TRAVEL SPECIAL ....Keeping alive the Chola flame

Keeping alive the Chola flame

Walking around Thanjavur doesn’t make you feel you are in a place whose raison d’etre came into being a thousand years ago. The town first gained prominence when it became the Chola capital in the 9th century. But work on the temple that would eventually become its icon began only in 1003. More than a millennium later, the temple is still the heart and soul of the place.

The Brihadisvara, or the ‘Big Temple’ as some folks affectionately call it, is dedicated to Shiva. Its story is best told via the hundred-plus inscriptions found around the massive temple complex, which chronicle not just the dynasties that built or endowed it with immense wealth but the various economic and cultural activities that it has driven over centuries.

Construction of the temple by its patron Rajaraja Chola was a mammoth project, employing thousands of people. Once ready, the temple had a vast staff comprising priests, cooks, flowergatherers, garland makers, musicians, dancers, sculptors, painters, woodcutters, record-keepers and guards. And as the meticulously kept Chola records show, many of these people were given land grants. Which implies that many of their descendants would still be around, possibly continuing their traditional occupations.

The Brihadisvara is a stunning repository of Chola grandeur – its sheer scale and size awe a visitor, the delicate lines of its sculptures make the figures seem lifelike, the paintings along the pillared corridors on all sides of the main temple bring mythology alive.

The structure is not just a historical place, but is a living temple. Its traditions, art and architecture prove to be an irresistible magnet for both the faithful and the curious and visitors always fill the temple town, peaking during festive occasions.

Spread over nearly 3 hectares of land, the temple takes hours to explore. A visitor who spends time at the temple would find himself rewarded by observing the changing moods of the place. From elderly people to mothers with new-borns, from school children to selfie-seekers, different times of the day bring in varied sets of visitors. As the shadow of the temple’s mammoth upper portions changes with the sun, different parts of the complex look aglow.

Outside, the flower-sellers, garlandthreaders and toymakers ply a brisk trade. Further in town, veena makers are hard at work, continuing traditions alive since Rajaraja’s days. There is also a Nayaka palace in town, but it draws few visitors in comparison to the temple. After all, rulers are transitionary. Unless of course, like Rajaraja, they have a big temple to give them a degree of immortality.

Arjun.Kumar2@timesgroup.com

ETTR  22FEB18