Brihadeeswarar Temple

Thanjavur painting
Brihadisvara Temple

Brihadishvara Temple, also referred to as Rajesvara Peruvudaiyr or Brihadeeswarar Temple, is a Hindu

temple dedicated to Shivalocated in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, India.[1][3] It is one of the largest South Indian
temple and an exemplary example of a fully realized Tamil architecture.[4] Built by Raja Raja Chola I between
1003 and 1010 AD, the temple is a part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the "Great Living Chola
Temples", along with the Chola dynasty era Gangaikonda Cholapuram temple and Airavatesvara temple that are
about 70 kilometres (43 mi) and 40 kilometres (25 mi) to its northeast respectively.[5]

The original monuments of this 11th century temple were built around a moat. It included gopura, the main
temple, its massive tower, inscriptions, frescoes and sculptures predominantly related to Shaivism, but also
of Vaishnvaism and Shaktism traditions of Hinduism. The temple was damaged in its history and some artwork
is now missing. Additional mandapam and monuments were added in centuries that followed. The temple now
stands amidst fortified walls that were added after the 16th century.[6][7]

Built out of granite, the vimana tower above the sanctum is one of the tallest in South India.[3] The temple has a
massive colonnaded prakara (corridor) and one of the largest Shiva lingas in India.[3][5][8] It is also famed for the
quality of its sculpture, as well as being the location that commissioned the brass Nataraja – Shiva as the lord of
dance, in 11th century. The complex includes shrines for Nandi, Parvati, Kartikeya, Ganesha,
Sabhapati, Dakshinamurti, Chandeshvara, Varahi and others.[5][9] The temple is one of the most visited tourist
attractions in Tamil Nadu

Thanjavur painting

Thanjavur painting is a classical South Indian painting style, which was inaugurated from the town
of Thanjavur (anglicized as Tanjore) and spread across the adjoining and geographically contiguous Tamil
country. The art form draws its immediate resources and inspiration from way back about 1600 AD, a period
when the Nayakas of Thanjavur under the suzerainty of the Vijayanagara Rayas encouraged art—chiefly,
classical dance and music—as well as literature, both in Telugu and Tamil and painting of chiefly Hindu
religious subjects in temples.It is distinguished by its famous gold coating. However, it can safely be surmised
that Thanjavur painting, as we know it now, originated in the Maratha court of Thanjavur (1676 - 1855).[1] It has
been recognized as a Geographical indicationby the Government of India in 2007-08.[2]

Thanjavur paintings are characterised by rich, flat and vivid colors, simple iconic composition, glittering gold
foils overlaid on delicate but extensive gesso work and inlay of glass beads and pieces or very rarely precious
and semi-precious gems. In Thanjavur paintings one can see the influence of Deccani, Vijayanagar, Maratha and
even European or Company styles of painting. Essentially serving as devotional icons, the subjects of most
paintings are Hindu gods, goddesses, and saints. Episodes from Hindu Puranas, Sthala-puranasand other
religious texts were visualised, sketched or traced and painted with the main figure or figures placed in the
central section of the picture (mostly within an architecturally delineated space such as a mantapa or prabhavali)
surrounded by several subsidiary figures, themes and subjects. There are also many instances when Jain, Sikh,
Muslim, other religious and even secular subjects were depicted in Tanjore paintings.