This Temple is also called as Brihadheswara Temple or Big Temple or Raja Rajeswaram or Peruvudaiyar Temple.  It was built in Tanjavur by the Great Chola Emporer, King Raja Raja Cholan and he was ably supported and assisted in this by his sister Kundavai Nachiyar.  The Temple is located on the Southern Bank of River Cauvery.  The Presiding Deity is Lord Shiva who stands 12 feet tall as a Shiva Lingam.  This Shivalingam is considered to be one of the tallest in India.  A Nandhi Vahanam which also stands 12 feet tall is placed on a pedestal and faces the Sanctum Sanctorum of the Temple.  The Temple has a huge moat that was built in those days to safeguard this Temple from the enemy onslaught.  Apart from this there is a huge compond wall and a massive gate to protect it.  The entire Temple was built with granite stones weighing more than 1,30,000 tonnes.  The wonder in this is that no stones are available at any nearby places in and around a 100 Kms from Thanjavur.  The Temple's unique feature is that it never casts its shadow on the earth on any given day.  The entire Temple construction was taken care by King Raja Raja Chola's Architect Kunjara Mallan Raja Raja Perunthachan who had built it in a typical Chola style.  It is a great wonder as to how the Vimanam stone with a height of around 216 feet was lifted to this extent with effortless ease in those days when no devices were available to do this work. The Temple mainly subscribes to the Shaivism and there are certain other mandapams which were added to this Temple in the later years by the then Rulers.  There are Sub Shrines for Goddess Parvathi, Goddess Varahi Amman, Ganesan, Murugan, Dhakshinamoorthy, Chandikeshwar and Karuvoorar.   UNESCO has taken over the complete maintenance and supervision of this Temple since it has been declared as a World Heritage Site.   The Temple has a well maintained Nandhavanam or Temple Garden.  The Temple stands first amongst the Tourist attractions and is thronged not only by Hindu Devotees but by tourists from India and Abroad.  It also withstood the attack by the Muslim invaders.  Like the Cholas who built the Temple the later Maratas and Nayak Rulers too had a hand in building this Temple.  The Temple is currently monitored under the watchful eyes of Babaji Bhonsle who is the Head of the Thanjavur Marata Royal Family.

Contact Details: 04362 - 274476 and 93810 69919 

Temple Timing: 6 AM to 12:30 PM and 4 PM to 8:30 PM

Distance between Chennai and Thanjavur is 348 kms

For any Suggestions in the Website: T.Ragavachari - 98411 40126