One Architectural marvel that has stood a millennium with violent natural disturbances and more violent human disturbances. One ancient TAMIL - DRAVIDIAN architecture with all it's structural intricacies and the SCIENCE which makes the modern day scientist to baffle. A SCIENTIFIC place than a SPIRITUAL place. One challenging structure analysed from the point of view of engineering details.

1. BRIHADEESWARAR TEMPLE
@ THANJAVUR BIG TEMPLE
ENGLISH COMMUNICATION LAB – PRESENTATION 1

3. LOCATION OF TEMPLE :
THANJAVUR , TAMILNADU
About 1 km from the
Thanjavur Bustand
LOCATION COORDINATES :
10°46′58″N79°07′54″E
CHOLA EMPIRE  DRAVIDIAN
ARCHITECTURE

4. BRIEF HISTORY OF TEMPLE :
A MAGNIFICIENT EDIFICE WITH IT’S MAJESTIC
VIMANA,SCULPTURES, ARCHITECTURE & FRESCOES.
WEALTH & RICHNESS OF TAMIL INSCRIPTIONS
ENGRAVED IN SUPER CALLIGRAPHY.
 BUILT IN 10TH
CENTURY B.C
APPROXIMATELY 1010 C.E
MILLENIUM COMMEMORATION ON SEPTEMBER 2010
UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE
INITIALLY NAMED AS RAJA RAJESHWARAM BY THE CHOZHA’S AND RENAMED AS BRIHADEESWARA (THE GREAT ISHWARA)
BY THE MARATHAS

5. BUILT BY  RAJA RAJA CHOLA – 1 1010 AD
WRITTEN ON STONE  INSCRIPTIONS OF ABOUT 107
PARAGRAPHS  A KING’S PASSION ON ARCHITECTURE
SUCH A MASSIVE ARCHITECTURE  INTENSE PLANNING 
SAFETY IN CONSTRUCTION  JUST 1 ACCIDENT RECORDED
EVERY INCIDENT RECORDED  STRUCTURAL DETAILS, GIFTS
GIVEN, JEWELLERY PRESENT, TIME OF CONSTRUCTION… etc.
DREAM  SRILANKA INVASIONS  SAIVIST TEMPER
SENIOR ARCHITECT / ENGINEER OF THE PROJECT :
KUNJARA MALLAN PERUNTACHANRAJA RAJA CHOLA 1 – 985 AD to 1014 AD

6. ABOUT THE TEMPLE :
STRUCTURAL DETAILS  RELATIONSHIP WITH ‘TAMIL’
216 feet HIGH TEMPLE (app. 66 m)
12 feet HIGH VIGRAHA ( LORD SHIVA SHRINE)
18 feet DEEP FOUNDATION
 1 LORD SHIVA SHRINE
12 UYIR EZHUTHUKAL
18 MEI EZHUTHUKAL
216 UYIR MEI EZHUTHUKAL
 1 AAYUTHA EZHUTHU
247m(TOTAL) = DISTANCE BETWEEN LINGA AND NANDHI

7. STRUCTURAL ELEVATION & PLAN :

9. ENTIRE ‘GRANITE’ STRUCTURE
BUT NO GRANITE SOURCE IN
100 km RADIUS
HERCULEAN TASK OF
TRANSPORTATION
A 16 STOREY VIMANA OF 60.96m
A 30m HIGH MAIN ENTRANCE
AXIAL & SYMMETRICAL GEOMETRY
PRAKARAM (OUTER PRECINCTS)
240m BY 125 m

10. OTRAI KAL NANDHI
NANDI IS A SACRED BULL IN HINDU MYTHOLOGY
CARVED OUT OF A SINGLE ROCK
16 feet LONG (4.9 m)
13 feet HIGH (4.0 m)
SAID TO BE GROWING
A PHENOMENOL WEATHERING ACTION
CONSPIRACY OVER OTRAI KAL NANDI
ORIGINAL OTRAI KAL NANDHI

11. 270 m BY 140 m OUTER BOUNDARY
OUTER WALLS CONTAIN 108 BHARATHANTIYA KARANAS
PERUVUDAYAR KOIL  PERUNKOIL or MADAKOIL  HIGHER
PLATFORM NATURAL OR MAN MADE MOUNDS
CHOLA’S ACHIEVEMENTSMURALS, SCULPTURES, PAINTINGS…etc
MULTIFACETED PILLARS WITH PROJECTING SQUARE CAPITALS 
KUNJARA MALLAN RAJA RAJA RAMA PERUNTHACHANNEW STYLE
SHRINE OF GODDESS  PANDYAS
SUBRAMANYA SHRINE  VIJAYANAGARA EMPIRE
VINAYAKA SHRINE  MARATHA RULERS

12. THE VIMANA

13. THE VIMANA:
AN ENGINEERING WONDER  STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS OF VIMANA
BIGGEST MYSTERY  HUGE CAP STONE ON TOP OF VIMANA
A SINGLE STONE CAP OF 80 TONNES WEIGHT RESTED ON THE 16 STOREY
SCIENTISTS BAFFLE ON HOW IT WENT THAT HIGH
MANY THEORIES WERE PROPOSED ON HOW IT WENT THAT HIGH…
HOW EQUILIBRIUM IS MAINTAINED THERE…?
SHADOW DOES NOT FALL ON THE GROUND  INSTEAD FALL ON ITSELF

14. THE GARBAGRAHA  SHIVA LINGA  EMITS HUGE AMOUNT
ELECTROMAGNETIC POSITIVE ENERGY
80 TONNE STONE CAP WAS SET AS REPULSIVE FORCE  TO MAKE THE
POSITIVE ENERGY REVOLVE AROUND THE PERIMETER OF TEMPLE
CLOCKWISE CIRCULATION OF COSMIC ENERGY
6 FEET TALL KALASAM
WHY THE VIMANA WAS CAPPED?:

15. The popular theory by western investigators is that a 11 km - long inclined plane was
built, and the stone was rolled to the top on logs, by elephants. The starting of the
inclined plane has been found and it is called "Sāra Palālāam" (Scaffold Pit).
MOST POPULAR THEORY

16. ALTERNATE THEORY
 A THICK ROUND BRICK WALL  5 TO 6 FEET WIDE  SCAFFOLDING 
‘SAARAKKATTU SUVAR’  AROUND GOPURAM  BIG STONES ARE KEPT
 SAND IS POURED IN THE GAP  SCAFFFOLDING  SPIRAL CASING
 BLOCKS AND BIG STONES ARE PLACED ON THE SCAFFOLDING AND ARE
MOVED WITH LESSER ENERGY THAN THE PREVIOUS METHOD.
 “BREAKING OF EGG SHELL”  OPENING OF THE SCAFFOLDING 
STHAPATHI’S
 SCAFFOLDING COMES OFF  SAND SPILLS OUT  GOPURAM REVEALED
 ANY MISTAKE IN LEVELS  WILL SHOW UP  PLUMB LINE PERFECT
The temple is constructed in layers. It would take less space and less effort comparing
to other methods. Sand in poured in large amounts as shown in the figure to move
around and place the rock at the center. Moving in circular path makes you feel less
tired and that is why you have circular stair case

17. A HUGE HOLLOW AT CENTRE OF
VIMANA  STILL MAKES A
WONDER  HOW THE LOAD
BALANCING WOULD HAVE TOOK
PLACE
BUILT OF INTERLOCKING STONES
AND NO BINDING MATERIAL IN
BETWEEN
SURVIVED 6EARTHQUAKES.
1807, 1816, 1866, 1823, 1864 and 1900

18. OTHER INTERESTING FACTS :

19. MOAT:
DEFENSIVE FORT  WITHSTAND
ANY ATTACK FROM ENEMIES
SATTELITE IMAGE  WATER
DRAINAGE LAYOUT  LONG
MOAT  GRAND ANAICUT’S
WATER  CROCODILES
HUGE DEFENSE OF THE CITY
PAVED WAY FOR MANY SECRET
HIDDEN PASSAGES

20. A dedicated secret passage was created to connect different secret places in hidden mesh-like structure.
It is decorated with distinct features depicting Hindu history of Bharat (India).
While roaming through secret passages, it is impossible to come back to the starting point, as no one
knows the route to reach the inter-places meshed to each other. That is the reason, most of the
underground and secret passages are closed for the public and archaeologists.
What are Secret Passages of Thanjavur (Tanjore)?
Secret Passages are closed since entrance to them is only possible when you recite right mantra to enter
it. The in-roads through the secret passages lead to places which RajaRaja Chola wanted only his close
confidante to know. Such places were holding keys to the treasure chest, rare scripts, calligraphs and
vaults whose confidentiality were to be maintained.
SECRET PASSAGES INSIDE TEMPLE :

21. GRANITE CARVINGS:

22. GRANITE CUTTING :
Series of holes were created in the granite block. The holes can be deeper or surfacial based on the
requirement. Then wooden sticks were filled in those holes, water is poured on the holes. After a long
period of time the rocks would break. And in similar manner, customized Granite blocks were cut.

23. PAINTINGS & MURALS:
These were purposely painted using solution made up of natural elements like flower petals, colorful leaves, haldi
(turmeric), treated muds, crushed salts, neem, pressed herbs, etc. The lasting of such Vedic designs were
ensured using medicinal learnings of Ayurveda.

24. INSCRIPTIONS ON WALLS:

25. BUDDHA STATUE IN THANJAVUR ?:
EVIDENCES  SHOW  ADVENT OF
BUDDHISM  DURING 10TH
CENTURY AD
RAJA RAJA CHOLAN  SAIVIST
SECULAR  RELIGIOUS TOLERANCE
BUDDHA UNDER WISDOM TREE

26. SCULPTURES:

29. REFERENCES:
GOOGLE
WIKIPEDIA
QUORA
HARIBHAKT.COM
INNOVATIVEBLAZE.BLOGSPOT.COM
THE HINDU – ARCHIVES
TAMILNADU.COM
VALAITAMIL.NET
INDIANTEMPLES.ORG