Thanjavur, 22 December 2024. Early morning, cloudy, perfect. 
Brihadeeswarar Temple was built in 1010 AD by Rajaraja Chola I. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, still an active temple today, and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Who was Rajaraja Chola I? One of the greatest Chola kings (ruled around 985 to 1014 AD). He expanded the empire across South India and into Sri Lanka, and made Thanjavur his capital. The temple was his grand offering to Shiva, partly devotion, partly a statement of Chola power. He named the deity Rajarajeswaram, after himself. Later it became better known as Brihadeeswarar (“the great Lord”).
What’s written on the walls? Not sure of the details, but from what I’ve read, the Tamil inscriptions are basically the temple’s admin file, carved in granite.
A few interesting things:
- Built in roughly 6 to 7 years (around 1003 to 1010 CE). For something this size, that’s wild.
- The vimana (main tower) is about 66 metres tall, built almost entirely of granite, with no quarry nearby.
- The kumbam (the rounded dome at the very top) is a single granite block weighing around 80 tonnes (80,000 kg). Somehow hauled up there a thousand years ago.
- It’s often said that its shadow never falls on the ground within the temple complex at noon. Not sure what’s it about.
- Still standing after 1,000+ years.
Went early morning on purpose. The light on the granite was worth it. Here are a few.. very few.
