstract aniconic representation. It is 29 feet (8.7 m) high, occupying two storeys of the sanctum. It is one of
1267-655: A Northern kingdom. The Badami Chalukya records themselves are silent with regards to the Ayodhya origin. While the northern origin theory has been dismissed by many historians, the epigraphist K. V. Ramesh has suggested that an earlier southern migration is a distinct possibility which needs examination. According to him, the complete absence of any inscriptional reference of their family connections to Ayodhya, and their subsequent Kannadiga identity may have been due to their earlier migration into present day Karnataka region where they achieved success as chieftains and kings. Hence,
1448-571: A brief period of Bhima's recapture of Kanchi in 1001 CE, Rajaraja swiftly restored Saktivarman to power, even expelling and eliminating an Andhra king named Bhima. Notably, Rajaraja cemented an alliance between the Chola Dynasty and the Eastern Chalukya kingdom by arranging the marriage of his daughter, Kundavai, to the next viceroy of Vengi, Vimaladitya. This strategic union ensured the future succession of Rajaraja's descendants to
1629-400: A bulbous structure, which is carved entirely from a single rock and weighs approximately 80 tons. At the entrance stands a sizable statue of Nandi, the sacred bull, carved from a single rock, measuring about 16 feet in length and 13 feet in height. The entire temple structure is crafted from granite, obtained from sources located approximately 60 kilometers to the west of the temple. This temple
1810-398: A cultural hub for two days beginning 26 September 2010 as street performers and dancers performed throughout the town. On 26 September 2010 (Big Temple's fifth day of millennium celebrations), as a recognition of Big Temple's contribution to the country's cultural, architectural, epigraphical history, a special ₹ 5 postage stamp featuring the 66 metres (216 ft) tall giant Raja Gopuram
1991-582: A daily basis. On the days of Hindu festivals, these meals were elaborate and when brahmins were particularly invited and fed. Built in the year 1010 CE by Chola emperor Rajaraja I in Thanjavur, the temple is popularly known as the Big Temple. It turned 1,000 years old in September 2010. To celebrate the 1000th year of the grand structure, the state government and the town held many cultural events. It
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#17327733457202172-480: A different standard compared to the coins of the northern kingdoms. The coins had Nagari and Kannada legends. The coins of Mangalesha had the symbol of a temple on the obverse and a 'sceptre between lamps' or a temple on the reverse. Pulakeshin II's coins had a caparisoned lion facing right on the obverse and a temple on the reverse. The coins weighed 4 grams and were called, in old-Kannada, hun (or honnu ) and had fractions such as fana (or fanam ) and
2353-585: A five-story gopuram or with a second access directly to the huge main quadrangle through a smaller free-standing gopuram. The gopuram of the main entrance is 30 m high, smaller than the vimana. The main temple-related monuments and the great tower is in the middle of this courtyard. Around the main temple that is dedicated to Shiva, are smaller shrines, most of which are aligned axially. These are dedicated to his consort Parvati , his sons Murugan and Ganesha , Nandi, Varahi , Karuvur deva (the guru of Rajaraja Chola), Chandeshvara and Nataraja. The Nandi mandapam has
2534-733: A further series of indecisive clashes. In 998 CE, Rajaraja annexed Gangapadi, Nolambapadi, and Tadigaipadi (present-day Karnataka). During this campaign, Raja Chola subdued the Nolambas, who were previously vassals of the Ganga dynasty. These territories were initially under the suzerainty of the Rashtrakutas, who had been defeated by the Western Chalukyas in 973 CE. Consequently, the Cholas found themselves in direct conflict with
2715-413: A method that preserves both paintings, a technique developed by Archaeological Survey of India. The frescoes narrate Hindu mythology. According to Balasubrahmanyam, most frescoes are related to Shiva, but the 11th century Chola frescoes also show Vishnu, Durga and others, as well as scenes of Chola royalty, courtly and common life. The later constructions, additions and modifications to the temple curtailed
2896-452: A miniature vimana . It has the inner wall together with the outer wall creating a path around the sanctum for circumambulation ( pradakshina ). The entrance is highly decorated. The inside chamber is the sanctum sanctorum, which houses the brihad linga. The main Vimana ( Shikhara ) is a massive 16 storeys tower of which 13 are tapering squares. It dominates the main quadrangle. It sits above
3077-400: A moat. It included gopura , the main temple, its massive tower, inscriptions, frescoes, and sculptures predominantly related to Shaivism , but also of Vaishnavism and Shaktism . The temple was damaged in its history and some artwork is now missing. Additional mandapam and monuments were added in the centuries that followed. The temple now stands amidst fortified walls that were added after
3258-418: A monolithic seated bull facing the sanctum. In between them are stairs leading to a columned porch and community gathering hall, then an inner mandapa connecting to the pradakshina patha , or circumambulation path. The Nandi (bull) facing the mukh-mandapam weighs about 25 tonnes. It is made of a single stone and is about 2 m in height, 6 m in length and 2.5 m in width. The image of Nandi is a monolithic one and
3439-564: A period of competing claims to the Chola throne, following his great-grandfather Parantaka I ’s reign. After Parantaka I, his elder son Gandaraditya became king. However, upon Gandaraditya's death, his son Madhurantakan was still a minor, so the throne passed to Parantaka I’s younger son, Arinjaya . Arinjaya soon died, and his son Parantaka II (Sundara Chola) succeeded him. It was decided that Sundara Chola would be succeeded by Madhurantakan , likely due to Sundara's preference. However, according to
3620-593: A poet named Vijayanaka who describes herself as the "dark Sarasvati " have been preserved. It is possible that she may have been a queen of prince Chandraditya (a son of Pulakeshin II). Famous writers in Sanskrit from the Western Chalukya period are Vijnaneshwara who achieved fame by writing Mitakshara , a book on Hindu law, and King Someshvara III , a noted scholar, who compiled an encyclopaedia of all arts and sciences called Manasollasa . From
3801-588: A probable Pandyan king, two of Nayaka rulers namely, Achyutappa Nayaka and Mallapa Nayaka. An inscription on the north wall of enclosure, dated 1011 CE, gives a detailed accounts of people employed and supported by the temple. The inscription gives their wages, roles and names. It includes over 600 names including those of priests , lamp lighters, washermen, tailors , jewelers , potters , carpenters , sacred parasol bearers, dance gurus, dancing girls , singers , male and female musicians , superintendents of performance artists, accountants among others. Their wages
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#17327733457203982-412: A project of land survey and assessment in 1000 CE which led to the reorganization of the empire into units known as valanadus. From the reign of Rajaraja I until the reign of Vikrama Chola in 1133 CE, the hereditary lords and local princes were either replaced or turned into dependent officials. This led to the king exercising closer control over the different parts of the empire. Rajaraja strengthened
4163-442: A representation of Chola hegemony and religious fervor. The transformation of Mahatirtha into Rajarajapura, in homage to the Chola sovereign, further underscores the symbolic and cultural import of the Chola conquest of Anuradhapura and their subsequent governance in the northern expanse of Sri Lanka. The Thiruvalangadu Plates directly compare Raja Raja's campaign to the invasion of Lanka by the legendary hero Rama: "Rama built with
4344-590: A separate pavilion. The temple walls have numerous inscriptions in Tamil and Grantha scripts. Many of these begin with customary Sanskrit and Tamil language historical introduction to the king who authorized it, and predominant number of them discuss gifts to the temple or temple personnel, in some cases residents of the city. The temple complex has sixty four inscriptions of Rajaraja Chola I , twenty nine inscriptions of Rajendra Chola I , one each of Vikrama Chola , Kulottunga I and Rajamahendra ( Rajendra II ), three of
4525-558: A single collection known as the Thirumurai. This earned him the title of 'Thirumurai Kanda Cholar,' meaning The One Who Found Thirumurai. He initiated a project of land survey and assessment in 1000 CE which led to the reorganisation of Tamil country into individual units known as valanadus . Rajaraja died in 1014 CE, and was succeeded by his son Rajendra Chola I. Rajaraja was the son of Chola King Parantaka II , also known as Sundara Chola, and Queen Vanavan Mahadevi. As recorded in
4706-511: A temple for the Trimurti ("Hindu trinity") at Badami. Sculptures of the Trimurti, Harihara (half Vishnu, half Shiva) and Ardhanarishwara (half Shiva, half woman) provide ample evidence of their tolerance. Buddhism was on a decline, having made its ingress into Southeast Asia. This is confirmed by the writings of Hiuen-Tsiang. Badami, Aihole, Kurtukoti and Puligere (modern Lakshmeshwar in
4887-567: A vast empire, the Chalukyan workshops concentrated most of their temple building activity in a relatively small area within the Chalukyan heartland – Aihole , Badami , Pattadakal and Mahakuta in modern Karnataka state. Their temple building activity can be categorised into three phases. The early phase began in the last quarter of the 6th century and resulted in many cave temples, prominent among which are three elementary cave temples at Aihole (one Vedic , one Jain and one Buddhist which
5068-482: A water moat around it. This has been filled up. The fortified wall now runs around this moat. The two walls have ornate gateways called the gopurams. These are made from stone and display entablature. The main gateways are on the east side. The first one is called the Keralantakan tiruvasal , which means the "sacred gate of the Keralantakan". The word Keralantakan was the surname of king Rajaraja who built it. About
5249-529: Is a celebration of the achievements of the Chalukyas in the realm of art, craft, music and dance. The program, which starts at Pattadakal and ends in Aihole, is inaugurated by the Chief Minister of Karnataka . Singers, dancers, poets and other artists from all over the country take part in this event. In the 26 February 2006 celebration, 400 art troupes took part in the festivities. Colorful cutouts of
5430-466: Is almost two stacked squares, covering 240.79 metres (790.0 ft) east to west, and 121.92 metres (400.0 ft) north to south. In this space are five main sections: the sanctum with the towering superstructure ( sri vimana ), the Nandi hall in front ( Nandi- mandapam ) and in between these the main community hall ( mukhamandapam ), the great gathering hall ( mahamandapam ) and the pavilion that connects
5611-592: Is an example of Dravidian architecture of the Chola period . Along with Gangaikonda Cholapuram temple and Airavatesvara temple , Brihadisvara is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the " Great Living Chola Temples ". The temple tower, called the vimanam , stands at a remarkable height of 216 feet (66 meters), making it the tallest in the world. At the very top sits the Kumbam,
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5792-701: Is incomplete), followed by four developed cave temples at Badami (of which cave 3, a Vaishnava temple, is dated accurately to 578 CE). These cave temples at Badami are similar, in that, each has a plain exterior but an exceptionally well finished interior consisting of a pillared verandah , a columned hall ( mantapa ) and a cella (shrine, cut deep into rock) which contains the deity of worship. In Badami, three caves temples are Vedic and one in Jain. The Vedic temples contain large well sculpted images of Harihara , Mahishasuramardhini , Varaha , Narasimha , Trivikrama, Vishnu seated on Anantha (the snake) and Nataraja (dancing Shiva ). The second phase of temple building
5973-577: Is intricately carved, and mural paintings. The ground floor level sanctum walls have the following sculptures: On the second floor, Shiva's Tripurantaka form in different postures is depicted corresponding to these sculptures. Above these floors, the sri-vimana towers above in thirteen storeys ( talas ). Above these storeys is a single square block of granite weight 80 tons, and 7.77 metres (25.5 ft) side. On top of this block, at its corners are Nandi pairs each about 1.98 metres (6 ft 6 in) by 1.68 metres (5 ft 6 in) in dimension. Above
6154-489: Is located in the city of Thanjavur , about 350 kilometres (220 mi) southwest of Chennai . The city is connected daily to other major cities by the network of Indian Railways, Tamil Nadu bus services and the National Highways 67 , 45C , 226 and 226 Extn . The nearest airport with regular services is Tiruchirappalli International Airport (IATA: TRZ), about 55 kilometres (34 mi) away. The city and
6335-652: Is one of the largest in the country. As a world heritage monument, the temple and the premises comes under the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) which falls under the Ministry of Culture of the Government of India, to ensure safety, preservation and restoration. The surrounding facilities have been upgraded to create an ambience worthy of the grandeur of this ancient marvel with lighting, signage and facilities for devotees and visitors. The lighting of
6516-531: Is one of the most visited tourist attractions in Tamil Nadu . Rajaraja Chola , who commissioned the temple, called it Rajarajeshvaram (Rajarājeśvaram), literally "the temple of the god of Rajaraja". A later inscription in the Brihannayaki shrine calls the temple's deity Periya Udaiya Nayanar, which appears to be the source of the modern names Brihadisvara and Peruvudaiyar Kovil. The Peruvudaiyar Temple
6697-568: Is one of the most visited tourist attractions in Tamil Nadu . The temple was declared as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO , along with the Brihadeeswara Temple at Gangaikondacholapuram and Airavatesvara temple at Darasuram that are referred as the Great Living Chola Temples . These three temples have similarities, but each has unique design and sculptural elements. All of the three temples were built by
6878-485: Is presumed Pulakeshin II, "the great hero", died fighting. The Badami Chalukya dynasty went into a brief decline following the death of Pulakeshin II due to internal feuds when Badami was occupied by the Pallavas for a period of thirteen years. It recovered during the reign of Vikramaditya I , who succeeded in pushing the Pallavas out of Badami and restoring order to the empire. Vikramaditya I took
7059-541: Is repeated by his court poet Bilhana, who claims that the first member of the family, "Chalukya", was so named as he was born in the "hollow of the hands" of God Brahma . Some genealogical accounts point to an Ayodhya origin and claim that the Chalukyas belonged to the Solar dynasty . According to a theory put forward by Lewis, the Chalukya were descendants of the " Seleukia " tribe of Iraq and that their conflict with
7240-714: Is said to have authored the Prabhrita , and Srivaradhadeva (also called Tumubuluracharya, 650 or earlier), the possible author of the Chudamani ("Crest Jewel"), a lengthy commentary on logic . The rule of the Western and Eastern Chalukyas, however, is a major event in the history of Kannada and Telugu literatures respectively. By the 9th–10th centuries, Kannada language had already seen some of its most notable writers. The "three gems" of Kannada literature , Adikavi Pampa , Sri Ponna and Ranna belonged to this period. In
7421-519: Is seen clearly in the field of architecture. The Chalukyas spawned the Vesara style of architecture which includes elements of the northern nagara and southern dravida styles. During this period, the expanding Sanskritic culture mingled with local Dravidian vernaculars which were already popular. Dravidian languages maintain these influences even today. This influence helped to enrich literature in these languages. The Hindu legal system owes much to
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7602-949: Is similar to the Dasagrama unit used by the Kadambas . At the lower levels of administration, the Kadamba style prevailed fully. The Sanjan plates of Vikramaditya I even mentions a land unit called Dasagrama . In addition to imperial provinces, there were autonomous regions ruled by feudatories such as the Alupas, the Gangas , the Banas and the Sendrakas. Local assemblies and guilds looked after local issues. Groups of mahajanas (learned brahmins ) looked after agraharas (called ghatika or "place of higher learning") such as at Badami which
7783-503: Is that the founders of the empire at Badami were native to the modern Karnataka region. A theory that they were descendants of a 2nd-century chieftain called Kandachaliki Remmanaka, a feudatory of the Andhra Ikshvaku (from an Ikshvaku inscription of the 2nd century) was put forward. This according to Kamath has failed to explain the difference in lineage. The Kandachaliki feudatory call themselves Vashisthiputras of
7964-464: Is unclear why these were not carved. The 81 postures carved suggest the significance of this classical Indian dance form by early 11th century. The garbhagriha is square and sits on a plinth . This is moulded and 0.5 metres (1 ft 8 in) thick. It consists of upapitham and adhishthanam , respectively 140 cm and 360 cm thick. The two mandapa, namely maha-mandapa and mukha-mandapa , are square plan structures axially aligned between
8145-482: Is unknown. He had his first daughter Kundavai with Lokamadev who eventually married Chalukya prince Vimaladithan. Rajaraja had two other daughters. . Rajaraja died in 1014 CE in the Tamil month of Maka and was succeeded by Rajendra Chola I. Before the reign of Rajaraja I, portions of the Chola territory were ruled by hereditary lords and princes who were in a loose alliance with the Chola rulers. Rajaraja initiated
8326-522: Is widely renowned as one of the premier tourist attractions in Tamil Nadu . Prior to Rajaraja's reign, Chola coins featured the tiger emblem on the obverse, along with the fish and bow emblems representing the Pandya and Chera Dynasties, while the reverse side displayed the name of the King. However, a new type of coin emerged during Rajaraja's rule. These new coins showcased the figure of the standing king on
8507-557: The Varaha the Chalukya emblem, Satyashraya Pulakeshin (Pulakeshin II), famous sculptural masterpieces such as Durga , Mahishasuramardhini (Durga killing demon Mahishasura ) were present everywhere. The program at Pattadakal is named Anivaritacharigund vedike after the famous architect of the Virupaksha temple, Gundan Anivaritachari . At Badami it is called Chalukya Vijayambika Vedike and at Aihole, Ravikirti Vedike after
8688-708: The 16th century . Built using granite, the vimana tower above the shrine is one of the tallest in South India. The temple has a massive colonnaded prakara (corridor) and one of the largest Shiva lingas in India. It is also famed for the quality of its sculpture, as well as being the location that commissioned the brass Nataraja , Shiva as the lord of dance, in the 11th century. The complex includes shrines for Nandi , Parvati , Murugan , Ganesha , Sabhapati, Dakshinamurti , Chandeshvara , Varahi , Thiyagarajar of Thiruvarur, Siddhar Karuvoorar and others. The temple
8869-472: The Chola kingdom. Choda Bhima's invasion of Tondaimandalam, a Chola territory, and his subsequent death on the battlefield opened up a new era in Chola–Chalukya relations. Saktivarman I, the elder son of Danarnava was crowned as the ruler of Vengi in 1000, though under the control of king Rajaraja Chola I . This new relationship between the Cholas and the coastal Andhra kingdom was unacceptable to
9050-473: The Gadag district ) were primary places of learning. The Hindu caste system was present and devadasis were recognised by the government. Some kings had concubines ( ganikas ) who were given much respect, and Sati was perhaps absent since widows like Vinayavathi and Vijayanka are mentioned in records. Devadasis were however present in temples. Sage Bharata 's Natyashastra , the precursor to Bharatanatyam ,
9231-576: The Hiranyakagotra . The Chalukyas, however, address themselves as Harithiputras of Manavyasagotra in their inscriptions, which is the same lineage as their early overlords, the Kadambas of Banavasi. This makes them descendants of the Kadambas. The Chalukyas took control of the territory formerly ruled by the Kadambas. A later record of Eastern Chalukyas mentions the northern origin theory and claims one ruler of Ayodhya came south, defeated
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#17327733457209412-614: The Hoysalas . The invasion of the kingdom of Kalinga occurred after the conquest of Vengi. This conquest marked the northern boundary of the Chola Empire at that time and established their control over the entirety of South and South-East India. In multiple historical accounts, there are mentions of King Rajaraja's conquest of a place called "Kuda-malai-nadu" around the year 1000 CE. In certain inscriptions found in Karnataka,
9593-938: The Karnata dravida tradition. The most notable of the many buildings dating from this period are the Mahadeva Temple at Itagi in the Koppal district , the Kasivisvesvara Temple at Lakkundi in the Gadag district , the Mallikarjuna Temple at Kuruvatti, and the Kallesvara Temple at Bagali, both in the Davangere district . Other notable constructions are the Dodda Basappa Temple at Dambal (Gadag district),
9774-589: The Mahakuta Pillar inscription of Mangalesha (595) and the Aihole inscription of Pulakeshin II (634) are examples of important Sanskrit inscriptions written in old Kannada script . The reign of the Chalukyas saw the arrival of Kannada as the predominant language of inscriptions along with Sanskrit, in areas of the Indian peninsula outside what is known as Tamilakam (Tamil country). Several coins of
9955-481: The Malaprabha river basin in modern Bagalkot district of northern Karnataka. The building material they used was a reddish-golden Sandstone found locally. These cave temples are basically excavations, cut out of the living rock sites they occupy. They were not built as their structural counterparts were, rather created by a special technique known as "subtraction" and are basically sculptural. Though they ruled
10136-848: The Maldives in the Indian Ocean . His conquests weren't limited to the south; he also launched successful campaigns against the Western Gangas and the Western Chalukyas , extending Chola authority as far as the Tungabhadra River . In the east, Rajaraja faced fierce opposition from the Telugu Chola king Jata Choda Bhima over control of Vengi . This region held significant strategic importance due to its access to resources and trade routes. The conflict between
10317-546: The Pallava of Kanchi was, but a continuation of the conflict between ancient Seleukia and " Parthians ", the proposed ancestors of Pallavas . However, this theory has been rejected by Kamath as it seeks to build lineages based simply on similar-sounding clan names. The Chalukyas ruled over the Deccan plateau in India for over 600 years. During this period, they ruled as three closely related, but individual dynasties. These are
10498-589: The Siddhesvara Temple at Haveri ( Haveri district ), and the Amrtesvara Temple at Annigeri ( Dharwad district ). The Eastern Chalukyas built some fine temples at Alampur, in modern eastern Andhra Pradesh. The Aihole inscription of Pulakeshin II (634) written by his court poet Ravikirti in Sanskrit language and Kannada script is considered as a classical piece of poetry. A few verses of
10679-522: The Thiruvalangadu copper-plate inscription, his birth name was Arun Mozhi Varman, meaning “The Word of Sun Clan.” He was born around 947 CE during the Tamil month of Aipassi , under the Sadhayam star. The Government of Tamil Nadu recognizes his birthdate as 3 November 947. Rajaraja had an elder brother, Aditha II , and an elder sister, Kundavai . Rajaraja's accession marked the end of
10860-409: The Thiruvalangadu inscription of Rajaraja’s son, Rajendra I , the succession plan may have been made by Rajaraja himself. Aditha II died under mysterious circumstances, with inscriptions suggesting he may have been assassinated. Shortly afterward, Sundara Chola also passed away, enabling Madhurantakan to assume the throne with the title Uttama Chola. Following Uttama Chola’s death, Rajaraja ascended
11041-573: The Tirumurai . In his work Nambiyandar Nambi Puranam alias Tirumurai Kanda Puranam , Nambi identifies his patron as Rasarasamannan-Abhayakula-sekharan , that is king Rajaraja, the best of the race of Abhaya . At that time, Shiva temples only had images of god forms, but after the advent of Rajaraja, the images of the Nayanar saints were also placed inside the temple. Nambi organized the hymns of three saint poets—Sambandar, Appar, and Sundarar—as
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#173277334572011222-436: The Vishnukundina kingdom. He appointed his brother Kubja Vishnuvardhana as Viceroy in 621. Thus the Eastern Chalukyas were originally of Kannada stock. After the death of Pulakeshin II, the Vengi Viceroyalty developed into an independent kingdom and included the region between Nellore and Visakhapatnam . After the decline of the Badami Chalukya empire in the mid-8th century, territorial disputes flared up between
11403-556: The largest Hindu temples and an exemplar of Tamil architecture . It is also called Dakshina Meru ( Meru of the South ). Built by Chola emperor Rajaraja I between 1003 and 1010 CE, the temple is a part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the " Great Living Chola Temples ", along with the Chola-era Gangaikonda Cholapuram temple and Airavatesvara temple , which are about 70 kilometres (43 mi) and 40 kilometres (25 mi) to its northeast respectively. The original monuments of this 11th-century temple were built around
11584-581: The quarter fana (the modern day Kannada equivalent being hana – which literally means "money"). A gold coin called gadyana is mentioned in a record at the Vijayeshwara Temple at Pattadakal , which later came to be known as varaha (their royal emblem). Both Shaivism and Vaishnavism flourished during the Badami Chalukya period, though it seems the former was more popular. Famous temples were built in places such as Pattadakal, Aihole and Mahakuta, and priests ( archakas ) were invited from northern India. Vedic sacrifices, religious vows ( vrata ) and
11765-427: The "Chalukyas of Badami" (also called "Early Chalukyas"), who ruled between the 6th and the 8th century, and the two sibling dynasties, the "Chalukyas of Kalyani" (also called Western Chalukyas or "Later Chalukyas") and the "Chalukyas of Vengi" (also called Eastern Chalukyas ). In the 6th century, with the decline of the Gupta dynasty and their immediate successors in northern India, major changes began to happen in
11946-471: The 11th century, Telugu literature was born under the patronage of the Eastern Chalukyas with Nannaya Bhatta as its first writer. The army was well organised and this was the reason for Pulakeshin II's success beyond the Vindyas. It consisted of an infantry, a cavalry, an elephant corps and a powerful navy. The Chinese traveller Hiuen-Tsiang wrote that the Chalukyan army had hundreds of elephants which were intoxicated with liquor prior to battle. It
12127-465: The 12th book. The initial seven books were later recognized as Tevaram. With the addition of Sekkizhar's Periya Puranam (1135) as the twelfth book, the entire Saiva canon became known as Tirumurai, the holy scripture. Consequently, Saiva literature now encompasses approximately 600 years of religious, philosophical, and literary development. There are no existing contemporary portraits or statues of Rajaraja. The bronze figure purportedly depicting him at
12308-415: The 16th and 17th-century Nayaka era. Similarly the Dakshinamurti shrine was built later. It was well maintained by Marathas of Thanjavur. The Peruvudaiyar temple's plan and development utilizes the axial and symmetrical geometry rules. It is classified as Perunkoil (also called Madakkoil), a big temple built on a higher platform of a natural or man-made mounds. The temple complex is a rectangle that
12489-403: The 8th century and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site , marks the culmination and mature phase of Badami Chalukyan architecture. The Bhutanatha group of temples at Badami are also from this period. There are ten temples at Pattadakal, six in southern dravida style and four in the northern nagara style. Well known among these are the Sangamesvara Temple (725), the Virupaksha Temple (740–745) and
12670-413: The 9th century Rashtrakuta court found eager patronage from the Western Chalukyas in the Jain and Veerashaiva traditions. The 11th century saw the patronage of Telugu literature under the Eastern Chalukyas . While opinions vary regarding the early origins of the Chalukyas, the consensus among noted historians such as John Keay , D.C. Sircar , Hans Raj, S. Sen, Kamath , K. V. Ramesh and Karmarkar
12851-461: The Association of Bharatanatyam Artistes of India (ABHAI) and the Brhan Natyanjali Trust, Thanjavur. To mark the 1000th anniversary of the building, 1,000 dancers from New Delhi, Mumbai , Pune , Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka , Kerala, Singapore, Malaysia and the US danced in concert to the recorded 11 verses of divine music Thiruvisaippa (ninth volume of Thirumurai ) composed by Karuvur deva (the guru of Rajaraja). The small town turned into
13032-691: The Badami Chalukyas with Kannada legends have been found. All this indicates that Kannada language flourished during this period. Travelogues of contemporary foreign travellers have provided useful information about the Chalukyan empire. The Chinese traveller Xuanzang had visited the court of Pulakeshin II . At the time of this visit, as mentioned in the Aihole record, Pulakeshin II had divided his empire into three Maharashtrakas or great provinces comprising 99,000 villages each. This empire possibly covered present day Karnataka , Maharashtra and coastal Konkan . Xuanzang, impressed with
13213-817: The Brihadeeswara temple. Tamil groups have been unsuccessfully petitioning the Tamil Nadu government to revoke these rights as he is not of Chola or Tamil lineage. According to one of the protesters, who also happens to be the coordinator of the Big Temple Rights Retrieval Committee, Babaji Bhonsle is also not the legal heir of the Maratha kings of Thanjavur. The temple features many sculptures, reliefs and murals: Rajaraja I Rajaraja I ( Middle Tamil : Rājarāja Cōḻaṉ ; Classical Sanskrit : Rājarāja Śōḷa ; 3 November 947 – January/February 1014), also known as Rajaraja
13394-583: The British Indian court system. It was during the Western Chalukya rule that the Bhakti movement gained momentum in South India, in the form of Ramanujacharya and Basavanna , later spreading into northern India. A celebration called Chalukya utsava , a three-day festival of music and dance, organised by the Government of Karnataka , is held every year at Pattadakal, Badami and Aihole. The event
13575-591: The Chalukya king Pulakeshin II was war-like and loved "military arts", because he was a Kshatriya by birth. The historians Jan Houben and Kamath, and the epigraphist D.C. Sircar note the Badami Chalukya inscriptions are in Kannada and Sanskrit . According to the historian N. L. Rao, their inscriptions call them Karnatas and their names use indigenous Kannada titles such as Priyagallam and Noduttagelvom . The names of some Chalukya princes end with
13756-528: The Chalukya rule in the western Deccan and recovered most of the Chalukya empire. The Western Chalukyas ruled for over 200 years and were in constant conflict with the Cholas , and with their cousins, the Eastern Chalukyas of Vengi. Vikramaditya VI is widely considered the most notable ruler of the dynasty. Starting from the very beginning of his reign, which lasted fifty years, he abolished
13937-573: The Chalukyas maintained close family and marital relationships. Pulakeshin II extended the Chalukya Empire up to the northern extents of the Pallava kingdom and halted the southward march of Harsha by defeating him on the banks of the river Narmada . He then defeated the Vishnukundins in the south-eastern Deccan. Pallava Narasimhavarman however reversed this victory in 642 by attacking and occupying Badami temporarily. It
14118-490: The Chalukyas. An inscription of Irivabedanga Satyashraya from Dharwar describes him as a vassal of the Western Chalukyas and acknowledges the Chola onslaught. An inscription attributed to Irivabedanga Satyashraya from Dharwar acknowledges his allegiance to the Western Chalukyas and highlights the Chola incursion. He accuses Rajendra Chola of leading a massive force of 955,000 soldiers and causing havoc in Donuwara, blurring
14299-610: The Chola control over trade with Southeast Asia and with Arabia and eastern Africa. These were the transit areas, ports of call for the Arab traders and ships to Southeast Asia and China, which were the source of the valuable spices sold at a high profit to Europe." One of the last conquests of Rajaraja was the naval conquest of the islands of Maldives ("the Ancient Islands of the Sea Numbering 1200"). The naval campaign
14480-533: The Chola empire emerged features such as the multifaceted columns with projecting square capitals . This, states George Michell, signaled the start of the new Chola style. This South Indian style is most fully realized both in scale and detail in the Brihadeshwara temple built between 1003 and 1010 by the Chola king Rajaraja I . The main temple along with its gopurams is from the early 11th century. The temple also saw additions, renovations, and repairs over
14661-545: The Chola navy, or possibly a joint operation involving both the navy and the army. Rajaraja's inscriptions begin to appear in Kanyakumari district in the 990s and in Thiruvananthapuram district in the early 1000s. The Chola subjugation of Kerala can be dated to the early years of the 11th century. The Senur inscription dated to 1005 CE, attributed to Rajaraja, records his military achievements. It mentions
14842-590: The Cholas between the 10th and 12th centuries CE and they have continued to be supported and used by Hindus. The temples are classified as "Great Living" as the temples are active in cultural, pilgrimage and worship practises in modern times. The Brihadishvara temple at Thanjavur is the site of annual dance festivals around February, around the Mahashivratri . Major classical Indian dance form artists, as well as regional teams, perform their repertoire at this Brahan Natyanjali festival over 10 days. The Temple car
15023-412: The Cholas established a provincial capital at the strategic military outpost of Polonnaruwa, renaming it Jananathamangalam in honor of Rajaraja's title. Under Chola administration, the official Tali Kumaran oversaw the construction of a significant Shiva temple known as Rajarajeshwara, meaning "Lord of Rajaraja," within the town of Mahatirtha, now recognized as modern-day Mantota. Consequently, Mahatirtha
15204-535: The Eastern Chalukyas. The Badami Chalukya era was an important period in the development of South Indian architecture. The kings of this dynasty were called Umapati Varlabdh and built many temples for the Hindu god Shiva. Their style of architecture is called "Chalukyan architecture" or "Karnata Dravida architecture". Nearly a hundred monuments built by them, rock cut (cave) and structural, are found in
15385-661: The Great , was a Chola emperor who reigned from 985 CE to 1014 CE. He is known for his conquests of southern India and parts of Sri Lanka , and increasing Chola influence across the Indian Ocean . Rajaraja's birth name was Arulmozhi Varman. Rajaraja's empire encompassed vast territories, including regions of the Pandya country , the Chera country , and northern Sri Lanka . He also extended his influence over strategic islands such as Lakshadweep , Thiladhunmadulu atoll, and parts of
15566-406: The Hindu temple traditions of South India by adopting architectural and decorative elements, but its scale significantly exceeded the temples constructed before the 11th century. The Chola era architects and artisans innovated the expertise to scale up and build, particularly with heavy stone and to accomplish the 63.4 metres (208 ft) high towering vimana . The temple faces east, and once had
15747-688: The Kalingathupparani references the establishment of Chadaya Nalvizha in Udiyar Mandalam, the seizure of Udagai, and the plundering of several elephants from the area. The Tiruppalanam inscription from 999 CE records the king's offering of an idol obtained as spoils from Malainadu. "A naval campaign led to the conquest of the Maldive Islands, the Malabar Coast, and northern Sri Lanka, all of which were essential to
15928-591: The Mallikarjuna Temple (740–745) in the southern style. The Papanatha temple (680) and Galaganatha Temple (740) are early attempts in the nagara – dravida fusion style. Inscriptional evidence suggests that the Virupaksha and the Mallikarjuna Temples were commissioned by the two queens of King Vikramaditya II after his military success over the Pallavas of Kanchipuram. Some well known names of Chalukyan architects are Revadi Ovajja, Narasobba and Anivarita Gunda . The reign of Western Chalukyas
16109-652: The Meguti Jain Temple (634) which shows progress in structural design; the Durga Temple with its northern Indian style tower (8th century) and experiments to adapt a Buddhist Chaitya design to a brahminical one (its stylistic framework is overall a hybrid of north and south Indian styles. ); the Huccimalli Gudi Temple with a new inclusion, a vestibule , connecting the sanctum to the hall. Other dravida style temples from this period are
16290-933: The Naganatha Temple at Nagaral; the Banantigudi Temple, the Mahakutesvara Temple and the Mallikarjuna Temple at Mahakuta; and the Lower Sivalaya Temple, the Malegitti Sivalaya Temple (upper) and the Jambulingesvara Temple at Badami. Located outside the Chalukyan architectural heartland, 140 km south-east of Badami, with a structure related to the Early Chalukya style is the unusual Parvati Temple at Sanduru which dates to
16471-512: The Pallavas and married a Pallava princess. She had a child called Vijayaditya who is claimed to be the Pulakeshin ;I 's father. However, according to the historians K. V. Ramesh, Chopra and Sastri, there are Badami Chalukya inscriptions that confirm Jayasimha was Pulakeshin I's grandfather and Ranaraga , his father. Kamath and Moraes claim it was a popular practice in the 11th century to link South Indian royal family lineage to
16652-517: The Rashtrakutas in previous years. Rajaraja changed this by transforming the kingdom into a well-organized empire with a powerful army and navy. Under his rule, the northern kingdom of Vengi became closely allied with the Cholas, and their influence expanded along the eastern coast all the way up to Kalinga in the north. In the Thanjavur inscriptions, various regiments are noted. These regiments were organized into units of elephants, cavalry, and infantry. Each of these units operated independently and had
16833-415: The Rashtrakutas, the new rulers of the western deccan, and the Eastern Chalukyas. For much of the next two centuries, the Eastern Chalukyas had to accept subordination towards the Rashtrakutas. Apart from a rare military success, such as the one by Vijayaditya II(c.808–847), it was only during the rule of Bhima I (c.892–921) that these Chalukyas were able to celebrate a measure of independence. After
17014-417: The Sanskrit work Mitakshara by Vijnaneshwara in the court of Western Chalukya King Vikramaditya VI. Perhaps the greatest work in legal literature, Mitakshara is a commentary on Yajnavalkya and is a treatise on law based on earlier writings and has found acceptance in most parts of India. Englishman Henry Thomas Colebrooke later translated into English the section on inheritance, giving it currency in
17195-563: The Sinhalese kingdom of Anuradhapura experienced a significant military revolt around the year 982 AD, primarily as a consequence of the monarch's economic policies. The armed forces of the Anuradhapura capital predominantly consisted of Tamil mercenaries recruited from coastal regions. By 882 CE, tensions escalated into a full-fledged uprising led by these mercenaries, resulting in a protracted civil conflict. The ensuing turmoil compelled
17376-485: The Thanjavur temple is spurious and of recent origin. During 1010 CE, Rajaraja built the Brihadisvara Temple in Thanjavur and dedicated it to Lord Shiva . The temple, also known as Periya Kovil , RajaRajeswara Temple and Rajarajeswaram , and the capital were centres of both religious and economic activity. The temple, which turned 1000 years old in 2010, is one of the largest temples in India and
17557-493: The Western Chalukyas, who had by then replaced the Rashtrakutas as the main power in the western Deccan. The Western Chalukyas sought to brook the growing Chola influence in the Vengi region but were unsuccessful. Initially, the Eastern Chalukyas had encouraged Kannada language and literature, though, after a period of time, local factors took over and they gave importance to Telugu language . Telugu literature owes its growth to
17738-438: The aid of monkeys, a causeway across the sea, and then with great difficulties defeated the king of Lanka using sharp-edged arrows. But Rama was excelled by this king whose powerful army crossed the ocean by ships and burnt up the king of Lanka." In 1017 CE, Rajaraja's successor, Rajendra I, finalized the Chola conquest of Sri Lanka. The Chola reign over Sri Lanka persisted until 1070, the occupation ended in Chola withdrawal after
17919-412: The amount of natural light inside the temple. The frescoes were thus photographed in a limited way and interpreted. According to Sriraman, a complete imaging with better photographic equipment suggests that these historic interpretations were incorrect. For example, a fresco that was previously interpreted as Dakshinamurti Shiva is actually a secular scene of a royal guru meditating under a banyan tree. On
18100-623: The area south of the Vindhyas – the Deccan and Tamilakam . The age of small kingdoms had given way to large empires in this region. The Chalukya dynasty was established by Pulakeshin I in 543. Pulakeshin I took Vatapi (modern Badami in Bagalkot district, Karnataka ) under his control and made it his capital. Pulakeshin I and his descendants are referred to as "Chalukyas of Badami". They ruled over an empire that comprised
18281-433: The authority to give gifts or construct temples as they saw fit. Rajaraja's earliest inscriptions commemorate a significant triumph at Kandalur Salai, located in present-day Kerala, around 988 CE. He is acclaimed as "Kāndalūr śālai Kalam-arutta," which translates to 'the one who destroyed Kandalur Salai.'. He is hailed as "Kāndalūr śālai Kalam-arutta," meaning 'the one who destroyed Kandalur Salai.' Originally, this area
18462-426: The center of this granite block rises the griva , the sikhara and the finial ( stupi ) of Tamil Hindu temple architecture. This stupi is 3.81 metres (12.5 ft) in height, and was originally covered with gold (no longer). The sikhara at the top is cupola-shaped and weighs 25 tons. Each storey of this tower is decorated with kutas and salas . The shrinking squares tower architecture of this temple differs from
18643-415: The classical dance of South India, was popular and is seen in many sculptures and is mentioned in inscriptions. Some women from the royal family enjoyed political power in administration. Queen Vijayanka was a noted Sanskrit poet, Kumkumadevi, the younger sister of Vijayaditya (and queen of Alupa King Chitravahana) made several grants and had a Jain basadi called Anesajjebasadi constructed at Puligere, and
18824-531: The death of Bhima I, the Andhra region once again saw succession disputes and interference in Vengi affairs by the Rashtrakutas. The fortunes of the Eastern Chalukyas took a turn around 1000. Danarnava, their king, was killed in battle in 973 by the Telugu Choda King Bhima who then imposed his rule over the region for twenty-seven years. During this time, Danarnava's two sons took refuge in
19005-545: The destruction of the Pandya capital, Madurai, as well as the conquest of several regions. These include defeating the formidable rulers of Kollam (Venad), Kolla-desham (Mushika), and Kodungallur (the Chera Perumals of Makotai). Certain triumphs in the region of Malainadu were possibly achieved by Prince Rajendra Chola I on behalf of his father, Rajaraja Chola. Following his victory over the Pandyas, Rajaraja assumed
19186-635: The development of Kannada literature and Sanskrit literature . They went into their final dissolution towards the end of the 12th century with the rise of the Hoysala Empire , the Pandyas , the Kakatiya and the Seuna Yadavas of Devagiri . Pulakeshin II conquered the eastern Deccan, corresponding to the coastal districts of modern Andhra Pradesh in 616, defeating the remnants of
19367-485: The early Chalukyas, suggests that the Western Chalukya kings belonged to the same family line as the illustrious Badami Chalukya dynasty of the 6th century while other Western Chalukya inscriptional evidence indicates they were a distinct line unrelated to the Early Chalukyas. Tailapa II , a Rashtrakuta feudatory ruling from Tardavadi – 1000 ( Bijapur district ) overthrew Karka II , re-established
19548-450: The end of Rajaraja's reign. He held the position of supreme commander over the northern and northwestern territories. Under Raja Chola's rule, there was a notable expansion of the administrative system, resulting in a greater number of offices and officials documented in Chola records compared to previous eras. Villavan Muvendavelan, one of the top officials of Rajaraja figures in many of his inscriptions. The names of other officials found in
19729-622: The entire state of Karnataka and most of Andhra Pradesh in the Deccan. Pulakeshin II , whose pre-coronation name was Ereya, commanded control over the entire Deccan and is perhaps the most well-known emperor of the Badami dynasty. He is considered one of the notable kings in Indian history. His queens were princess from the Alupa Dynasty of South Canara and the Western Ganga Dynasty of Talakad , clans with whom
19910-570: The ethical boundaries of warfare prescribed by the Dharmasastras. Historians such as James Heitzman and Wolfgang Schenkluhn interpret this confrontation as indicative of personal animosity between the rulers of the Chola and Chalukya kingdoms, akin to historical conflicts between the Chalukyas of Badami and the Pallavas of Kanchi. By the year 1004 CE, Rajaraja had successfully conquered the Gangavadi province. He established control over
20091-479: The fifth to the ninth century over the Chalukya era rule as evidenced in Aihole , Badami and Pattadakal , and then with the Pallava era as witnessed at Mamallapuram and other monuments. Thereafter, between 850 and 1280, Cholas emerged as the dominant dynasty. The early Chola period saw a greater emphasis on securing their geopolitical boundaries and less emphasis on architecture. In the tenth century, within
20272-412: The first seven books. He included Manickavasagar's Tirukovayar and Tiruvacakam as the 8th book, and the hymns of nine other saints as the 9th book. The Tirumandiram of Tirumular was designated as the 10th book, while 40 hymns by 12 other poets constituted the 11th book. Additionally, Nambi added Tirutotanar Tiruvanthathi, the sacred anthathi of the labors of the 63 nayanar saints, along with his own hymns as
20453-417: The following: Vanathi aka Thiripuvāna Mādēviyār, Dantisakti Vitanki aka Lokamadevi, Panchavan Madeviyar, Chola Mahadevi, Trailokya Mahadevi, Lata Mahadevi, Prithvi Mahadevi, Meenavan Mahadevi, Viranarayani and Villavan Mahadevi. He had at least three daughters and two sons. The older son, Rajendra, was born to Thiripuvāna Mādēviyār. The younger son was named Araiyan Rajarajan, and the identiey of his mother
20634-488: The giving of gifts ( dana ) was important. The Badami kings were followers of Vedic Hinduism and dedicated temples to popular Hindu deities in Aihole. Sculptures of deities testify to the popularity of Hindu Gods such as Vishnu , Shiva , Kartikeya , Ganapathi , Shakti , Surya and Sapta Matrikas ("seven mothers"). The Badami kings also performed the Ashwamedha ("horse sacrifice"). The worship of Lajja Gauri ,
20815-590: The governance of the empire observed that the benefits of the king's efficient administration was felt far and wide. Later, Persian emperor Khosrau II exchanged ambassadors with Pulakeshin II. Court poets of the Western Chalukya dynasty of Kalyani narrate: Some scholars connect the Chalukyas with the Chaulukyas (Solankis) of Gujarat . According to a myth mentioned in latter manuscripts of Prithviraj Raso , Chaulukyas were born out of fire-pit (Agnikund) at Mount Abu . However it has been reported that
20996-573: The governor of the Chalukya branch of Navsari . Vikramaditya II later overran the other traditional kingdoms of Tamil country, the Pandyas , the Cholas and the Cheras in addition to subduing a Kalabhra ruler. The last Chalukya king, Kirtivarman II , was overthrown by the Rashtrakuta king Dantidurga in 753. At their peak, the Chalukyas ruled a vast empire stretching from the Kaveri in
21177-486: The great hall with the sanctum ( Antrala ). The temple complex integrates a large pillared and covered veranda ( prakara ) in its spacious courtyard, with a perimeter of about 450 metres (1,480 ft) for circumambulation. Outside this pillared veranda there are two walls of enclosure, the outer one being defensive and added in 1777 by the French colonial forces with gun-holes with the temple serving as an arsenal. They made
21358-569: The history of Karnataka . The political atmosphere in South India shifted from smaller kingdoms to large empires with the ascendancy of Badami Chalukyas. A Southern India-based kingdom took control and consolidated the entire region between the Kaveri and the Narmada rivers. The rise of this empire saw the birth of efficient administration, overseas trade and commerce and the development of new style of architecture called "Chalukyan architecture". Kannada literature , which had enjoyed royal support in
21539-504: The history of Anuradhapura. In 993 CE, Rajaraja achieved the conquest of Anuradhapura, known as Pihiti rata in local context, situated in Sri Lanka. This territory was subsequently designated as Ila-mandalam in Chola historical records. The military campaign led to the sacking of Anuradhapura by the Chola army, resulting in the acquisition of the northern portion of Sri Lanka by the Chola empire. As part of their administrative efforts,
21720-422: The inscription as the son of Sembiyan-Madeviyar. Chalukya The Chalukya dynasty ( [tʃaːɭukjə] ) was a Classical Indian dynasty that ruled large parts of southern and central India between the 6th and the 12th centuries. During this period, they ruled as three related yet individual dynasties. The earliest dynasty, known as the "Badami Chalukyas", ruled from Vatapi (modern Badami ) from
21901-507: The inscriptions are the Bana prince Narasimhavarman, a general Senapathi Krishnan Raman , the Samanta chief Vallavaraiyan Vandiyadevan , the revenue official Irayiravan Pallavarayan and Kuruvan Ulagalandan, who organised the country-wide land surveys. Rajaraja was a follower of Shaivism denomination of Hinduism but he also dedicated several temples to Vishnu . The Chudamani Vihara ,
22082-472: The inscriptions engraved on them should be copied in a book. The records were subsequently re-engraved on the walls from the book after the rebuilding was finished. Another inscription from the Gramardhanathesvara temple in the southern area of Arcot , dating back to the seventh year of the king, mentions the fifteenth year of his predecessor, Uttama Choladeva. Uttama Choladeva is described in
22263-578: The largest monolithic linga sculptures in India. The Shaivism temple celebrates all major Hindu traditions by including the primary deities of the Vaishnavism and Shaktism tradition in the great mandapa of the main temple. The distribution of the deities is generally symmetric, except for the east entrance side which provide for the door and walkway. In addition to the main deities, each side provides for dvarapala s (guardians), and various other sculptures. The vestibule has three stone sculptures that
22444-436: The late 7th century. It is medium-sized, 48 ft long and 37 ft wide. It has a nagara (north Indian) style vimana (tower) and dravida (south Indian) style parts, has no mantapa (hall) and consists of an antarala ( vestibule ) crowned with a barrel-vaulted tower ( sukhanasi ). The "staggered" base plan of the temple became popular much later, in the 11th century. The structural temples at Pattadakal, built in
22625-475: The life of Rajaraja . Balakumaran , another Tamil author has written a novel named Udaiyar themed on the life of Rajaraja I and the construction of the temple. The temple is currently administered and managed by Babaji Bhonsle , the head of the Thanjavur Maratha royal family. He serves as the hereditary trustee of the palace Devasthanam which continues to manage 88 Chola temples including
22806-405: The local self-governments and installed a system of audit and control by which the village assemblies and other public bodies were held to account while retaining their autonomy. To promote trade, he sent the first Chola mission to China . Furthermore, his elder sister Kundavai assisted him in the administration and management of temples. Rajendra Chola I was appointed as a co-regent towards
22987-656: The main source of information about Badami Chalukya history. Among them, the Badami cave inscriptions of Mangalesha (578), Kappe Arabhatta record of c. 700, Peddavaduguru inscription of Pulakeshin II , the Kanchi Kailasanatha Temple inscription and Pattadakal Virupaksha Temple inscription of Vikramaditya II (all in Kannada language) provide more evidence of the Chalukya language. The Badami cliff inscription of Pulakeshin I (543),
23168-437: The mercenaries, feeling aggrieved and disillusioned, turned their allegiance towards the Chola empire. This strategic shift left Anuradhapura vulnerable to the incursions of the Chola forces, who exploited the internal strife to mount invasions in the year 993. These events, documented in historical sources, underscore the intricate interplay of economic policies, military dynamics, and regional power struggles during this period in
23349-462: The middle of the 6th century. The Badami Chalukyas began to assert their independence at the decline of the Kadamba kingdom of Banavasi and rapidly rose to prominence during the reign of Pulakeshin II . After the death of Pulakeshin II, the Eastern Chalukyas became an independent kingdom in the eastern Deccan . They ruled from Vengi until about the 11th century. In the western Deccan,
23530-580: The monument is designed to enhance the natural color of the stone along with the sculptural forms adorning all corners of the temple. The restoration has been undertaken by the Archaeological Survey of India that commissioned Sheila Sri Prakash Indian architect and designer to lead the design. The sanctum is at the center of the western square. It is surrounded by massive walls that are divided into levels by sharply cut sculptures and pilasters providing deep bays and recesses. Each side of
23711-499: The next 1,000 years. The raids and wars, particularly between Muslim Sultans who controlled Madurai and Hindu kings who controlled Thanjavur caused damage. These were repaired by Hindu dynasties that regained control. In some cases, the rulers attempted to renovate the temple with faded paintings, by ordering new murals on top of the older ones. In other cases, they sponsored the addition of shrines. The significant shrines of Kartikeya (Murugan), Parvati (Amman) and Nandi are from
23892-459: The obverse side, while the reverse side depicted a seated goddess. The coins spread across much of southern India and were copied by Sri Lankan kings. Due to Rajaraja's desire to record his military achievements, he recorded the important events of his life in stone. An inscription in Tamil from Mulbagal in Karnataka shows his accomplishments as early as the 19th year. An excerpt from such
24073-458: The original Saka era and established the Vikrama Era . Most subsequent Chalukya inscriptions are dated in this new era. Vikramaditya VI was an ambitious and skilled military leader. Under his leadership the Western Chalukyas were able to end the Chola influence over Vengi (coastal Andhra) and become the dominant power in the Deccan. The Western Chalukya period was an important age in
24254-441: The outer wall high, isolating the temple complex area. On its east end is the original main gopuram or gateway that is barrel vaulted . It is less than half the size of the main temple's vimana . Additional structures were added to the original temple after the 11th century, such as a mandapa in its northeast corner and additional gopurams (gateways) on its perimeters to allow people to enter and leave from multiple locations. Some of
24435-663: The people and the monuments of Kanchipuram, the Pallava capital. He thus avenged the earlier humiliation of the Chalukyas by the Pallavas and engraved a Kannada inscription on the victory pillar at the Kailasanatha Temple. During his reign Arab intruders of the Caliphal province of Sind invaded southern Gujarat which was under Chalukya rule, but the Arabs were defeated and driven out by Avanijanashraya Pulakeshin ,
24616-530: The period like Muvar Ula and Kalingathuparani . According to Chatterjee, the Dravidian architecture attained its supreme form of expression in the temple and it successor, the Brihadeeswarar Temple, Gangaikonda Cholapuram . The temple has been declared as a heritage monument by the Government of India and administered by the Archaeological Survey of India as a protected monument. The temple
24797-619: The period of the Badami Chalukyas, references are made to the existence of Kannada literature, though not much has survived. Inscriptions however refer to Kannada as the "natural language". The Kappe Arabhatta record of c. 700 in tripadi (three line) metre is the earliest available work in Kannada poetics. Karnateshwara Katha , which was quoted later by Jayakirti, is believed to be a eulogy of Pulakeshin II and to have belonged to this period. Other probable Kannada writers, whose works are not extant now but titles of which are known from independent references are Syamakundacharya (650), who
24978-458: The place of origin of their ancestors may have been of no significance to the kings of the empire who may have considered themselves natives of the Kannada speaking region. The writing of 12th century Kashmiri poet Bilhana suggests the Chalukya family belonged to the Shudra while other sources claim they were born in the arms of Brahma, and hence were Kshatriya caste. According to Xuanzang ,
25159-491: The presence of scripts, in the form of cadijam leaves half eaten by white ants in a chamber inside the second precinct in Thillai Nataraja Temple, Chidambaram . The brahmanas ( Dikshitars ) in the temple opposed the mission, but Rajaraja intervened by consecrating the images of the saint-poets through the streets of Chidambaram. Rajaraja thus became known as Tirumurai Kanda Cholan meaning one who saved
25340-449: The proceeds of the revenue from the village of Anaimangalam towards the upkeep of this Vihara. Rajaraja called himself Shivapada Shekhara ( IAST : Śivapāda Śekhara), literally, "the one who places his crown at the feet of Shiva ". Rajaraja embarked on a mission to recover the hymns after hearing short excerpts of Thevaram in his court. He sought the help of Nambi Andar Nambi . It is believed that by divine intervention Nambi found
25521-455: The pure Kannada term arasa (meaning "king" or "chief"). The Rashtrakuta inscriptions call the Chalukyas of Badami Karnatakabala ("Power of Karnataka"). It has been proposed by the historian S. C. Nandinath that the word "Chalukya" originated from Salki or Chalki which is a Kannada word for an agricultural implement. According to some historians, the Chalukyas originated from agriculturists. Inscriptions in Sanskrit and Kannada are
25702-530: The queens of Vikramaditya II, Lokamahadevi and Trailokyamahadevi made grants and possibly consecrated the Lokesvara Temple (now called Virupaksha temple) but also and the Mallikarjuna temple respectively at Pattadakal. The Chalukya era may be seen as the beginning of the fusion of cultures of northern and southern India, making way for the transmission of ideas between the two regions. This
25883-463: The rise of the Rashtrakutas in the middle of the 8th century eclipsed the Chalukyas of Badami before being revived by their descendants, the Western Chalukyas , in the late 10th century. These Western Chalukyas ruled from Kalyani (modern Basavakalyan ) until the end of the 12th century. The rule of the Chalukyas marks an important milestone in the history of South India and a golden age in
26064-471: The ritual of kanakabhisheka, where gold is poured over the Chola king, symbolizing an act of royal anointment or coronation. Once Rajaraja had consolidated his authority in the southern regions, he took on the title of Mummudi Chola. This title, which means "three Crowned," symbolized his power over three important Tamil kingdoms: the Cholas, the Pandyas, and the Cheras. During the reign of King Mahinda V,
26245-461: The river Ponni, whose waters are full of waves. Rajaraja recorded all the grants made to the Thanjavur temple and his achievements. He also preserved the records of his predecessors. An inscription of his reign found at Tirumalavadi records an order of the king to the effect that the central shrine of the Vaidyanatha temple at the place should be rebuilt and that, before pulling down the walls,
26426-400: The rule of Chola king Rajendra I. Inscriptions indicate that this area also had other iconography from major Hindu traditions during the Chola era, but these are now missing. The original eight shrines included those for Surya (the sun god), Saptamatrikas (seven mothers), Ganesha, Murugan, Jyeshtha , Chandra (the moon god), Chandeshvara and Bhairava. Similarly, in the western wall cella
26607-788: The same picture as on the Rs 5 coin. It was the first 1,000 Rupees coin to be released in the Republic of India coinage. This coin was a Non Circulative Legal Tender (NCLT). On 1 April 1954, the Reserve Bank of India released a ₹ 1,000 currency note featuring a panoramic view of the Brihadeeswar temple marking its cultural heritage and significance. In 1975, the then government led by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi demonetised all ₹ 1,000 currency notes in an effort to curtail black money . These notes are now popular among collectors. In 2010,
26788-403: The sanctuary has a bay with iconography. The interior of the sanctum sanctorum hosts an image of the primary deity, Shiva, in the form of a huge stone linga . It is called Karuvarai, a Tamil word that means "womb chamber". This space is called garbha griha in other parts of India. Only priests are allowed to enter this inner-most chamber. In the Tamizhan style, the sanctum takes the form of
26969-531: The sanctum and the Nandi mandapa . The maha-mandapa has six pillars on each side. This too has artwork. The Vitankar and Rajaraja I bronze are here, but these were added much later. The maha-mandapa is flanked by two giant stone dvarapalas. It is linked to the mukha-mandapa by stairs. The entrance of the mukha-mandapa also has dvarapalas. With the mandapa are eight small shrines for dikpalas , or guardian deities of each direction such as Agni , Indra , Varuna , Kubera and others. These were installed during
27150-531: The sanctum walls along the circumambulatory pathway. These frescoes which cover floor to ceiling, were discovered in 1931 by S. K. Govindasami of the Annamalai University . The painters used natural pigments and infused it into the wet limestone layer as it was setting in. The Chola frescoes were largely of Shaivism themes. These were restored in the 2000s. The total Chola fresco area is about 670 square metres (7,200 sq ft), of which about 112 square metres (1,210 sq ft) had been uncovered as of 2010 in
27331-418: The shrines and structures were added during the Pandya, Nayaka, Vijayanagara and Maratha era, before the colonial era started, and these builders respected the original plans and symmetry rules. Inside the original temple courtyard, along with the main sanctum and Nandi-mandapam are two major shrines, one for Kartikeya and for Parvati. The complex has additional smaller shrines. The Peruvudaiyar temple continued
27512-569: The soot that had deposited on them once upon a time. Owing to the continuous exposure to smoke and soot from the lamps and burning of camphor in the sanctum sanctorum over a period of centuries certain parts of the Chola paintings on the circumambulatory passage walls had been badly damaged. The Archaeological Survey of India , for the first time in the world, used its unique de-stucco process to restore 16 Nayak paintings, which were superimposed on 1000-year-old Chola frescoes. These 400-year-old paintings have been mounted on fibre glass boards, displayed at
27693-400: The south to the Narmada in the north. The Chalukyas revived their fortunes in 973 after over 200 years of dormancy when much of the Deccan was under the rule of the Rashtrakutas. The genealogy of the kings of this empire is still debated. One theory, based on contemporary literary and inscriptional evidence plus the finding that the Western Chalukyas employed titles and names commonly used by
27874-429: The specific identity of this individual—whether he was a prince of the Pandya dynasty, a general serving the Pandya king, or a prince of the Kongu Chera dynasty—remains a matter of debate and has not been conclusively resolved. According to the Kongu Desa Rajakkal, a historical record of the Kongu Nadu region, it is suggested that this general eventually changed his loyalty to Rajaraja. He is said to have participated in
28055-405: The story of Agnikula is not mentioned at all in the original version of the Prithviraj Raso preserved in the Fort Library at Bikaner . According to the Nilagunda inscription of King Vikramaditya VI (11th century or later), the Chalukyas originally hailed from Ayodhya where fifty-nine kings ruled, and later, sixteen more of this family ruled from South India where they had migrated. This
28236-418: The temple though inland, are at the start of the Kaveri River delta, thus with access to the Bay of Bengal and through it to the Indian Ocean . Along with the temples, the Tamil people completed the first major irrigation network in the 11th century for agriculture, for movement of goods and to control the water flow through the urban center. A spectrum of dravidian temple styles continued to develop from
28417-431: The term "Kudagu-malai-nadu" is used instead of "Kuda-malai-nadu." Scholars generally believe that this region corresponds to Coorg (Kudagu). The king's conquest of Malainadu is described in the Vikrama Chola Ula, where it is said that he achieved it in just one day, crossing 18 mountain passes. According to the Kulottunga Chola Ula, King Rajaraja was depicted as beheading 18 people and burning down Udagai. Additionally,
28598-401: The then Tamil Nadu chief minister, M Karunanidhi renamed Semmai Rice , a type of high productivity paddy variant, as Raja Rajan-1,000 to mark the millennial year of the constructor of the temple, Rajaraja Chola. The temple "testifies the brilliant achievements of the Chola in architecture, sculpture, painting and bronze casting". The temple finds mention in many of the contemporary works of
28779-414: The throne in mid-985. He was known as Arulmoḷi Varman until this point, after which he adopted the regnal name Rajaraja, meaning “King among Kings.” When Rajaraja came into power, he inherited a kingdom that was only centered around the Thanjavur-Tiruchirappalli region, which was the heart of traditional Chola territory. However, this kingdom was not very large, and it was still recovering from attacks by
28960-433: The throne of the eastern Chalukya kingdom . There were hostile encounters between the Cholas and the Hoysalas , a group who were vassals of the Western Chalukyas. An inscription from the Gopalakrishna temple at Narasipur , dated to 1006, records that Rajaraja's general Aprameya killed Hoysala generals and a minister identified as Naganna. Additionally, a similar inscription in Channapatna describes Rajaraja defeating
29141-486: The title "Rajamalla" ( lit "Sovereign of the Mallas " or Pallavas). The thirty-seven year rule of Vijayaditya (696–733) was a prosperous one and is known for prolific temple building activity. The empire was its peak again during the rule of the illustrious Vikramaditya II (733–744) who is known not only for his repeated invasions of the territory of Tondaimandalam and his subsequent victories over Pallava Nandivarman II , but also for his benevolence towards
29322-424: The title of Pandya Kulashani, which translates to 'Thunderbolt to the Race of the Pandyas.' As a result of his conquest, the territory of the Pandyas became recognized as "Rajaraja Mandalam" or "Rajaraja Pandinadu." When recounting Rajaraja's military expedition in Trisanku Kastha (the southern region), the Thiruvalangadu Grant of Rajendra I mentions the capture of a certain royal figure named Amarabhujanga. However,
29503-481: The tower at the Chola temple at Gangaikondasolisvaram, because this is straight in contrast to the latter which is curvilinear. The temple's sri-vimana magnitude has made it a towering landmark for the city. The upper storey corridor wall of the aditala is carved with 81 of the 108 dance karana s – postures of Natya Sastra . This text is the basis of the Bharathanatyam , the classical dance of Tamil Nadu. The 27 unrepresented karanas are blank blocks of stone, and it
29684-438: The tree are shown peacocks, birds, monkeys, squirrels and owls, plus a cobra. The animals and birds are shown as worried of the cobra, the ones closer to the snake are shown to be more worried. Other parts of the panel similarly show a court listening to a saint. Other show women in different dresses in different dance mudra . Some of the paintings in the sanctum sanctorum and the walls in the passage had been damaged because of
29865-574: The two rulers intensified as they vied for dominance in the region, resulting in significant battles and shifting allegiances. Rajaraja I also left a significant mark through his architectural and cultural achievements. He commissioned the construction of the Rajarajeshwaram Temple in the Chola capital of Thanjavur , which is revered as one of the most prominent examples of medieval South Indian architectural style. Additionally, during his reign, important Tamil literary works by poets such as Appar, Sambandar, and Sundarar were gathered and compiled into
30046-399: The valor displayed by Manya, a Kongalva leader, the estate of Malambi (Coorg) was granted to them, along with the title of Kshatriyasikhamani. Meanwhile, the Vengi kingdom was under the rule of Jata Choda Bhima, a member of the Eastern Chalukyas Dynasty. However, Rajaraja emerged victorious in battle against Bhima, and Saktivarman was appointed as a viceroy under the Chola Dynasty. Despite
30227-412: The vulnerable Sinhala ruler to seek refuge in the Rohana principality, thereby plunging the capital city of Anuradhapura into an extended period of civil unrest lasting approximately eleven years, marked by widespread disorder and lawlessness. The disruption of central governance exacerbated the financial strain on the kingdom, particularly in meeting the obligations to the Tamil mercenaries. Consequently,
30408-410: The western part of Gangavadi, ruled by the Changalvas, and over Kodagu, governed by the Kongalvas, who were then made vassals of the Chola Empire. Panchavan Maraya, a Chola general, played a significant role in defeating the Changalvas in the battle of Ponnasoge and was duly rewarded with the territory of Arkalgud Yelusuvira-7000 and the esteemed title of Kshatriyasikhamani. Similarly, in recognition of
30589-458: Was a demonstration of the Chola naval power in the Indian Ocean. The Cholas controlled the area around Bay of Bengal with Nagapattinam as the main port. The Chola Navy also played a major role in the invasion of Sri Lanka . The success of Rajaraja allowed his son Rajendra Chola to lead the Chola invasion of Srivijaya , carrying out naval raids in South-East Asia and briefly occupying Kadaram . Rajaraja married several women, including
30770-470: Was a massive granite Ganesha built during Rajaraja I era, but who is now found in the tiruch-churru-maligai (southern veranda). Of the Shaktism tradition's seven mothers, only Varahi survives in a broken form. Her remnants are now found in a small modern era brick "Varahi shrine" in the southern side of the courtyard. The original version of the others along with their original Chola shrines are missing. The temple has an underneath layer of Chola frescoes on
30951-608: Was an important period in the development of Deccan architecture. Their architecture served as a conceptual link between the Badami Chalukya architecture of the 8th century and the Hoysala architecture popularised in the 13th century. The centre of their cultural and temple-building activity lay in the Tungabhadra region of modern Karnataka state, encompassing the present-day Dharwad district ; it included areas of present-day Haveri and Gadag districts. Here, large medieval workshops built numerous monuments. These monuments, regional variants of pre-existing dravida temples, defined
31132-452: Was at Aihole (where some seventy structures exist and has been called "one of the cradles of Indian temple architecture" ) and Badami. Though the exact dating of these temples has been debated, there is consensus that the beginnings of these constructions are from c. 600. These are the Lad Khan Temple (dated by some to c. 450 but more accurately to 620) with its interesting perforated stone windows and sculptures of river goddesses;
31313-480: Was in parcels of land, so their temple employment was likely part-time. The temple employed devadasis who were dancers and singers of devotional hymns. Among its numerous inscriptions are frequent gifts that state, "to provide for worship, for food to assembly of sannyasis (monks or ascetics) and for repairs". According to George Michell, the Thanjavur temple was a major charity institution in its history. It provides free meal for pilgrims, devotees and wayfarers on
31494-418: Was released by India Post . The Reserve Bank of India commemorated the event by releasing a ₹ 5 coin with the model of temple embossed on it. A Raja , Cabinet Minister of Communications and Information Technology released the esteemed Brihadeeswarar temple special stamp, the first of which was received by G K Vasan , Cabinet Minister of Shipping . Mumbai Mint issued Rs 1,000 Commemorative Coin with
31675-412: Was renamed Rajarajapura in commemoration of the Chola monarch's conquest and establishment of authority in the region. To commemorate their victory, the Chola administrator Tali Kumaran supervised the construction of a notable Shiva temple named Rajarajeshwara, signifying "Lord of Rajaraja," within the precincts of Mahatirtha. Presently acknowledged as modern Mantota, this temple assumed a pivotal role as
31856-418: Was rolled out on its trial run from opposite to Sri Ramar temple on 20 April 2015 witnessed by a large number of people. Nine days later, the maiden procession of the temple car was held. This was the first such procession in this temple held in the past hundred years, according to news reports. Kalki Krishnamurthy , a renowned Tamil novelist, has written a historical novel named Ponniyin Selvan , based on
32037-401: Was served by 2000 mahajans and Aihole which was served by 500 mahajanas . Taxes were levied and were called the herjunka – tax on loads, the kirukula – tax on retail goods in transit, the bilkode – sales tax, the pannaya – betel tax, siddaya – land tax and the vaddaravula – tax levied to support royalty. The Badami Chalukyas minted coins that were of
32218-420: Was to recall the 275th day of his 25th regal year (1010 CE) when Rajaraja I (985–1014 CE) handed over a gold-plated kalasam (copper pot or finial ) for the final consecration to crown the vimana , the 59.82-metre tall tower above the sanctum. To mark the occasion, the state government organised a Bharathanatyam Yajna , classical dance show under noted dancer Padma Subramaniam . It was jointly organised by
32399-401: Was under the control of the Ay chief, who served as a vassal to the Pandya king of Madurai. However, it remains uncertain whether warriors from the Chera or Pandya dynasties were involved in this conflict. The Thiruvalangadu inscription suggests that Rajaraja's general captured Vizhinjam (Viḷinam), which could have been part of the Kandalur Salai campaign. It appears that this engagement involved
32580-420: Was victorious in great battles, Vengai-nadu, Ganga-padi, Nulamba-padi, Tadigai-padi, Kudamalai-nadu, Kollam, Kalingam and Ira-mandalam, which is famed in the eight directions; who, while his beauty was increasing, and while he was resplendent (to such an extent) that he was always worthy to be worshipped, deprived the Seriyas of their splendour, and (in words) in the twenty-first year of Chola Arumoli, who possesses
32761-486: Was with their navy that they conquered Revatidvipa ( Goa ), and Puri on east coast of India. Rashtrakuta inscriptions use the term Karnatakabala when referring to the powerful Chalukya armies. The government, at higher levels, was closely modelled after the Magadhan and Satavahana administrative machinery. The empire was divided into Maharashtrakas (provinces), then into smaller Rashtrakas ( Mandala ), Vishaya (district), Bhoga (group of 10 villages) which
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