Brihadisvara Temple (Brihadeeswarar Temple), Thanjavur
Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, India
A major Chola‑period Hindu temple complex in Thanjavur (Tamil Nadu, India), dedicated to Shiva and widely regarded as a mature expression of Dravidian temple architecture. The temple is a component of the UNESCO World Heritage serial property 'Great Living Chola Temples' and is notable for extensive wall inscriptions that support historical reconstructions of patronage, ritual, and administration.
Claims about Brihadisvara Temple (Brihadeeswarar Temple), Thanjavur
- Brihadisvara Temple (Thanjavur) is a component of the UNESCO World Heritage property 'Great Living Chola Temples'.
- Main construction of the Thanjavur temple is commonly dated to the reign of Rajaraja I, with a bounded window around 1003–1010 CE.
- The temple is a Shaivite Hindu temple with Shiva (linga) as the primary deity.
- The site is managed and conserved within India’s heritage management system (including the Archaeological Survey of India) as part of a World Heritage property.
- The temple is also known by alternative names, including Peruvudaiyar Kovil, reflecting local and historical naming traditions.
- The World Heritage framing treats the three temples as an 11th–12th century sequence linked to Chola royal patronage across successive rulers.
Evidence
- Tamil Nadu Tourism notes alternate name Peruvudaiyar Kovil and a large Shiva linga
- UNESCO/ICOMOS evaluation document (2004) summarizes the serial nomination and rationale
- UNESCO documents page lists property decisions, maps, and evaluations for Great Living Chola Temples
- UNESCO framing emphasizes the Chola Empire context across South India and neighboring islands