Gangaikonda Cholapuram
| Gangaikonda Cholapuram கங்கைகொண்ட சோழபுரம் |
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 India
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| State : | Tamil Nadu | ||
| District : | Ariyalur | ||
| Location : | 11 ° 12 ' N , 79 ° 27' E | ||
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Gangaikonda Cholapuram ( Tamil கங்கைகொண்ட சோழபுரம் Kaṅkaikoṇṭa Cōḻapuram [ ˈɡaŋɡɛi̯koɳɖə ˈtʃoːɻəpuɾʌm ]) is a historic site in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu . It is located on the edge of the Kaveri delta in the Ariyalur district .
The name of the place means "City of Chola , who defeated the Ganga " and refers to its founding history: After his successful war against Kalinga ( Orissa ) and Bengal in 1022/23, the Chola king Rajendra I (ruled 1012-1044 ), almost 60 kilometers northeast of Thanjavur , the capital of his empire, to found a new capital. This was named Gangaikonda Cholapuram in memory of the campaign to the holy river Ganges (Ganga). For over 200 years, the city remained the seat of the rulers of the powerful Chola Empire, but was probably conquered and largely destroyed in the 13th century by the rising Pandya under Jatavarman Sundara (ruled 1251 to 1268).
In today's village of Gangaikonda Cholapuram, only ruins are left of the buildings of the former Chola capital, including the royal palace.
Brihadisvara Temple
Only the Brihadisvara Temple , consecrated to Shiva , which is based on the temple of the same name in Thanjavur in both plan and layout, is almost completely preserved. Unlike the Vimana (tower with the holy of holies) of the model in Thanjavur, the temple tower of Gangaikonda Cholapuram is lower and more delicate with a height of 55 meters. In addition, it has a slight curvature instead of rising up into a steep pyramidal shape. The assembly hall ( mahamandapa ), which has around 150 columns , already takes up features of the thousand-column halls that would later become common. The sculptural decoration of the temple is considered to be an outstanding example of the sculptural art of the Chola period. Further to the east, a statue of the mythical bull Nandi looks towards the Vimana . The only partially preserved Gopuram (gate tower) lies in the same direction . In the temple area there are other small shrines as well as an artificially created pond, which Rajendra I once had filled with Ganges water, which his inferior enemies had to pay him as tribute. As one of three great temples of the Chola dynasty , the Brihadisvara Temple of Gangaikonda Cholapuram has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2004 .
literature
- R. Nagaswamy: Gangaikondacholapuram. State Department of Archeology, Government of Tamil Nadu, 1970
