The Magnificent Tanjai Periya Kovil: A Timeless Marvel of Chola Architecture and Devotion to Lord Shiva

1. Tallest Temple Tower (Vimana) The tower above the sanctum (garbhagriha) is about 66 meters (216 feet) tall. It is one of the tallest temple towers in the world, built entirely of granite. The Vimana dominates the skyline of Thanjavur and symbolizes the architectural brilliance of the Cholas. 2. Single Stone Kalasam (Crowning Stone) The topmost structure, called the Kalasam, is a huge single stone weighing about 80 tons. Ancient engineers used an inclined plane system to lift and place this stone at such a height — a major engineering achievement over 1000 years ago. 3. Massive Nandi Statue The temple houses a huge statue of Nandi (the bull mount of Lord Shiva). It is carved from a single block of granite, measuring 6 meters in length and 3.7 meters in height. This Nandi is considered one of the largest monolithic Nandis in India. 4. Granite Construction Without Local Source The entire temple was built using granite, a stone that was not locally available in Thanjavur. This sho...