Gangaikondacholapuram (கங்கைகொண்ட சோழபுரம்)

Rajendra Chola’s next step in the research journey of Naam Cholas Cholapuram with Ganga Let’s see about.  The Cholas generally had a habit of establishing separate capitals for themselves after each change of regime. The Cholas of the Sangam period made Varayur their capital. Thanjavur was under the rule of Mutharaiyas. Thanjavur was made the capital during the Vijayalaya Cholan period after defeating the Mutharaiyas. After the reign of Rajaraja Chola, after the coronation of Rajendra Chola, he shifted his capital to Cholapuram on the banks of the Ganges to make himself unique.

Many reasons are given for the alteration of this Cholapuram with the Ganges. It is said that Rajaraja Chola changed the capital to Gangaikonda Cholapuram due to a disagreement between Rajaraja Chola and Rajendra Chola , and that the capital was changed in memory of Rajendra Chola going up to the Ganges to start a war , and because the distance between the Tanjore Palace and the Chalukya border was too great, if the capital was located in the middle of the country, the forces would rush during times of war. Some say it was changed because it was easier to fight.

For me it is the third point of agreement that holds the most. Because as an empire grows, more space is needed to build buildings to house soldiers and store weapons. Later, Tanjore may not be a good place to undertake such development work. Because of that, it seems that the capital was shifted to Cholapuram at Gangaikonda.

 

The temple is very cleanly maintained in the archeology department. If the temple was under the control of the Department of Archeology and not under the control of the Charity Department, it would have been ruined and the idols of the temple would have been sold and left in disrepair. Archeology is under control and is seen very brightly.

is now a completely destroyed and ruined mota gopuram as a result of the stones of this gopuram being moved to build buildings and dams here after the British invasion .

A gold-plated flag tree has been set up in this temple, which is a sight to behold upon entering the temple.

Next to it, there is a huge Nandi, like the one in the Tanjore Great Temple. This Nandi statue is beautifully decorated with intricately carved decorative beads , chains and postures.

On the side of this temple is a huge majestic lion statue. The addition of a well at the base of the temple is seen as a special feature of the temple. I have never seen such a huge lion statue or well before . This is the unique structure of this temple, this lion-faced well.

The temple tower of this Gangaikonda Cholapuram is slightly lower in height than the tower of the Thanjavur temple. There are many reasons for that. If Rajendra Chola had thought of it, he could have built the tower of this temple much grander than the great temple of Tanjore. But it is also said that because of the love and respect he had for his father Rajaraja Chola and the idea that he should never lower the value of his father, he built this temple a little lower.

On the side wall of this temple, there is a sculpture of Paramashiva crowning Chandikeswarar with his golden ornaments only in Gangaikonda Cholapuram temple. I mistook this for the Tanjore Great Temple. Next to it, on both sides of the wall, there is a huge statue of Dwara Balagars.

As far as the architecture of the temple is concerned, it almost follows the pattern of the Tanjore Great Temple. The facial structures of the sculptures in these two temples are also the same. Because the temple was built by a sculptor named Nitta Vinotha Thachar who was a disciple of the sculptor who built the great temple in Tanjore. That is why many similarities can be seen in this temple. This eternally eccentric carpenter excelled in bringing new inventions to the art of sculpture on a daily basis. That is why they say that he got the name Nitta Vinotha Thachar.

were skilled architects , sculptors , artists and painters. It is said that this great carpenter was given the title of Great Carpenter because he was the best in inventing war tools very accurately.

Next, if we look at the fourth photo in the seventh row of this page, there is one of the most beautiful sculptures that we have not seen anywhere. Looking at the structure of the sculpture, it looks like Perumal. This statue is placed on the side wall of the temple. Sculptures of Adal Mangaiyar are carved on both sides of the statue.

The buildings inside the temple are dilapidated. Looking at it, it seems likely that there were some small temples inside the temple as well. Since the temple has been neglected for many years, the small shrines inside the temple have become dilapidated. In later times, the stones from it were taken away by the people and the government around it, so they remain in a ruined state.

This temple is not a fully renovated temple like the Tanjore temple. The entire beauty of this temple can be brought out only if the government takes all-out efforts to rehabilitate this temple. But it doesn’t seem to make an effort.