The Brihadishvara Temple (originally known as Peruvudaiyar Kovil) located in Thanjavur Tamil Nadu is dedicated to the god Shiva located in South bank of Cauvery river. The temple is constructed in a Hindu Dravidian Style and is one of the largest Hindu temples. Let’s know about its rarest of the rare features…
1. The Brihadeeswara Mandir has been one of the greatest structures ever built using the interlock method where no cement, plaster or adhesive was used between the stones. It has survived 1000 years and 6 earthquakes.
2. The Mandir tower at 216 feet was likely the tallest in the world at the time.
3. The other structures built using this method such as Big Ben and Leaning Tower of Pisa have been tilting with time. However, the Mandir which is far older has zero degree inclination.
4. 130,000 tons of granite was used to build the Mandir which was transported by 3000 elephants from different parts of state.
5. The Mandir was constructed without digging the earth. There was no foundation dug for the Mandir!! Which means it was built on the plain land. The stone placed at the top of the temple tower is known as Kumbam
5. This Temple Has Been Declared A UNESCO World Heritage Site as it has been the best example of excellent workmanship and grandeur.
6. The crucial and influential emperor Raja Raja Cholan built the Brihadeeswarar Temple as a dedication to Lord Shiva. The rocks necessary for building this Grand Structure has come from various neighboring States.
(Picture and text credit: Vertigo_Warrior @VertigoWarrior)