Brihadeeswarar Temple, Thanjavur
The royal temples built by the Chola kings, (such as the Brihadeswara temple at Tanjore) were particularly magnificient..... The temple in the Chola kingdom became the centre of social activity. It was not merely a place of worship, but it was also a place where people gathered together.... It was in my Seventh Standard that I first read these lines. Though the history textbook didn't talk in detail about the Cholas as much as they did for Mughals and other empires that centred around Delhi, my teacher compensated for it. Even today, their influence is discernible in places beyond the Indian subcontinent. It was back then, I hoped to visit one of the wonders of the Chola Empire. The Brihadeswarar Temple at Tanjore built during the reign of Raja Raja Chola (r. 984 - 1014 AD) stands as a testimony showcasing the architectural might of the Imperial Cholas. The Brihadeeswarar Temple, Thanjavur Well, Tamil Nadu is a land of temples. You might be an atheist but these temples